this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] BelieveRevolt@hexbear.net 11 points 2 years ago

An increasing amount of people don't even own or need a PC anymore. There's no way Windows is more of a cause of this than smartphones that automatically call the cops and void your warranty because you had a passing thought about uninstalling the forced Netflix app.

[–] GustavoM@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

...isn't this quite obvious? You will become lazy if you have a lazy life and avoid anything that requires any amount of effort. You will become (negative aspect) if you have a (negative aspect) life and avoid anything (add positive aspect here).

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[–] nieceandtows@programming.dev 8 points 2 years ago (3 children)

While that may be true, I've found Microsoft's Troubleshooter almost seem like magic in finding and fixing some issues, where as with arch (or any other distro) I would have to hunt everywhere to fix some issue that happened randomly or because some dependency of some dependency of some new package I installed broke something.

[–] seitanic@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I've had exactly the opposite experience. I don't use Windows often, but the times that I have, Microsoft's troubleshooter has always been zero help. It's always the most basic shit that a Tier 1 tech support guy will run you through on every phone call. It's like "Have you tried turning it off and then turning it on again?" Yes, yes, and I tried that, too! Oh, what a surprise, it's ran out of ideas, and I have to go on the Web and search for help, just like I would with an issue on Linux.

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[–] krash@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

A lot of people have already made good comments / replies on this post, but let me argue against the third point ("MS discouragestrying out something new"). This must have been made by someone not even working in a MS ecosystem, because there's a shitton of doing the same thing with a lot of different tools. Or GUIs.

Want to take notes in MS365 echosystem? You have word, Onenote, MS-Teams wiki (that is being deprecated, thank god), Loop components.

Want to save/share a file? You got Onedrive, SharePoint document libraries or MS-Teams (fun fact: they're all using SharePoint as the underlying technology, but depending on the GUI you choose, you get diffrent representation of the underlying files).

Want to manage your tasks? You got To-do, Planner, Flags in Outlook, Tasks in Teams and, drum-roll, MS loop (again!). Thankfully, they all "talk" to eachother so you can at least see all tasks assigned to you when you open your To-do app.

So no, MS does present a lot of different ways to accomplish someting (almost too many...). Whether that is good or bad, I leave it up to the reader, but the new Microsoft certainly is more daring in trying out new things.

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[–] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 8 points 2 years ago

SAP does this too.

[–] cramola@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I object to the author of this laying all of the blame on MS. Apple software design is the worst offender when it comes to coddling users into a state of being unable to troubleshoot issues themselves, IMO. Want to discover anything more than the extremely limited options available in the GUI? Well too bad, you don't know the secret keystroke. What's that, there's literally no documentation for this CLI utility? An error occurred! Here's an incomprehensible report that looks like a dog's breakfast, good luck. Despite its BSD roots, MacOS is heinously bad in terms of user education, and it is seen as the "easiest OS to use".

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[–] joyofpeanuts@beehaw.org 6 points 2 years ago (3 children)

The spirit of hacking has to be revived. Not just for software but also computer hardware and hardware in general. It is just a dream, but curiosity about how things work would make people long for free software and the right to repair. So that is why hacking is discouraged by big profiteering corporations, I guess 🤔

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[–] Tibert@jlai.lu 6 points 2 years ago

If you don't want to read through all of this, here is a shortened version by chatgpt :

The author presents a thought-provoking perspective on the impact of Microsoft's approach to computing. They suggest that Microsoft's products tend to obscure the inner workings of computers, contributing to a sense of mystification among users. Error messages that lack meaningful explanations and a heavy reliance on graphical user interfaces are highlighted as factors that deter users from understanding the technology they use.

Moreover, the author argues that the Microsoft ecosystem discourages users from exploring alternatives and gaining a deeper understanding of computer systems. Vendor lock-in and a reluctance to delve into the underlying principles of software and technology are seen as barriers to users becoming more versatile and informed computer users.

In essence, the author contends that Microsoft's ecosystem fosters a perception of computer use as something magical and impenetrable, making it difficult to retrain users once they have adopted this mindset. They suggest that an alternative approach, emphasizing text-based communication with computers and exposing users to different options, could lead to a more informed and adaptable user base.

This viewpoint encourages us to consider the impact of user interfaces and software ecosystems on users' perceptions and abilities when it comes to technology. It underscores the importance of promoting digital literacy and encouraging users to explore and understand the technology they rely on.

[–] Hundun@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago

This is very believable, almost to a point when I would love to read something more than a meme

[–] FiskFisk33@lemmy.one 5 points 2 years ago

hahahah "ERROR 234067832458762786 IN MODULE aksldfjalksdjfssd, SHOOT YOURSELF AND REPORT TO THE AUTHORITIES"

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 4 points 2 years ago (7 children)

All a consequence of Microsoft monopolistically tying windows to the OS to push out other competing DOSes

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