• HStone32@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months ago

    Solution: install windows for them, but complain and evangelize at every opportunity. You’ll be so insufferable they’ll never ask you again.

  • Coreidan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    If you’re incapable of figuring out how to install Windows then you’re probably incapable of most things in life.

    • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      To be fair, Windows wasn’t meant to be installed by the end user that often. It comes preinstalled.

      • Coreidan@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        Just saying that it’s brain dead easy to install. You don’t need any technical skill at all.

        There are no tricks. Just mouse through a couple of prompts and it’s done.

        I’ve installed Linux just as many times as windows and these days Linux is more complicated to set up and install than windows.

        Like I get it. Yall have a deep bias for Linux but Jesus Christ can you at least be accurate?

        • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          I find you still have to fuss with partitions. There isn’t a simple wipe everything and install option. You have to manually select the partitions on the disk, delete them and create a new one which somehow triggers it to create several partitions.

          There is an upgrade option.

          And then they tell you they don’t want a Microsoft account and you have to look up what’s the current hack to get around that if possible.

          That said, I think the Linux install experience is very clear about what it’s going to do.

          • boonhet@lemm.ee
            0·
            2 months ago

            You had it right until the “create a new one” bit.

            You can choose empty space instead of a partition and the setup will create the partitions for you. I mean even if you were to choose a partition, I believe it’ll delete it and create new ones because it needs more than just one partition. So on a clean disk, you can pretty much just hit next at that bit.

            • Shanmugha@lemmy.world
              0·
              2 months ago

              Lolwat. Last time I installed windows it literally created 3 partitions exactly when I told it “this clean disk - here ya go”

              • boonhet@lemm.ee
                0·
                2 months ago

                That’s exactly what I said, it creates its own partitions if you make free space or already have a clean disk. No need to manually make a partition.

                • Shanmugha@lemmy.world
                  0·
                  2 months ago

                  Aand why the hell does it do that? And why the hell count is more than one? And while we are at it, what is so deadly and frightening with Linux installer creating a partition?

        • Affidavit@lemm.ee
          0·
          2 months ago

          Jesus Christ can you at least be accurate?

          Speaking of accuracy, your comment seems to identify the wrong issue. Navigating the install menus in a non-Arch linux distro is pretty much analogous to Windows. The biggest difference is that Linux distros don’t have 3-4 pages where they sneakily try to include privacy-breaching clauses during the installation.

          The real issue is starting the installation in the first place. Windows is easy, because hardware manufacturer’s have en masse bent over to willingly present themselves to Microsoft, Linux doesn’t have this advantage and users must figure out how to get around the 7,000 different Secure Boot UEFI configurations before they can even start the installation process.

  • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    I wouldn’t provide tech support unless you have a very good reason. You also want Windows as that’s what everyone knows. Stick to the beaten path when you can unless you have a very good reason to stray.

    • dzsimbo@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      As a fresh convert not having my .exes work would be sus. But with MS locking more and more stuff in their app store, we’re not too far from a full-on windows troll distro.

      • cley_faye@lemmy.world
        0·
        2 months ago

        It will obviously look different, but with binfmt, wine, and a sane initial setup, you could get a lot of .exe works from a click in the UI (or the CLI, after all, CLI apps exists on windows too).

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      Don’t actually do this as it is problematic. You should respect there wishes instead of trying to force Linux apron them. They don’t really need to know that Linux exists at all.

      The other issue is that you instantly become the sole source of tech support.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Yeah we are very different. I do IT for a living so I’m not exactly excited to do tech support outside of work.

          If it works for everyone i involved that’s great but the problem with Linux is that there are far fewer people who use it which means that suddenly I’m the central point of support. I want something totally hands off for me which means something friends and family know and can help with.

          • Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee
            0·
            2 months ago

            Since I’ve installed openSUSE Tumbleweed to everyone about 5 years ago I’ve actually done literally 0 tech support on that front so I’m superbly happy about that.

            With Windows (albeit 7) there was always shit going wrong (not to mention XP before that which I basically regularly reinstalled). With various distros (Ubuntu & Debian mostly, but others too) there were frequent fuckeries of various flavours when upgrading.

            • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
              0·
              2 months ago

              I’m not totally against Linux. I just think that people here are so evangelical about Linux that they start installing it everywhere even when it isn’t a great fit. People don’t like change and installing Linux on there machine is a great way to piss people off.

              Honestly I think iPads are the best for those who want a simple experience. The alternative to that is Android tablets.

              • Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee
                0·
                2 months ago

                People don’t say “install Windows”, they just want their PC to work. And if that PC isn’t for Adobe or kernel-level intrusive anti-cheat money-sucking games, there is no difference (except the spying).

                Also the amount of maintenance with Windows after each update isn’t small (software like Shut Up Windows helps with regedits tho).

                And most people don’t know what their OS even is.

                But no, I’m not giving an iPad to people that want Windows :P.

          • pogmommy@lemmy.mlEnglish
            0·
            2 months ago

            I’ve worked in IT my whole career and if someone wants me yo install Linux on their machine, or has questions about bash scripting, I’m dropping whatever I’m doing to help them.

            How else are my friends and family supposed to teach each other it nobody teaches them? Not everyone was as lucky as I was to be encouraged to pursue tech, that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same privacy and options that I benefit from.

            • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
              0·
              2 months ago

              I’m down helping once and I often will point people in the right direction

              The problem is that help isn’t needed once. It can turn into a full time job very quickly if you don’t draw the line.

  • PrettyFlyForAFatGuy@feddit.uk
    0·
    2 months ago

    i installed linux mint on my sisters household PC last week.

    my dad did his usual grumblings about “it should be windows” and i just said “i’ve been out of the windows ecosystem completely for the last 5 years and partially for another 3 years beyond that. i no longer provide support for windows, if you want them to have windows you need to support it”

    he went quiet after that.

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      Honestly that sounds like a jerk move. Why would you force someone to use Linux? It isn’t your computer and if you are helping them you should do what they want. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bought a new machine and then ghosted you.

      • PrettyFlyForAFatGuy@feddit.uk
        0·
        2 months ago

        It’s not hers. it’s one of my computers that i am deploying to her house for her and her family to use.

        It’s technichally for my neice but the rest of the family all also have access.

        no one in that household has expressed a specific preference of operating system. other than my brother in law texting me to tell me one of the old games he tried to install doesnt work (i did promptly offer to “make it work” but he declined).

        I have no problem with them installing windows on it if thats what they want. they wont be coming to me for technical support if they do though.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Maybe I’m just reading into it but I read it as they wiped the drive and installed Linux without asking for explicit permission.

          • schematic@lemm.eeEnglish
            0·
            2 months ago

            Well, based on the rest of their comment, they were “providing support”, so the implication is that the sister asked for help and received it.

            I would assume that they informed their sister as to what would be installed. I don’t think it’s fair to assume the worst without context.

      • Hanrahan@slrpnk.netEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        Honestly that sounds like a jerk move.

        Quite the opposite,

        Why would you force someone to use Linux?

        In what world is that force ? He wasnt holding a gun to her head, the opposite, he’s freeing her from stupidity.

        Decent people help others, they don’t go along with their stupid ideas before at least trying to convince them its a stupid idea. An allegory perhaps, your friend comes over, they have a 1/2 dozen beers, they’re going to drive home… In your world it seems it’s force to ask them not to and to stay over.

        It isn’t your computer and if you are helping them you should do what they want

        Helping them is the phrase you seem to be confused about. It’s his sister, not his boss at the office.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Some people actually want Windows. That’s not a “stupid idea” and it definitely shouldn’t be compared to drunk driving. I’ve lost people to drunk driving but last time I checked no one died or was fired because they use Windows. The evangelical rhetoric around Linux is harmful to Linux. Don’t go around promoting Linux like it is somehow going to be worlds ahead of Windows.

          If someone is looking for a Windows alternative it might be worth a mention. Don’t turn into some sort of Linux sales person. Linux can be good but it isn’t a Windows alternative. It requires some getting used to.