This part of Linux, I don’t like to talk very often but sometimes I do really feel some of the aspects related to Linux is real pain. Here are the five points which I come across on a daily basis, almost.
Update: Due to significant debate on this article, as seen in the comment section at the bottom of this article. For that reason, we’ve updated this article with latest information at:
5 Things I Dislike and Love About GNU/Linux
1. Choose from Too Many Good Distros
While reading several on-line forum (a part of my hobby), I very often come across a question like – Hi, I am new to Linux, just switched over from Windows to Linux. Which Linux Distribution, I should get my hands dirty with? Oh! forgot to mention, I am an Engineering Student.
As soon as someone posted such question, there is a flood of comments. each distribution’s fan boy tries to make sense that the distro he is using leads all the rest, a few comments may look like:
1. Get your hands upon Linux Mint or Ubuntu, they are easy to use specially for newbies like you.
2. Ubuntu is Sh** better go with Mint.
3. If you want something like windows, better stay there.
4. Nothing is better than Debian. It is easy to use and contains all the packages you may need.
5. Slackware, for the point, if you learn slack you learn Linux.
At this point, the student who asked question really gets confused and annoyed.
6. CentOS – Nothing like this, when comes to stability.
7. I will recommend Fedora, Bleeding edge technology implementation, you will get a lot to learn.
8. Puppy Linux, SUSE, BSD, Manjaro, Megia, Kali, RedHat Beta, etc,……
At the end of discussion, the discussion forum may be used as a paper for research based upon the facts and figure provided in the comments.
Now think the same in Windows or Mac – One may say are you Insane? Still using Windows XP or Vista but no one will try to prove that windows 8 is better than XP and XP is more on a User Friendly side. You won’t get a fan boy in Mac as well, who is trying to jump into the discussion just to make his point sounds louder.
You may frequently come across points like – Distros are like religion. These things makes the newbie puzzled. Anyone who have used Linux for a considerable time would be knowing that all the distros are same at the base. It is only the working interface and the way to perform task differs and that too rarely. You are using apt, yum, portage, emerge, spike or ABS who cares as far as the things are done and user is comfortable with it.
Read Also: 10 Linux Distributions and Their Targeted Users
Well the above scenario is not only true in forums and groups on-line, it is sometimes taken to the corporate world.
I was recently being Interviewed by a company based in Mumbai (India). The person interviewing, asked me several questions and technologies, I have worked with. As per their requirements, I have worked with nearly half of the technologies they were looking for. A few of last conversation as mentioned below.
Interviewer: Do you know kernel editing? (Then he talked to himself for a couple of seconds – no, no not kernel editing, it is a very different thing.) Do you know how to compile a kernel on a monolithic side?
Me: Yes, we just need to make sure what we need to run in future. We need to select those options only that supports our need before compiling the kernel.
Interviewer: How do you compile a kernel?
Me: make menuconfig, fire it as………..(interrupted)
Interviewer: When have you compiled the kernel lastly without any help?
Me: Very recently on my Debian…..(Interrupted)
Interviewer: Debian? Do you know what we does? Debian–Febian is not of our use. We use CentOS. Ok, I will tell the management the result. They will call you.
Not to Mention: I didn’t get the call or job, but certainly the phrase Debian-febian forces me to think over and over again. He could have said we don’t use Debian, we use CentOS. The tone of him, was a bit racist, it is spread-ed all over.
2. Some of the very important software has no support in Linux
No! I am not talking about Photoshop. I understand Linux is not build to perform such task. But some backbone softwares required to connect your Android phone to PC for Updation – PC Suite certainly means a lot. I have been looking for a windows PC.
I know Linux is more like a server side OS. Really? Is not it trying to make a point that, it has been used as a Desktop as well? If Yes! It should have other developed desktop features. For a desktop user security, stability, RAID, Kernel does not mean much. They should get their work done with little or no effort.
Moreover the companies like Samsung, Sony, Micromax, etc are dealing with Android (Linux) Phones and they have no support to get their phone connected over a Linux PC.
Don’t drag me in PC suite discussion. For Linux to be a Desktop OS, it still lacks several things, Little or no gaming support – I mean high end gaming. No professional Video and Photo Editing Tools, I Said Professional. And yeah I remember Titanic and Avatar Movies were made using some kind of FOSS video editor, I am coming to that point.
Agree or not, Linux still has to go a long way to be a distro for everyone.
Read Also: 13 Most Commonly Used Windows Applications for Linux
3. Linuxer have a habit of living in virtual world
I am a Linux user, and I am superior than you. I can handle terminal much better than you. You know Linux is Everywhere in your wrist watch, mobile phones, remote control. You know what, Hacker’s use Linux. Are you aware as soon as you boot Linux you become hacker. You can do several things from Linux you can’t even think of using Windows and Mac.
Let me tell you, Linux is now being used in International Space Station. The world’s most successful movies Avatar and Titanic were build using Linux. Last but not the least, world’s 90% supercomputers are using Linux. World’s Top 5 fastest computer are using Linux. Facebook, Linkedin, Google, Yahoo all have their server based on Linux.
I don’t mean they are wrong. I only mean they keeps on talking about the thing they very little know about.
4. The long hours of compilation and dependency resolution
I am aware of automatic dependency resolution and the program getting smart day by day. Still think from corporate view, I was installing a program say ‘y‘, it had one dependency say ‘x‘ which was unable to be resolved automatically. While resolving ‘x‘ I came across 8 other dependency, a few of other were dependent on a few other libraries and program. Isn’t it painful?
The rule of corporate is to have the work done efficiently with less man power and as much less time as possible. Who cares if your piece of codes are coming from Windows or Mac or Linux as far as the work is done.
5. Too much manual work
No matter which distro you choose, you have to manually do a lot a things time-to-time. Lets say you are installing proprietary Nvidia Driver. Now you need to kill X manually, may need to edit Xorg.conf manually and still may have a broken X. Furthermore, you have to make sure that the next time kernel updates, it still be in working condition.
Think of same on Windows. You have nothing to do other than firing the executables and click Next, Next, I Agree, Next, Forward, Finish, Reboot and your system may very rarely have broken GUI. Though the demerit is a broken GUI is not possible to be repaired on Windows but easily on Linux.
Hey don’t tell me its because of security implementation. If you are installing something using ‘root‘, and still needs a lot of things done manually that not security. Some may have a point that it gives you power to configure your system to any extent. My friend at least give him a working interface from where he can configure it to next best level. Why Installer laves him to re-invent the wheel every-time in the name of security and configurability.
I myself is a Linux fan and have been working on this platform for nearly half a decades. I myself have used Distros of several kind and came to the above conclusion. You may have used a different distro’s and might you’ve came to a such conclusion, where you feel that Linux is not upto the mark.
Please do share with us, why do you hate (Love) Linux? via our comment section below.
I love Linux because it free me from the Microsoft jail.
Good God son, that English needs some work.
“I myself is a Linux fan and have been working on this platform for nearly half a decades”.
“I myself am a linux fan, and I’ve been working with this software for half a decade”.
The irony of someone who doesn’t know to capitalize a proper noun in English (it’s Linux, not linux!) judging others for their poor language skills.
And yet the language skills are poor, while the critic isn’t presuming to publish articles professionally for people to read. So, not really that ironic.
FIRST TAKE THE PLANK OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE THEN YOU CAN REMOVE THE SPLINTER FROM YOUR BROTHERS EYE, THINK BEFORE YOU JUDGE OTHERS.
LINUX or Linux who the hell cares I know what they mean and have no need to correct anyone for it.
I hate Debian and Ubuntu. I use RPM or Arch based distros and others except this. Why? I want a modern OS with the latest technology. PC Linux is the perfect OS for Linux newbies. I hate all distros trying to look like Mac or windows or insulting. I am not fond of nerd distros like slackware either.
Why do Debian try to make terrible kind of Linux and BSD or Solaris hybrid OS. Why do they let BSD change from GPL to BSD. They just steal from Linux or Solaris. Lick the devils in the a$$ but that is not my way. They are also backed up by guess who? Macdollar and Microdollar. It is a nice troika? Killing Amiga and Beos. Use live distros and try them. If you like them use them. Learn how make multiboot.
The only OS that really forced me to use the prompt is Windows 10. I could not care less what these FB, Twitter etc users use or if these microdollar users is capable of loading an image to a pendrive and and see if they like it. I know they will use W10 for their stupid shoot and kill games, Office or Adobe programs. They killed Symbian too. A lightweight distro with a lightweight desktop rocks. Wayland will also rock one day and leave stupid distros and desktops behind.
All these distros wanting to make a new desktop that will never adapt to Wayland will be forgotten. Bye Bye. It goes so fast using the prompt bla bla bla if you want to learn Bash yes but do not try to be microdollar, Macdollar or BSD please. What is Unix? I do not care.
Posix compliance is something very good and Also Gnu but their idiot kernel experiments I could live without. Hurd etc. One thing I do not like is how Linux have sabotaged all efforts with other real free source project like Haiku or Aros and others to develop drivers compatibility so they could really create something together.
Phone and Tablet Os are just toy OS. Nixy or not nixy does not interest me. Redhat supported Linux from the start. I do not feel anything in common with bullies hating SYSTEM D , etc and threatening developers with death. Use your nerdy shit and shut up please.
Linux means freedom even to make a lousy distro that is why there are so many of them. I do not feel anything in common with most Linux users. I like Manjaro Lxqt and PC Linux Mate.. I have been a distro hopper and many distros I have found a lot of them are not even possible to boot and install. Should we have a Linux police deciding which distro to use.
Alright Pajeet, looks like you’re going to need to outsource your editing to the U.S.
My god, this was an atrociously-written article.
1. You are right distribution fan.
2. Really. (Natron, Lightworks, Open Scad, Blender) Yes I am aware of the problem output file standards that are closed and proprietary that makes them incompatible with open source programs.
It doesn’t mean you cant use Linux as professional video audio or architecture creating kit. And i have no problem with android devices on my Linux sorry.
3. Its a problem of a user and individuals with self-esteem trying to build up their ego in general not an OS it self.
4. I do not remember when I was forced to have to compile something from scratch. Yes compilation can be time consuming on older machines. And if you have old computer and you want it to be relatively you go minimal install and do much by hand as you are able to.
It may be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the ones point of view
5. I have to kill noting to install my proprietary drivers i been only forced to uninstall the open source ones. But yes the graphic could be a pain i the on Linux, and about manual work Please see point four of this comment.
Errata And if you have old computer and you want it to be relatively fast you go minimal…
I like Linux because: more things are for free:
1. You can make your own distribution
2. Problem with linuxers is problem with user no with Linux
3. Photoshop support, if do you call them “i have Linux version of Photoshop and I have problem.” They can’t Tell you: Have you got linux? F**k you.
Sorry for the grammatical errors. I’m not Englishman
Dear Jirka,
I dropped Photoshop years ago I now use Gimp, some say it is not as powerful as Photoshop, I, on the other hand, disagree, I have done all my image editing, picture repair, seriously faded image, and very badly damaged pictures, you could say I am pro, but you don’t get to be a pro by looking at the software and wishing you could achieve what you want you to have to work hard at it it is the only way, having qualifications does not make you good at something endeavoring to be the best that you can make you exceptional.
You do not have to be sorry for the grammatical errors, anyone who has a brain would accept you are a fellow human being.
good points raised.
I recently started working as a programmer in a team where they use linux on development machines. Just searched for “linux sucks” because I am tired sick of the lintard attitude.
While I have worked with Linux, I have not used it as a primary development machine. I have worked with linux on servers. And I am willing to learn to use it on Desktop. I can get my way around better than the average programmer.
Apart from missing the regularly used apps on Windows, I find linux versions of the same windows applications are ugly. Lets say I get used to it. At the end of the day, I want my code to work, and I can ignore the inconvenience of using Linux UI on Desktop.
Still, the biggest bother is the high horse attitude of some members of my team who are linux fanboys or lintards or whatever. Seems like knowing a few commands on Linux makes them smarter than me or anyone else. They make me feel that I do not know anything if I get stuck with this stupid linux environment (.profile, .bash profile, .bashrc, /etc/environment — all these are startup scripts or properties files. Really ?!! ). I am in this constant struggle to prove my worth. It gets depressing sometimes. I would rather work with a team of normal programmers than lintards.
And guess what? we write java code ! And at the end of the day , I can write it better than many lintards anyway.
@Baagad,
Thanks for sharing your story, but to be fact Linux is vast like Ocean, which doesn’t have end point, same way no one will be expert or smarter, as its has endless things to do…So don’t get disappoint, there are people who treat himself has masters by learning few basic commands….keep learning..
Thanks. I understand. I dont hate or love any OS. At the end of the day , I am paid to write code and get it working. Whatever makes my job faster gets my vote and my wallet.
But what is it with Linuxers and their superiority attitude.. come on lintards, it is just another OS being given away for free for two decades and still does not have even 10% of market share on desktops!! If it is such a great OS, how come even MacOS which is not free has a greater market share ??
@Baagad,
Your question is valid, but to be fact I really don’t have answer for this, it’s all depend on individual choice when selecting operating systems. I know that Windows and MacOS has greater market share than Linux, but I think due to complexity of Linux and CLI version makes difficult for newbies to adopt it….
I’m not really amazed if you aren’t getting along with people you call “Lintards”. Sure, you probably don’t say that to their faces, but they probably aren’t as stupid as you think. Your attitude comes through, it’s no wonder if they treat you like crap in return.
Agree about the point 3. Gets on my nerves. Just cant stand the Lintards who think they have better technical knowledge, intelligence etc than me if they can recall a few obscure terminal commands.
Being disrespectful is your right in a free and democratic society and I respect your freedom to say what you will, but if Lintards is the extent of your vocabulary to insult someone or anyone I feel sad for you.
Respect costs nothing and it would seem I respect you more than you respect yourself.
I started with computing in 1981 with DOS 6.0. I’ve used every version of Windows, personally and professionally, since Windows 3.1. I’ve also used Linux, personally and professionally, since the year 2000. Bottom line, I’m pretty well versed in both operating systems. I can honestly say that, as an operating system, Windows is just a crude little toy compared to Linux.
Dear Earl,
I also have been on that road of Windows operating systems, I would not go as far as to say Windows is just a crude toy, it is a complicated professional operating system that has been messed up, by using for exploitation purposes by Microsoft corporation.
I do agree that Linux is far superior to Windows, it has its problems but it does not spy on you.