Linux needs to grow. Stop telling people it's 'tech-y' or acting like you're more advanced for using it, you are scaring away people. Linux Mint can be used by a senile person perfectly.
Explain shortly the benefits, 'faster, more secure, easier to use, main choices of professionals and free'. Ask questions that let you know if they need to dual boot, 'do you use Adobe, anti-cheat games, or Microsoft Office', 'how new is your computer', 'do you use a Mac'.
And most importantly, offer to help them install.
They don't understand the concept of distros, just suggest Linux Mint LTS Cinnamon unless they're curious.
That's it, spread Linux to as many people as possible. The larger the marketshare, the better support we ALL get. We can fight enshittification. Take the time to spread it but don't force it on anyone.
AND STOP SCARING PEOPLE AWAY. Linux has no advertising money, it's up to us.
Offer family members or friends your help or copy and paste the below
how to install linux: 1) copy down your windows product key 2) backup your files to a harddrive 3) install the linux mint cinnamon iso from the linux mint website 4) use etcher (download from its website) to put the iso on a usb flash drive 5) go into bios 6) boot from the usb 7) erase the storage and install 8) press update all in the update manager 9) celebrate. it takes 15 minutes.
edit: LET ME RE-STATE, DO NOT FORCE IT ON ANYONE.
and if someone is at the level of ignorance (not in a derogatory fashion) that they dont know what a file even is genuinely dont bother unless theyre your parents cause youll be tech support for their 'how do i install the internet' questions.
Why does it need to grow? Seems fine the way it is now.
It needs to grow because monopolies are bad. Linux is the only thing that stands between us and being totally controlled by the tech giants. If you run Windows on your computer, it's not your computer.
Windows has been getting worse and worse all the time. With any luck, as Windows gets worse, interest in Linux will rise on its own. But it's hard to say what tomorrow brings.
It'll be a rocky road. Not least because of the anticompetitive practices of Microsoft. Anyone remember netbooks?
Yeah, what happened to those? (Honest question)
The first netbook (Asus EEE PC) ran Linux because Windows was too heavy for the processor it had. People predicted, this would be the year of the Linux desktop (ha ha ha). Then Microsoft came up with a cut down version of XP and basically gave it away for free. And you can bet your ass there was some shitfuckery going on behind closed doors. So from then on all netbooks ran Windows.
Oh and recently a company called Ayaneo wanted to put out a handheld with HoloISO (basically SteamOS). Then suddenly they announced it will run Windows. Again, I'll bet Microsoft pulled some strings.
Why is a windows computer not my computer? makes no sense
Just off the top of my head. The enshittification of Windows and the disenfranchisement of users has been going on for decades and it won't stop any time soon.
It's yours as long as you and MS agree regarding what you want to do with it, which includes you being cool with (or being cool with being forced to sometimes repeatedly disable) each of the things in the bullet list reply you got.
we are not prioritised by hardware companies or by software companies. makes stuff a lot harder than it has to be. all they care about is marketshare.
There are some hardware companies prioritizing Linux (System 76, Tuxedo, Framework, etc) yet when someone asks for a hardware recommendation around here the answer is always "Lenovo" for some reason. The Linux community needs to do better in this area.