The future of Linux "distros" seems to be merely theme packs on top other existing distros. Include OS in the name and say it's meant for everyone. Just like Xubuntu, just like Enso OS, just like Ubuntu, just like Debian.
When I look at ElementryOS, PopOS, PureOS, Etc...OS they all seem to ignore the irony that someone savvy enough to discover an obscure distro might not need everything to be a user friendly macOS-esque experience. It's rehashed, conceited, and insignificant. I could take Ubuntu Mate and tweak it with conky, i3wm and call it whateverOS, but I wont because I know anyone who ever found it could easily do the same first themselves. That's the great thing about Linux that we keep ignoring. Most people dont care about your config setup, it's still Ubuntu at th end of the day.
I'd argue that community developed *nix systems without corporate funding will never be for the masses. If you want to make an impact on Linux, fix upstream instead of adding onto the heap with abandoned projects that attempt to make the lives easier for a consumer demographic that has other interests than the OS that runs their internet browser and word processor.
> someone savvy enough to discover an obscure distro might not need everything to be a user friendly macOS-esque experience
Some of these savvy people discover these OS's and think they might be a perfect fit for their non-savvy relatives.
However once you (need to) go just a little step beyond the bounds of what the OS creator set for you everything simple comes crumbling down again and you are stuck with the complicated mess that is the Linux Desktop where freedom and customization is both its greatest feature and its greatest weakness.
> they all seem to ignore the irony that someone savvy enough to discover an obscure distro might not need everything to be a user friendly macOS-esque experience.
Sure, I’m technically capable of doing all this myself. I don’t need the macOS-esque user friendliness. But I also don’t need takeaway food. But sometimes, home cooking is just a chore, yknow?
Yeah... This mindset is just part of the HN bubble.
Most people want to be productive with their computers quickly, including most skilled users. If you like configurability, there's a plethora of options.
I do know my way around to figure out most issues when I deal with Linux-based system, but I'm fond of ElementaryOS for the simplicity and the out-of-the-box experience. I still toy with other OSes from time to time, but I need my main computer to be as functional as possible, and ElementaryOS fits that need for me.
I deployed it on an old laptop for my relatives and it's been a worry-free experience since.
I had to deploy some non-free softwares (ex: Spotify, Google Chrome) but since they have their own APT repo they are kept up-to-date with the system updates.
But why not just use Ubuntu? I dont know why so many people decided that wasn't enough of an out of the box experience. All ElementaryOS really is Ubuntu Pantheon edition. That's what bothers me about this superficial branding.
When I look at ElementryOS, PopOS, PureOS, Etc...OS they all seem to ignore the irony that someone savvy enough to discover an obscure distro might not need everything to be a user friendly macOS-esque experience. It's rehashed, conceited, and insignificant. I could take Ubuntu Mate and tweak it with conky, i3wm and call it whateverOS, but I wont because I know anyone who ever found it could easily do the same first themselves. That's the great thing about Linux that we keep ignoring. Most people dont care about your config setup, it's still Ubuntu at th end of the day.
I'd argue that community developed *nix systems without corporate funding will never be for the masses. If you want to make an impact on Linux, fix upstream instead of adding onto the heap with abandoned projects that attempt to make the lives easier for a consumer demographic that has other interests than the OS that runs their internet browser and word processor.