Make Linux Mainstream

[center][size=160]2025.[/size][/center]

We have self driving cars.
Private companies are flying to space.
I can run AI models that were science fiction ten years ago, on a device that fits in my pocket.

[size=120]And there isn’t a single good desktop operating system in existence.[/size]

Seriously?

There's macOs.

Not sure why I even mentioned it.
It isn’t really relevant, as its only available to those who buy overpriced hardware, so that they can then get locked in to only using more overpriced hardware with it.

We also have Windows.

An antique, legacy, operating system, which would be completely obsolete by now if its manufacturer hadn’t managed to get a monopoly over the desktop os market.
They recently stuck a nice skin on top of it, for the first time in almost 10 years, but don’t let yourself be fooled by its aesthetics.
Take a peek under the hood, and the disorganization, inefficiency, bloat, redundancy, and overall chaos, would have you thinking that you’re looking at a government instead of a piece of software.
(As if to prove my point, as I’m typing this up, I get this.)

  • And then there’s Linux.
    An engineering feat.
    Clean.
    Stable.
    Organized.
    Efficient.
    Modular.
    It’s everything you’d want a desktop OS to be.

Except for one fatal flaw:
Its software ecosystem.
Or more accurately, its lack of it.

Sorry, FOSS cheerleaders, but Gimp (- which I believe is short for Gimpel -) just can’t compare to Photoshop.

Haven’t yet found a Protools or Fl Studio alternative for Linux.

Antivirus?
Unless you’re looking to pay a subscription rate meant for businesses, you can forget about it.

[size=120]Why is there no software for Linux?[/size]

Well, while the tech world depends on Linux, and the only Big Tech company whose servers aren’t running Linux is… Microsoft, - SURPRISE! - the percentage of the world at large using Linux is very low.
So it just doesn’t make $en$e for companies to develop software for Linux.
And yes, it takes money to develop good software.

[size=120]Why isn’t anyone using Linux?[/size]

Well some might say, because there’s no software, creating a catch-22.
But ChromeOS proves that you don’t need a good software ecosystem for an OS to become popular.
The real reason is accessibility.
The average Joe is not installing an OS onto his laptop.
He’s using whatever it comes with.

In order for Linux to be more widely used, it needs to be that he can go into Walmart or Best Buy, and find Linux devices from established brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo, as much of an option as Chromebooks, MacBooks, and PCs.
Until that happens, Linux will be relegated to servers and geeks.

That’s the main point.

Other things that get in the way of widespread Linux adoption is that user-friendly distros like Ubuntu are 95% of the way there - but we need to finish off that last 5%, polishing it off with features that consumers expect like speech-to-text, AI assistants, and facial recognition sign-in.

There also needs to be a better app store.

If I’m new to Linux and I’m looking for a video editor, when I open the Ubuntu store I shouldn’t be directed to Shotcut and Openshot, just because Davinci Resolve is closed source.
And if I’m looking for an audio editor, I don’t want to hear anything about Audacity.
We need a well-designed app store where a user who’s unfamiliar with the options should be able to easily find the best software out there, whether it’s open or closed source.

The installation should go 1-2-3, no failures because of unresolved dependencies or package conflicts.
It should just. work.

Which brings us to…

[size=155]Make Linux Mainstream.[/size]
A community project to, well, *make Linux mainstream, and to give the world a good desktop OS, by addressing these points.

3 Likes

Great idea.

Now what?

We have to get word out about this project, and then there are the things that we want the project to accomplish.

Getting the word out:

  • We need something written up
  • To be posted on all relevant forums.

It can be an edit of the last post, or anything that explains what this project is about, and includes information about how to join, which for now would be by visiting this thread or emailing MakeLinuxMainstream@outlook.com.

Then we need people posting it at every relevant forum: XDA, stack overflow, linux.org, forums of the various distros, relevant subreddits, basically any forum thats tech, dev, FOSS, oriented.

What needs to be done:

  • Partnering with manufacturers to make hardware with Linux preinstalled
  • Working with retailers to carry Linux devices
  • Selling Linux devices
  • Making a consumer focused distro

If you think that you can help with any of the above, or contribute to this project in any way, please dm me, post below, or email MakeLinuxMainstream@outlook.com.

Please don’t do any of this on your own, we want it to be done in an organized way.

2 Likes

I laughed when I saw the @outlook email

5 Likes

Well, you have your work cut out for you.

Add to that that you shouldn’t need root to install a package. What if every package was an appimage? Please do not depend on snap or flatpaks (which turns every install and update into a multi-gigabit download. With appimage, the store would be as simple as downloading a single reasonably sized file.

Which desktop environment do you think would be the idea one to build on? I wish my Linux desktop had a speech-to-text input method.

LINUX CAN NOT BE FILTERED not so good for the Jewish market

4 posts were merged into an existing topic: Filtering Linux

3 posts were split to a new topic: My experience with Linux

I can’t do it, and no one over here can either.
But the dev/FOSS community as a whole might be able to.

If this idea just stays a post on this forum, then no, nothing will come out of it other than me owning makelinuxmainstream@outlook.com and makelinuxmainstream@gmail.com.

If we publicize it, then it has a chance of going somewhere.

1 Like

This is a perfect example of software that isn’t available on Linux because

If Linux would be more widely used, there would be filtering for it.

5 posts were merged into an existing topic: Filtering Linux

Nice idea,
but in my opinion not so realistic…
A. Computers that are sold with Linux are already available today, from DELL.
B. The real problem is the basic software.
No Office… LibreOffice is not a real alternative

Dell making hardware with Linux preinstalled doesn’t help if they aren’t visible.

Whats wrong with LibreOffice?

Thats actually what I use on Windows, haven’t yet run into any problems.

I once tried out LibreOffice. Maskim with @A.I.V that it’s not an adequate alternative. The biggest issue is English to Hebrew. You have to type Hebrew backwards. That’s not an issue for the broader tech community, but the Frum Velt won’t like that

The UI. Try OnlyOffice instead.

1 Like

Not sure what you’re talking about.
I just tested it out and it works perfectly.

Whats wrong with the UI?

Could have been an old version. It was a while ago.

Can we please compile a list of sites and forums where we can post about Make Linux Mainstream ?

Windows focused forums also.

Please put any relevant sites below in this post.

Linux:

subReddits:

Others:

This is what I’d want to be posted on these forums.

Click here

[center][size=160]2025.[/size][/center]

We have self driving cars.
Private companies are flying to space.
I can run AI models that were science fiction ten years ago, on a device that fits in my pocket.

[size=120]And there isn’t a single good desktop operating system in existence.[/size]

There's macOs.

Not sure why I even mentioned it.
It isn’t really relevant, as its only available to those who buy overpriced hardware, so that they can then get locked in to only using more overpriced hardware with it.

We also have Windows.

An antique, legacy, operating system, which would be completely obsolete by now if its manufacturer hadn’t managed to get a monopoly over the desktop os market.
They recently stuck a nice skin on top of it, for the first time in almost 10 years, but don’t let yourself be fooled by its aesthetics.
Take a peek under the hood, and the disorganization, inefficiency, bloat, redundancy, and overall chaos, would have you thinking that you’re looking at a government instead of a piece of software.
(As if to prove my point, as I’m typing this up, I get this.)

And then there’s Linux.
An engineering feat.
Clean.
Stable.
Organized.
Efficient.
Modular.
It’s everything you’d want a desktop OS to be.

Except for one fatal flaw:
Its software ecosystem.
Or more accurately, its lack of it.

Sorry, FOSS cheerleaders, but Gimp just can’t compare to Photoshop.

Haven’t yet found a Protools or Fl Studio alternative for Linux.

Antivirus?
Unless you’re looking to pay a subscription rate meant for businesses, you can forget about it.

[size=120]Why is there no software for Linux?[/size]

Well, while the tech world depends on Linux, and the only Big Tech company whose servers aren’t running Linux is… Microsoft, the percentage of the world at large using Linux is very low.
So it just doesn’t make sense for companies to develop software for Linux.
And yes, it takes money to develop good software.

[size=120]Why isn’t anyone using Linux?[/size]

Well some might say, because there’s no software, creating a catch-22.
But ChromeOS proves that you don’t need a good software ecosystem for an OS to become popular.
The real reason is accessibility.
The average Joe is not installing an OS onto his laptop.
He’s using whatever it comes with.

In order for Linux to be more widely used, it needs to be that he can go into Walmart or Best Buy, and find Linux devices from established brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo, as much of an option as Chromebooks, MacBooks, and PCs.
Until that happens, Linux will be relegated to servers and geeks.

That’s the main point.

Other things that get in the way of widespread Linux adoption is that user-friendly distros like Ubuntu are 95% of the way there - but we need to finish off that last 5%, polishing it off with features that consumers expect like speech-to-text, AI assistants, facial recognition sign-in, and security and anti-malware.

There also needs to be a better app store.

If I’m new to Linux and I’m looking for a video editor, when I open the Ubuntu store I shouldn’t be directed to Shotcut and Openshot, just because Davinci Resolve is closed source.
And if I’m looking for an audio editor, I don’t want to hear anything about Audacity.
We need a well-designed app store where a user who’s unfamiliar with the options should be able to easily find the best software out there, whether it’s open or closed source.

The installation should go 1-2-3, no failures because of unresolved dependencies or package conflicts.
It should just. work.

Which brings us to…

[size=155]Make Linux Mainstream.[/size]
A community project to, well, make Linux mainstream, and to give the world a good desktop OS, by addressing these points.

What needs to be done:

  • Partnering with manufacturers to make hardware with Linux preinstalled
  • Working with retailers to carry Linux devices
  • Making a consumer focused distro

This project is just getting off the ground, and we need YOU to make it happen.

To join, or to learn more, visit https://newforum.jtechforums.org/t/make-linux-mainstream.

Any ha’aros?

1 Like

Maybe have some progress to show these other forums.