Like people are going to dig around all the different distros when they can just pick an OS that works, like Windows or Mac.
Honestly, that is the biggest reason why Linux has such a low adoption rate. They have some good features, but none of them have all of those features at the sale time.
You may find a distro where the audio works like a charm, but then the graphics card is not functional. Or it doesn’t support some obscure dependency making your preferred software misbehave.
It is like the complete opposite of Mac’s “It just works” sentiment.
If you don’t do more with your computer than surf the web and answer some emails, maybe.
But once you actually need to use your computer, you will be problem solving left and right to get things working.
I’m talking streaming, multi monitors, video editing, rendering, physics simulating, building LLMs, printing documents, using most corporate hardware, even just gaming.
For most of these it “kind of” working is not good enough. It needs to work now, and it needs to work all the time.
The mainstream Linux distros are specialists in certain things.
While Windows and Mac are more like generalists, capable of doing everything you throw at them without complaining.
None of those things you listed are more of a problem than they are on windows:
Streaming and miltimonitors works, you may need to change a display setting.
Video editing and rendering is literally about downloading an app and using it.
Physics? Well windows won’t fucking work for you anyway.
LLM? Well you’re already a compsci major, youre already a Linux user.
Printing very much just works. Even though nobody prints anything these days.
Your corporate hardware should be the device they give you, not your own PC.
AND gaming also works great.
Like people are going to dig around all the different distros when they can just pick an OS that works, like Windows or Mac.
Honestly, that is the biggest reason why Linux has such a low adoption rate. They have some good features, but none of them have all of those features at the sale time.
You may find a distro where the audio works like a charm, but then the graphics card is not functional. Or it doesn’t support some obscure dependency making your preferred software misbehave.
It is like the complete opposite of Mac’s “It just works” sentiment.
Linux distro a that don’t have audio or graphics is the exception not the norm.
Like pick any mainstream one and you’re fine. Or you have legitimately fucked hardware.
If you don’t do more with your computer than surf the web and answer some emails, maybe.
But once you actually need to use your computer, you will be problem solving left and right to get things working.
I’m talking streaming, multi monitors, video editing, rendering, physics simulating, building LLMs, printing documents, using most corporate hardware, even just gaming.
For most of these it “kind of” working is not good enough. It needs to work now, and it needs to work all the time.
The mainstream Linux distros are specialists in certain things.
While Windows and Mac are more like generalists, capable of doing everything you throw at them without complaining.
None of those things you listed are more of a problem than they are on windows:
Streaming and miltimonitors works, you may need to change a display setting. Video editing and rendering is literally about downloading an app and using it. Physics? Well windows won’t fucking work for you anyway. LLM? Well you’re already a compsci major, youre already a Linux user. Printing very much just works. Even though nobody prints anything these days. Your corporate hardware should be the device they give you, not your own PC. AND gaming also works great.