Linux is the best alternative to Windows. No doubt. Linux is free, easy to use and more secure. Once you have made yourself a bit familiar, it will feel like home. Still, it is used by Just 1.7% PCs in world.
Ever since it was made, Linux contributors tried very hard to convince the world to use it, most people either just didn’t give it a try or are just were not able to try it. I first tried Linux in form of Ubuntu 11.10 in 2011. I downloaded it, installed it and I used it for almost 6 months as my primary OS, ultimately I had to crawl back to Windows. I think many people experience the same. If someone does not discard Linux right away, he will say that “Linux is a great OS” and still keep using Windows (or Mac OS).
There are some reasons behind all of this, why Linux –despite of being great- is not and will never be used widely.
Problem #1: Myths
Surprisingly the biggest problem is not the lack of software. People –at most cases- don’t know about Linux, they get confused between Linux Kernel and A Linux distribution. They think that installing it would be like flying an aircraft. Most computer users think that Linux is just a Windows alternative in which they have to use a command prompt all the time. (All of this these are just myths, by the way)
People just don’t get Open Source Software. Some people even think that Linux looks old and works the way Windows 3.0 era OS used to work.
Linux no longer looks like this
No big Brand is supporting Linux
Yeah, I know Microsoft has made handful of Apps for Open Source Android OS, Microsoft open sourced its .NET framework and even Microsoft made a Code Editor available for Linux.
Google owns Android and it is already an Open Source Project. The search engine giant also uses Chrome OS in their Chromebooks, both Operating systems run on a Linux Kernel. Does that make these brands an Open Source supporter?
Nope.
Talking about Microsoft, they did not make the Visual Studio IDE open source and all the android apps they make are closed source. Talking about the other one, Google never made Chrome OS Open source, most of Google made android apps are closed source too. Heck, you are not allowed to install any Linux software in Chrome OS or Android. Even when they are using Linux kernel.
Software giants don’t really like Linux
Despite of Linux being capable of running powerful apps and software, most of the big software makers are not interested in porting their software for Linux. None of adobe’s Creative Cloud apps are available. Microsoft Office, which is available for Windows, Mac OS and even Android, is not available for Linux.
It is not just limited to Microsoft or Adobe, all other big companies follow the route, Corel (known for CorelDRAW) Autodesk (the makers of AutoCAD) and a lot more companies show no interest in porting their code to Linux.
There may be one reason behind this, these software makers don’t believe that Linux users will buy their products. This may be true at some extent, as most of Linux Users are PoweUsers and they like Free and open source software, there are some chances that they won’t buy the software and instead they will keep using the free alternatives.
But this also limits the production of proprietary software for Linux and ultimately results in a small software ecosystem.
Too much confusion
Where do I begin with this, most people just don’t understand what Linux is and how can they pick one for themselves. There are too many options for them to choose from.
Other operating systems don’t have to face this problem. If you want Windows, there is just one option to buy – Windows 10. If you want to go for Apple’s Mac, you will find the latest version installed on Computer.
Hope this was in case of Linux. Explaining difference between Ubuntu and Linux Mint is sometimes annoying to a complete noob. We have too many flavors to choose from in Linux, and it ultimately results in too much confusion.
Perhaps we need a good organization that can go mainstream, but it will never happen. People will keep liking their Distribution and the strength of Linux (i.e. the choice) will continue to become a weakness.
Perhaps it will always be an underdog
I don’t see Linux turning into a mainstream OS anytime soon. Still, I will keep using it, I will recommend others to use Linux, and at least this is a good way to support Linux. If you have never tried Linux and you want to give it a shot, I will recommend you Ubuntu, it is a really easy to use Linux distribution.
Ubuntu is really good to start from
What do you think about Linux? Do you use it or just ignore it? Do share with us in comments below.
Agreed, Linux has a few problems.
Haha – like flying an aircraft. I was curious to see what You’d say about Linux. It’s kind of a shame it’s so seldom used, I think.
Well, at some point I agreed, like rarely Iinux users would buying novel or great software, they prefer free at somewhat.
Myself using linux from 2007 and as starting using Ubuntu, now I’m using Solus. I think Linux is powerful, but yes the ecosystem from Big and Major Companies as OS users want after sales Services and they don’t know that there is great companies behind some Distro, namely Canonical or Red Hat able do the same.
Perhaps, we need to aware that there is peoples behind every FOSS project to be supported too.
Perhaps you are simply unaware that Linux has already been widely accepted?