Why Linux is not ready for the desktop, the final edition

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Gaming and Proton

  • Many argue AAA gaming is “mostly solved” on Linux via Proton/Wine; a large share of top Steam titles run well, sometimes outperforming Windows.
  • Counterpoints: kernel‑level anti‑cheat games often don’t work; some users report only ~60% real success even for “platinum” titles; ProtonDB ratings can be outdated or ignore broken multiplayer.
  • Debate over the importance of native ports vs “good enough” emulation; some say Proton’s success disincentivizes ports, others see this as a symptom of weak native APIs.

Software Availability & Packaging

  • Critics emphasize fragmented distros, unstable ABIs, and the need for Flatpak/Snap/AppImage/containers to ship apps consistently.
  • Others argue app stores and package managers are comparable to mobile platforms; most users never compile from source.
  • Flatpak/Snap/AppImage are defended as practical, but also criticized for duplication, size, and multiple “standards.”

OS Definition, Compatibility, and ABI

  • Long back‑and‑forth on whether “Linux” is an OS or just a kernel; some insist only distros count as OSes.
  • Backwards compatibility: one side claims Linux can’t run old apps like Windows; others respond with examples of decades‑old binaries running given correct libraries, or via chroots/containers.
  • Disagreement on what matters: theoretical capability vs what 99% of users can realistically do.

Stability, Regressions, and QA

  • Author’s view: regressions are frequent; many bugs; no stable ABI; kernel and driver issues (esp. AMDGPU) as evidence.
  • Many users report years of trouble‑free daily use (Fedora, Arch, Mint, etc.), saying Windows causes them more pain.
  • Some concede regressions exist but argue Windows/macOS also ship severe bugs and rely on users as testers.

Hardware Support and Drivers

  • Mixed experiences: several claim modern laptops and printers “just work”; others describe cameras, GPUs, sleep/suspend or new hardware breaking after kernel updates.
  • Nvidia and AMD drivers are recurring pain points; anti‑cheat and some GPUs limit gaming.
  • Point made that enterprises and OEMs (e.g., Dell/Lenovo/System76) can deliver well‑tested Linux on specific hardware, but that’s not universal.

Security, Telemetry, and Privacy

  • One camp argues Linux desktop security is weak (frequent sudo, scripts from the web, little sandboxing, no AV).
  • Others counter that AV cannot “prove” code safe anyway; distributions vet packages and sign repos; Windows’ telemetry and update backdoors are seen as worse.

User Experience, Audience, and Adoption

  • Many say Linux is “ready for my desktop” but not for mainstream non‑technical users who expect:
    • Preinstalled OS with OEM support.
    • Zero need for terminals or manual config.
    • Key proprietary apps (Office, Adobe, certain CAD, etc.).
  • Some view GNOME and immutable/atomic distros (Fedora Silverblue, NixOS, etc.) as the right direction; others find them too complex.
  • Widely shared view: main barrier is not pure tech but ecosystem, preinstallation, and lack of business incentives, especially compared to Windows/macOS and Android/ChromeOS.