Maybe if the Linux community decided on one default there would be more progress on inroads with desktop Linux.
Well, Linus at least agrees with you. I just watch a talk he gave the other day in which he described one of the biggest problems with Linux desktop being that the distros can’t even decide on a default package manager/way to package applications and all of the difficulties that creates.
It’s funny because even for simple stuff like when I used to update my Plex install manually I’d go to the Plex website, and the list is:
Windows
Mac
Linux:
Debian x 32 Bit
Debian x.1 32 Bit
Debian x 64 bit
Debian x.1 64 Bit
Fedora …
Ubuntu …
Cent …
and god help you if you’re not on one of those versions or you don’t use one of those distros.
That’s not even just an issue for the user trying to install an app, but it also prevents developers for shipping on Linux. I think I saw that talk you mention. He was saying there was some app he wrote that he didn’t bother releasing on Linux, because it was too much work. Then took a dig at the guys who spent the time to get it there. If the guy who wrote the Linux kernel isn’t releasing his apps on Linux, something is very wrong. I don’t know how that didn’t lead to a major change.
Electron has been the biggest help for getting mainstream apps on Linux. Flatpak, etc help too… but all of those come with extra bloat to make it happen.
These have been solved problems on Windows and macOS for so long.
Well, Linus at least agrees with you. I just watch a talk he gave the other day in which he described one of the biggest problems with Linux desktop being that the distros can’t even decide on a default package manager/way to package applications and all of the difficulties that creates.
It’s funny because even for simple stuff like when I used to update my Plex install manually I’d go to the Plex website, and the list is:
Windows
Mac
Linux: Debian x 32 Bit Debian x.1 32 Bit
Debian x 64 bit
Debian x.1 64 Bit
Fedora …
Ubuntu …
Cent …
and god help you if you’re not on one of those versions or you don’t use one of those distros.
That’s not even just an issue for the user trying to install an app, but it also prevents developers for shipping on Linux. I think I saw that talk you mention. He was saying there was some app he wrote that he didn’t bother releasing on Linux, because it was too much work. Then took a dig at the guys who spent the time to get it there. If the guy who wrote the Linux kernel isn’t releasing his apps on Linux, something is very wrong. I don’t know how that didn’t lead to a major change.
Electron has been the biggest help for getting mainstream apps on Linux. Flatpak, etc help too… but all of those come with extra bloat to make it happen.
These have been solved problems on Windows and macOS for so long.