• barsoap
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    9 months ago

    Okay and…what about the cornucopia of software that is not available in those repositories?

    Sort by approximate number of pre-compiled packages. AppImage etc. are on top of that.

    You have to hunt for software on windows way more than on Linux. And it also doesn’t always have a CLI installer: Say you want to control a Huawei E3372 not via its web interface (which sucks). Where do you go? You find a project on github, install go via chocolatey, then compile the project, then drop the exe somewhere.

    Linux, at least, does not fucking de-install the graphics drivers while I’m playing a game. The level of jank on Linux is high, yes, with Windows it’s incomprehensibly high.

    • HughJanus@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      You have to hunt for software on windows way more than on Linux.

      No you don’t. No one uses the Windows store. You just go to the website that makes the software and download and open the .exe

      • GeekyNerdyNerd@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        You just go to the website that makes the software and download

        That’s literally hunting for the software dude. You gotta open up a web browser, and if you don’t know the webpage already you gotta search for it, find the download page on that website, get passed the likely popups and other crap and then finally select the right version of the software to download.

        Package managers are 10000% better. Even Microsoft knows this, it’s why they created winget.

        Putting in winget search software name Copying the package name from the search result Putting in winget install pasted package name is significantly fewer steps. No Google search, no finding the download page, no popup crap, and no fake download button ads trying to get you to install malware. You just install the software in less time than it would take to even write your crappy comment.

        • HughJanus@lemmy.ml
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          9 months ago

          You gotta open up a web browser, and if you don’t know the webpage already you gotta search for it, find the download page on that website, get passed the likely popups and other crap and then finally select the right version of the software to download.

          Which is all 1000x easier and more intuitive than installing an appimage or tar.gz or whatever other 1000 Linux filetypes need to be installed using the CLI. It honestly boggles my mind that you can’t understand this.

          Package managers are 10000% better.

          Yes I agree but we were specifically discussing software that’s not found in package managers, which is a lot of it.

          Putting in winget search

          WTF is a winget?

          no popup crap, and no fake download button ads trying to get you to install malware

          If you are installing software from websites with pop-up ads and malware, that is a whole other problem not related to the OS.

      • barsoap
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        9 months ago

        You just go to the website that makes the software and download and open the .exe

        As I said: You have to hunt for software. That, precisely, there, is hunting for software. Where do you get that software from? Random .zip domains? And .exe installers? People don’t even manage to use, or demand, .msis.

        I even had to install drivers on windows. Drivers. The only hardware-related thing I dealt with manually in the last I think decade on Linux was a usb mode switch daemon… precisely for that Huawei modem I mentioned, actually. Because apparently Windows does not come with bog-standard USB network drivers those things first register as USB mass storage, offering you drivers to install, then with some magic switch to USB network mode. So the reason I need to lift a finger on Linux is because companies are hacking around Windows deficiencies by making their devices act in bonkers ways, “here, windows, autostart this, install drivers, then start this program to bit-bang the usb interface to switch modes”.

        Oh I also had a look into reversing the stereo channels of my headphone output because I messed up and soldered my cable backwards, before realising implementing a software bodge was a rather stupid idea especially with the soldering iron still hot.

        And don’t get me started on Explorer’s performance – I know it’s not ntfs’ fault, or even the vfs, nushell has no issues listing gigantic directory structures, recursively, in seconds. Still slower than the same operation on linux but at least it’s tolerable. Explorer takes minutes to sort a single large directory by modified date. In currentyear. On an nvme.

        The only reason I still have a windows install is because some people insist on using it and I can’t exactly test windows builds on wine. Well, I do, but occasionally you have to try the real deal. I use Linux because it just works.

        • HughJanus@lemmy.ml
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          9 months ago

          As I said: You have to hunt for software. That, precisely, there, is hunting for software. Where do you get that software from? Random .zip domains? And .exe installers? People don’t even manage to use, or demand, .msis.

          And as I said, we’re discussing software not found in package managers, which is a lot of it. The only way to find it is to “hunt for it”, which usually involves typing the name into a search engine and clicking the first link that pops up and then clicking the “download” button.

          The difference is there is no download button for Linux, just a bunch of code you’re expected to type into the CLI that doesn’t work.

          I even had to install drivers on windows. Drivers.

          LOL like you don’t on Linux? I mean sometimes you don’t because they literally don’t exist. Like pretty much any fingerprint reader or Nvidia graphics card?

          And don’t get me started on Explorer’s

          I don’t know what Explorer is other than a shitty SUV.

          I use Linux because it just works.

          That is just the most hilariously incorrect nonsense. If it were true, no one would pay money for Windows and Microsoft would go out of business.

          • barsoap
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            9 months ago

            And as I said, we’re discussing software not found in package managers, which is a lot of it.

            Do you have any specific examples in mind or are you planning on leaving that as an assertion?

            The difference is there is no download button for Linux, just a bunch of code you’re expected to type into the CLI that doesn’t work.

            AppImage. All the user-friendly distros are configured so that installing/running those is a button click.

            LOL like you don’t on Linux? I mean sometimes you don’t because they literally don’t exist. Like pretty much any fingerprint reader or Nvidia graphics card?

            I have never used a fingerprint reader by in case you’re interested, my graphics tablet works more seamlessly under linux, both x11 and wayland, than with windows. Can’t say much about NVidia Graphics cards but they do, in fact, have drivers. If you’re running the likes of Ubuntu it’s going to use FLOSS drivers by default (which are getting better and better) and installing the proprietary ones is a couple of clicks.

            I don’t know what Explorer is other than a shitty SUV.

            It’s the fucking file manager. Have you ever used windows. Also the desktop shell, actually.

            If it were true, no one would pay money for Windows and Microsoft would go out of business.

            Oh my sweet summer child.

            • HughJanus@lemmy.ml
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              9 months ago

              Do you have any specific examples in mind or are you planning on leaving that as an assertion?

              If you need examples, you’ve probably never used Linux. The majority of programs I use have to be installed through CLI or appimage while the same software on Mac and Windows are installed with a simple executable file or installation wizard.

              AppImage. All the user-friendly distros are configured so that installing/running those is a button click.

              You’re lying again. You have to download them and then enable them to run as executable, and then everyone one of them launches with a generic image, you can’t pin them to your launcher, and you can’t launch them on startup, you have to launch them from within the file manager. The system does not treat them as an app at all. Just a random file.

              It’s the fucking file manager. Have you ever used windows

              Yeah. We just call it a fuckin file manager.

              Oh my sweet summer child.

              Okay so just to be clear, you believe that people pay extra money to use Windows, even though Linux is just as good, or better? This is the position you want to take?

              Honestly it’s hilarious that you pointed out drivers on Windows because that is a massive sore point on Linux and further solidifies your delusional nature.

              • barsoap
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                9 months ago

                The majority of programs I use have to be installed through CLI or appimage

                What the hell are you using, then. Seriously. Especially stuff that you wouldn’t have to download manually on Windows. I’m waiting. Name them.

                You have to download them and then enable them to run as executable, […] The system does not treat them as an app at all. Just a random file.

                They do? I might’ve had snap or flatpack in mind. I don’t keep track of that stuff everything I need is actually in nixpkgs. Distro integration may differ. What are you basing your whole opinion on, here, Linux from Scratch?

                Okay so just to be clear, you believe that people pay extra money to use Windows, even though Linux is just as good, or better? This is the position you want to take?

                No. Windows has a head start on the Desktop due to Microsoft’s FUD, illegal bundle deals with computer stores, and whatnot. Schools teaching MS Office. People thinking it’s the only thing – heck many users don’t even know what an OS is, they equate PC and Windows, the other thing being Mac, which is different hardware.