We’re talking about regular users having Linux as their operation system, not what happens under the hood of specialised machines. Steam machine user doesn’t run Linux, they run Steam.
What I mean, they don’t interact with the OS. They only interact with Steam app, and it basically doesn’t matter what it runs underneath. When we’re talking about users adopting Linux it doesn’t count.
That sounds like the majority of users. I’m trying to think of how many times I needed to “use Linux”.
I interact with Firefox, IntelliJ, and a few other applications and IntelliJ hides all of the CLI so I don’t have to know git, and I don’t have to know where my files are.
My mother wouldn’t know how to install a driver in Windows, or even how to navigate to a file in Explorer. Does that mean she isn’t a Windows user?
I think you are being overly pessimistic about what counts as a user.
It’s not like you are or aren’t interacting with the OS, it’s more about how easily can you do it if you need one. The distinction is, is it a general purpose personal computer, or a single purpose device. You can use general purpose one to only run one app 99% of the time, but it’s a general purpose personal computer you’re using.
Like, if you use automatic terminal at a fast food restraunt, you actually are using a computer with probably Windows on it, which runs Chrome in headless mode, that runs a web app. But you wouldn’t call yourself a Windows user, even if you do it twice a day. Even if you know how to make the webapp crash and show you the desktop. That’s my point of distinction.
Valve sells all of its computers with Linux on it, no?
They don’t sell all-purpose computers, they sell gaming systems that run Linux underneath. The regular user never has to interact with the OS
They also don’t sell that many of them.
Some quick googling says that Valve has sold nearly 4 million decks, which is pretty good.
Lenovo sold ~62 million computers last year alone. And they only make up ~1/4 of global market share
I guess all valve has to do is release steam machines again and then what? Suddenly the year of the Linux desktop isn’t here?
We’re talking about regular users having Linux as their operation system, not what happens under the hood of specialised machines. Steam machine user doesn’t run Linux, they run Steam.
Linux is a kernel. They run Linux.
Or do you mean “they don’t run KDE/Gnome/LXDE”?
What I mean, they don’t interact with the OS. They only interact with Steam app, and it basically doesn’t matter what it runs underneath. When we’re talking about users adopting Linux it doesn’t count.
That sounds like the majority of users. I’m trying to think of how many times I needed to “use Linux”.
I interact with Firefox, IntelliJ, and a few other applications and IntelliJ hides all of the CLI so I don’t have to know git, and I don’t have to know where my files are.
My mother wouldn’t know how to install a driver in Windows, or even how to navigate to a file in Explorer. Does that mean she isn’t a Windows user?
I think you are being overly pessimistic about what counts as a user.
It’s not like you are or aren’t interacting with the OS, it’s more about how easily can you do it if you need one. The distinction is, is it a general purpose personal computer, or a single purpose device. You can use general purpose one to only run one app 99% of the time, but it’s a general purpose personal computer you’re using.
Like, if you use automatic terminal at a fast food restraunt, you actually are using a computer with probably Windows on it, which runs Chrome in headless mode, that runs a web app. But you wouldn’t call yourself a Windows user, even if you do it twice a day. Even if you know how to make the webapp crash and show you the desktop. That’s my point of distinction.
Ah you’re right, it just cannot happen with a steam machine.