I was just curious!
I've been a long time Windows user, and tried Macs when I started working as a software developer. But about a year ago, I gave Linux a try, and to my surprise, I've fallen in love with it and now use it exclusively on all three computers that I own. It really, really scratches an itch for me that I think most DIY types can identify with: tinkering, customizing, and in general having control over the products I use.
In the past, Linux was considered "difficult to use" and "only for ultra nerds", but I think that title is quite undeserving in 2018. Modern Distrobutions like Linux Mint are very polished and easy to use, and hardware support has come a very long way. At the same time, it doesn't try to "dumb things down" to the frustrating extent that modern OS's are doing, allowing you to dig down and take control as you learn more and realize what you can do with your computer. I really am of the opinion that the only reason it isn't more popular is because it doesn't come preinstalled on any machines that you buy from the big box stores.
I'm already a programmer and tinkerer, so perhaps I'm biased, but I've had so much fun with computers that I haven't had in years, and I've gotten interested in so many more aspects of computing simply by them being made more visible and accessible to me.
I think I might play with other more obscure OS's like the BSD's or even FreeDOS in the near future: for fun, more so than practical reasons.
On the other hand, I really really dislike the way mobile OS's and things like ChromeOS are going. I definitely see the value in them (convenient, and easy to use), but they're just not for me, and I fear that they are making computing less and less accessible by "hiding" and "locking away" any and everything that makes a computer interesting; those things which give you power and control to do interesting stuff yourself. I mean, by design, I would have never had the chance to learn anything about computers if, as a kid, I had been given a chromebook or an iPad as opposed to a general purpose computer! Nobody was born technically literate, and computers exposing how they work is exactly what allows a user to learn to use and manipulate them, as opposed to just giving up when the magic box doesn't do what you want it to -- or worse yet, not even realizing what you can do with it in the first place!
Maybe I'm old fashioned (eh? Wait, I'm only 30!), and maybe I'm a minority, but I'm quite happy this way! As with anything, there's truly a broad and diverse world to explore in computing, each niche with it's own ecosystem and culture. And, exploring, along with creating and tinkering, is something that I live for. It's interesting, fun, and empowering, and you just might find yourself in a better place as a result of it!
That said, this is just my story! I'm curious if anyone else has tried other OS's? How about retro computing? What do you think of the current direction of mainstream OS's? I'm just now exploring all of this and it's incredibly fun and eye-opening.
Now, I have to go pursue something equally obscure and learn to shave with a straight razor I just bought...
And, in a very related but more general vain: What obscure thing have you discovered that you would share with the world, even if it's only a "hey, this is cool and you should give it a look!" -esque shout-out? Feel free to diverge from the original topic as much as you like: this is, after all, an Off-topic topic in the first place
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Originally Posted by Luke Dupont
. It has a light weight distro and is pretty slow for daily use but does yeoman service as a torrent box (nope, no pirateware to be found) hosting more obscure distros with shoestring budgets and resources.
