this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026

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-46

[Discussion] My thoughts about the usability of Linux (youtu.be)

submitted 3 days ago by Ralkero@thelemmy.club to c/linux@lemmy.ml

44 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I mostly agree with the sentiment of this video, but it's highly biased I feel. On a utilitarian level, everything Muta is criticizing about Windows is absolutely valid. But even as a very experienced desktop computer user, as someone who does not have coding experience or any formal education in the technical side of computing, there are parts of Linux that just cause me to get hung up. If you're someone who likes to customize deeply and change a lot of really small stuff, you run into rocky patches very fast. Now, I agree that almost anything is possible on Linux, but it's about the amount of effort it sometimes takes.

For the average user, when they want to change some seemingly basic features, things that aren't in the settings, eventually, one way or another, you have to use commands. You have to use the terminal for something or other. Some dependency, some change that needs a command to activate. And even if all of that is wrong, and you technically CAN change or acquire everything you need without ever opening the terminal, the problem is that a new user is not going to be able to find a simple answer in a few minutes.

Even with the help of AI, it can still take a long time to troubleshoot what may seem like a basic issue. And like it or not, that matters if you're trying to get people to switch. People, realistically, can't be expected to always just "shut up and do the research". Anyone who's not a techie, or someone with a lot of patience, is going to run out of gas for this troubleshooting very quickly. I wish I had more suggestions about how to actually fix these problems, but I know that for me they are the main reason I can't permanently switch from Windows at this point. We're getting closer, but there is a long road still ahead.

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[–] SwooshBakery624@programming.dev 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

These comments are crazy. Did no one actually check the publication date?

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The title and the first few minutes of the video are definitely meant to be a joke. But after a few minutes Mutahar changes to a very normal discussion. Whether he's wrong or right I don't think the entire video is meant to be an April Fool's joke.

[–] Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

Fuck April fools, shit is stupid as fuck. Causes nothing but problems, fucks with shit and 90% of people and companies just abuse the ever living fuck out of it stupidly.

[–] Cyber@feddit.uk 2 points 2 days ago

Ahhh, well spotted

[–] toebert@piefed.social 36 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I never understood the argument of "if it's not in the UI you may need to use a command to achieve it and it's scary".

On windows, if it's not in the UI you have to use either a powershell command or update the registry to change it - which are both a very similar experience.

The only difference I actually see in this point is that Linux has a lot more options.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 11 points 2 days ago

yeah and honestly that sounds like something from a decade ago. I find things are not in the linux ui at the level things are not in the windows ui and if anything more run into having to do registry or powershell with windows. much more often I can find an install in linux that will give me the ui if its not already.

[–] JC1@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 days ago

I often had to go to the registry on Windows and the registry is way less user friendly than modifying files on Linux. When we say that we have to use the terminal for more complicated things on Linux, it's usually just modifying files that are well commented so you know exactly what you're doing. If you can read of course which isn't always a given.

For sure there are scripts and 3rd party apps that can modify the registry, but you can have the same thing on Linux too.

And today with how advanced KDE and Gnome are, the user needs to go less and less in the files. Almost everything I do is in the home folder too. I require root less and less, mainly to install packages.

I think it mainly comes down with what users are used to. People are used to the quirks of Windows, so Linux becomes scary and hard. If it was the other way around, Windows would be considered to be complicated. That's my take.

[+] Ralkero@thelemmy.club -7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

In Windows there are tools or 3rd party softwares available to customize literally almost anything. There's plenty on Linux that I couldn't say the same for. Granted I may not know where to look in some cases and may have missed it, or it may simply be a result of my lack of experience with Linux in general. But the point is that a new user's first impressions matter, and if someone who isn't comfortable doing commands and using non-GUI tools is forced to use them all the time, their patience may run thin faster than others. I believe people should want to learn and they should do the research. But realistically, if the goal is to get as many users to adopt Linux as possible, this is a barrier to entry.

[–] toebert@piefed.social 2 points 1 day ago

So.. you are familiar with the windows 3rd party programs to use, but not the Linux ones?

That would certainly apply the other way around as well, so is that a barrier to entry to windows too then?

[–] PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's not a barrier to entry. 2. Who says there is a goal to get as many users to adopt Linux?

Linux survives with or without an influx of new users. This isn't a religion. The need or desire to go convert people to using Linux is misguided. Those that want or need it will find it. Please don't adopt one of religion's worst traits and apply it to Linux, that being the need to spread the message like a cancer.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

It quite literally is a barrier to entry. That is what "barrier to entry" means. It is something that prevents potential users from giving the OS a serious shot. Literally my closest friend is an example of this. After a lot of convincing, I talked them into installing Linux Mint on a separate partition. I guided them through the process and asked them to use it as a daily OS for a week. They did so, and came back to me with essentially the same complaints I laid out in this post. They work as a digital artist, and needed to install Photoshop. They looked up guides, watched YouTube videos, but told me that they just couldn't figure it out in a timely enough manner to allow them to get the work they needed to do finished. Could they have figured it out with more effort and time? Absolutely. But this is what I'm describing, something that in theory should be simple, is a lot more complicated for a user who is unfamiliar with the process. This doesn't make most people motivated to just read through tutorials and forum posts and long processes for how to set up Wine, or what have you. It makes them want to just go with something that works without the headache. That isn't entirely Linux's fault, obviously Adobe refuses to create a native version. But to someone who has only used Windows, it's technical, complicated process.

I don't know if the goal being to increase the number of users who switch to Linux is a majority opinion or not. We would need to see a poll or some kind of data. I didn't say it was a religion. You're right, people that want it will find it. But let's not pretend that there's no incentive for it to grow. You don't create something and make it publicly available without caring if anyone uses it, that isn't how that works. At least not in the case of an OS. Linux growing and becoming more widely accessible is an objectively good thing. The bigger the community and userbase gets, the faster the barrier to entry comes down, the simpler it will be to do these things that Windows only users see as complex. If you're going to say that this is all complaining and that this is just how it has to be, you're following the mindset I'm criticizing. I think a big focus in Linux should be streamlining things like Wine, or other tools that require a lot of manual user setup.

Equating the desire to help as many users as possible have easy access to what we all believe is a superior OS, to "spreading the message like cancer" sounds a lot more like a zealous, religious doctrine than what I'm advocating for.

[–] PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

After a lot of convincing… dude. That is totally shoving it down their throat like a religion. YOU and your zealotry are the far bigger barrier to entry.

Leave the poor guy alone. If he wants an OS, he will seek it out on his own.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Brother you literally have no idea who I am or who my friend is, and you're gonna sit here and lecture me on forcing an OS down their throat? You are literally creating a fantasy in your head and pretending it's reality. My friend WANTED to try Linux, he came to me asking about it and I agreed to help him. He was unsure of it and at first didn't even want to try, he expected the whole install to be a headache.

Imagine if you had a kid who wanted to learn to ride a bike. At first, they fall over again and again and want to quit. They say they're never going to learn. But you keep trying to show them why it's worth it. That's essentially what was going on with my friend.

Keep telling yourself I'm somehow the problem, though. The one who actually tried to introduce a new user to something they want to like.

[–] PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 day ago

That is NOT what you said, not at all how you characterised that exchange with your friend. Really. Go back and read what you wrote. If he came to you wanting it, cool. But again, that's not at all what you said. As for who you are, I've learned enough, and would prefer not to get to know you further. Now, other than your friend supposedly asking you, leave people alone about what OS they're running.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I really feel like I should do a video of doing basic things in windows vs linux because its redic how slow my windows laptop is relative to linux and it is so not hardware.

[–] PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com -3 points 2 days ago

Nobody needs more videos to skip over.

[–] monovergent@lemmy.ml 21 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's fine to watch people critique Linux and compare it with Windows, but in my honest opinion, Mutahar is not worth your time.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club -3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yeah I mostly agree. It's been made pretty clear by not only this post but just watching Mutahar's content in the past that he likes to sound more educated than he is. On many topics, not just Linux and computing. This video just happened to spark some thought for me and I felt like putting it into words. I just didn't think about people's perception of the actual content creator because I feel like this could have been a conversation even without referencing the video at all.

[–] BlueSquid0741@lemmy.sdf.org 12 points 3 days ago

Should anyone care what a lying, youtube-drama scumbag thinks of Linux? I think no.

[–] juipeltje@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I can't help but wonder how those people you speak of use a computer at all tbh, when windows requires troublehooting as well, especially with how much of a buggy mess windows 11 is.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

It's not even about which OS is easier to troubleshoot. The case I'm making is that there is progress that is needed to be made on Linux's part to help people understand it as easily as they do on Windows. Let's not even pretend that it's easier to troubleshoot Linux than it is to troubleshoot Windows (I know you're not specifically saying this but comparing which is easier is something a new user absolutely takes into account). It definitely would be easier if you've used Linux for longer, obviously. But for those who haven't ever tried it, but want to, then do so, have problems and begin troubleshooting, it can feel like a labyrinth and be extremely overwhelming. I'm only trying to convey that despite the progress Linux has made over the years, it is still out of the reach of many people. As I keep saying, people SHOULD take the time to learn. It would be great and beneficial, but a lot people just can't invest the time.

[–] JGrffn@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago

I don't know if this argument holds, considering people already consider and frequently do move over between macOS and Windows. If they can stomach the transition from Windows to MacOS, they can absolutely stomach Linux.

A big problem, I think, is that people may not always choose the best DE for them. I've yet to end up on the terminal for amything on KDE, while I had a multi-week troubleshooting session on my Mac mini to get a wireguard tunnel to be connected by default, something that's like, an extremely easy task on Linux.

To be completely, entirely honest, I'm pretty sure I've ended up on the terminal for linux-specific issues FAR less than on Windows. There's so much less tinkering to do on Linux if all you want is an experience not too alien from what you're used to, which KDE offers to Windows users.

The real issue, I think, is that Linux is just a different ideology. There's people making sure everything works together, but for the most part each component of your desktop experience might be owned by a different team with different responsibilities, and you're able to change a lot of those things as you please. I had never considered using anything other than windows explorer as a file browser in my 3 decades using Windows, but on Linux it might as well be one of your first 5 decisions. I never liked the Mac UI so I never even considered MacOS, and that was waaaay before I started considering the corporate/closed-garden issues around it. On Linux, Mac Users can go for their look, Windows users cans go for their look, and people looking for a new experience can have the time of their lives going down obscure rabbit holes with tons of very different and functional DEs. These can be the biggest positives, but often look like the biggest negatives of Linux because we're trained to think computers work only the way Microsoft and Apple want them to work. We've been trained to accept a chewed, pre-digested version of the digital world, and sometimes have to be inconvenienced a bit to remember how much more power we have on our hands if we decide to care even a little bit.

[–] juipeltje@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Well maybe it's a hot take on my end, but i feel like if you can't invest some time in learning a new OS then maybe it's just not a good idea to switch, and that's ok. Having said that, i'm obviously not opposed to trying to make linux easier to get into.

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 10 points 3 days ago (2 children)

What's so bad about using commands?

[–] Trickle8305@hexbear.net 3 points 2 days ago

Das terminal is your friend!

[–] PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago

Nothing. Nothing at all.

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Hoping this is scripted and a joke.

Dude has zero idea how computers work, and is presenting as a "tech person"?

Use whatever you want, but don't be an ignorant asshole and put shit like this out of you have no concept of the topic aslt hand.

What a dumbass.

[+] Ralkero@thelemmy.club -9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Don't know if you're talking to me or Mutahar, but this is exactly what people can't stand about some Linux users. It's why the stereotype of "gatekeeper" Linux users exists. Because instead of engaging with the discussion in any way, you got triggered and decided to yell insults over the internet. That's pretty fucking sad.

And to be clear, I don't like Mutahar much either. He's very biased and I usually don't watch his stuff. I was bored and clicked on this video. I also try to make a habit of watching creators I have an aversion to, because I want to avoid confirmation bias. Not trying to present as holier than thou, just being honest.

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago

It's not about "Linux Users", it's the fact that the issues described are MIS-identified because the operator who claims to be proficient in technology has zero idea what in the hell they are talking about.

Knowing how to navigate the Windows OS is like 2% of what a "technology guru" (this guy said it) needs to be fluent in. Windows in 2026 is more irrelevant than it ever has been since 3.1, and this guy is acting like becau6his fluency is in Windows he's has some knowledge about computers in general.

He then goes to explain IN DEPTH AND DETAIL how he does not.

Rag on me all you want, but this is not a Linux person being a gatekeeper or withholding. This is a person with little technical knowledge missing the point and misrepresenting themselves.

Fuck this guy.

[–] non_burglar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I usually don't watch his stuff.

And it seems you didn't watch this video fully either, or you weren't paying attention. Muta's an idiot and a tool who routinely masks inability to do anything with drama... Because he's not very good at any of it.

He doesn't dig into the reasons for any of his issues and readily admits that he just wants it done for him "I just want things to work"

The real problem with this post is you! Coming here casting this as some fundamental problem with Linux and posting it. Why bother?

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Casting this as some kind of fundamental problem with Linux? Did I say that? I literally said nothing of the sort. Stop putting words in my mouth. I agree with what you said about Muta. Like I keep saying, I don't usually watch his content, I'm just open minded enough to give any video a chance if it's a relevant topic, and this one happened to spark some thought for me. You're literally exemplifying the "gatekeeper" behavior I'm talking about. I don't think it's as widespread as some people make it out to be, but when your response to a post that is EXPLICITLY asking to discuss a very common complaint about Linux is to just shift the focus onto the content creator because you don't like him, you're not making it easy for new users to feel like this is a community they want to engage with.

Mutahar's video is not the crux of what I'm discussing AT ALL. It just so happens that seeing the video reminded me of these criticism which I already had. I could have posted this whole thread without the video and had a nearly identical conversation. The difference is that we wouldn't have to waste time talking about Muta, when the conversation is about Linux. Which is not a perfect OS. Nor is Windows, or ANY OS. Talking about this stuff is how we try to figure out how to improve them.

[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The problem with this idea is that you could basically summarize it as being "difficult as a new user to make advanced changes".

Your average non-technical user does great on Linux. There's nothing to unlearn from Windows. Its the Windows "power users" that crash and burn because they keep trying to force Windows logic into a non-Windows environment, get upset about it, complain it doesn't work, and then leave.

I'm not sure what basic feature you're referring to, but if you are installing dependencies than that is not a basic feature. That is additional software that probably maintains its own configuration. I would also argue that a non-technical user, much like they would in Windows, is not going to be trying to make changes like that anyway.

In the end, I think this is the real issue:

But even as a very experienced desktop computer user...

No, you are not a very experienced desktop computer user, you are an experienced Windows user. In Linux, you are a new user trying to leverage the non-applicable OS you came from and struggling because of that.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I agree with all of this. I am an experienced Windows user who wants to use an OS I can actually feel good about supporting, that respects privacy and isn't run by a greedy corporation. My Windows experience does not translate to Linux literacy. But that doesn't change the fact that advocating for Linux to become easier to use, even potentially as easy to use as something like Windows, should be something we can all agree would be a positive change. Retaining the best parts of Linux and making it easy to use are not mutually exclusive goals. They shouldn't be.

[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 1 points 1 day ago

I would again fallback on my original statement that non-technical users don't have issues with Linux so making it "easier to use" is not actually asking to make things simpler, its just another way of saying "make it Windows".

[–] HouseWolf@pawb.social 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I stopped being a fan of Mutahar a while back...but am I really the only person who noted the upload date?

[–] Marcomunista@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 days ago

Well, if you’ve always been a Windows user, I think it’s normal to have trouble with another operating system. You certainly can’t expect to just install it and know how to do everything. You probably learned to use Windows when you were young, when your mind was more flexible, which is why it seems easier to you. I’ve also noticed that many users tend to ignore problems on Windows, while highlighting those on Linux; I think this is because they expect errors on Linux. Linux actually has error handling that Windows can only dream, you can log everything and trace the root cause of the problem. With Windows, often the only option you have is to reboot and hope the problem goes away.

[–] ATS1312@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Funny, did we see the same video?

I saw a guy who recently switched to Linux do an "April Fools" as an excuse to complain about Windows more, and explain why he's sticking with Linux.

"Even with the help of AI"

I see you're just shitposting.

Muta is a basic dudebro. Is he good at technology? No. Is he a good baseline for "can most people do it?" Almost, yeah. And that's what his video is actually about if you bothered to watch it.

Unless you have some Niche webcam or hardware MIDI controller, just about everything is supported out of the box. Unless you wanna dive into Gentoo to start? Its surprisingly simple here.

For deep customizations? There's manuals. There's guides where you can do the advanced Gentoo-stuff in the terminal by just copying-and-pasting without a clue what you're doing or why.

The community is something to be proud of - what we've built, what we've made.

We're still working on audio composition type stuff for DJs, but we've come a long way. The free stuff you want works better here, and even Photoshop runs great in WINE.

[–] DimFisher@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I switched to Linux because of Blender and because the program behaves way better on its native OS, so practically speaking if you don't have any serious reason to switch to it then don't do it, I know Windows 11 is not very good, no problem go back in windows 10, many people ask about switching on Linux as if they really have to!

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'm just spit balling here. Is it possible that the intent of this post is not to have a discussion about OSs but to boost the YouTube views? It's just a vibe I'm getting. New account, very eager to reply, posting this out of the blue.

If the video is on YouTube, they make a thumbnail pulling a dumb face, and it gets presented in a forum like this with a whiff of controversy about it, personally, I'll refuse to look at it.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Genuinely, this was not posted to boost the video. The video's only role in this is that I watched it and it was what made me think about the subject, so I made the post. Don't read too much into it.

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Correction: so you made a new account on this instance and then posted it.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is there something wrong with making a new account to make a discussion post about a video? Is this not a forum website? This is ridiculous behavior. I've been respectful and open to every single person I've responded to. I am not creating drama or name calling. If there's drama being created on this post, it's because people can't stand Mutahar. And I agree with them! But as someone who refuses to be an ideologue living in an echo chamber, I watch content from sources I don't agree with too, and I discuss it. I don't get what problem you have with this.

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is there something wrong with making a new account to make a discussion post about a video?

If the video is from a platform whose algorithm thrives on controversy, is presented in a context of controversy, on a new account, it's at least suspicious here on the lemmyverse.

So you've been thinking about joining the fediverse but it was this video you wanted to share with us that finally made you pull the trigger? It's a sequence of events I find inherently sus.

Is this not a forum website?

Yes, it is. And as such it is sometimes abused by people with ulterior motives.

This is ridiculous behavior.

That is both your prerogative to think so and a matter of opinion.

I've been respectful and open to every single person I've responded to. I am not creating drama or name calling.

Your eagerness to engage virtually any comment on this niche subject is what I find suspicious. It's the eagerness you also see by people who abuse Lemmy for rage bait.

If there's drama being created on this post, it's because people can't stand Mutahar. And I agree with them! But as someone who refuses to be an ideologue living in an echo chamber, I watch content from sources I don't agree with too, and I discuss it. I don't get what problem you have with this.

I don't know who that is and don't care enough to find out. I refer you to my criticism of the source of the video. My suspicion, which I have to say your comments have not diminished, is that you created this account and this persona to generate more views to feed the algorithm on YouTube and not because you wanted to have a serious discussion about the subject.

[–] Ralkero@thelemmy.club 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Think whatever you want dude. You're making shit up, and assuming things you can't possibly know. How am I supposed to prove myself? What does a normal, non-suspicious post even look like to you? Mutahar is the guy who made the video. You probably didn't even watch it which explains at least in part why you refuse to engage with the discussion at all. The fact that I am responding to almost everyone is more evidence for my ACTUAL desire to have a serious discussion. Stop accusing people of shit you have no basis for.