this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2025
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    This image was created by /u/kuebic@discuss.tchncs.de for this comment here: https://discuss.tchncs.de/comment/21735989. I had encouraged them to post it somewhere, but as far as I can tell, they never did.

    Panel 1: “Installing Windows 20 years ago” screenshot of install wizard with just a couple buttons
    Panel 2: “Installing Linux 20 years ago” screenshot of a busy command line
    Panel 3: “Installing Windows today” screenshot of a busy command line
    Panel 4: “Installing Linux today” screenshot of install wizard with just a couple buttons

    top 50 comments
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    [–] douglasg14b@lemmy.world 7 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

    Such a shame that Wayland did away with accessibility APIs which makes switching a hard stop for those of us with disabilities that rely on software that works with these APIs.

    They work with X11, which had consistent APIs, but Wayland leaves it up to each distro to implement their own APIs, if they do at all, fragmenting the ecosystem.

    Hell, even mouse acceleration curves are skuffed now, it really sucks.

    [–] ity@estradiol.city 2 points 10 hours ago

    @douglasg14b @SatyrSack distros do not implement APIs. I'm unsure what "consistent API" means in this context, but X11 is anything but consistent. And you can still just... Use X.org Server. What "X11 APIs" are you missing in specific?

    [–] enumerator4829@sh.itjust.works 3 points 13 hours ago

    X11 still works fine, despite the FUD.

    Xfce4 is one option, several others exist.

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    [–] ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online 8 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

    Linux mint is my distro for now and a good while! I cannot complain (except for a few very minor things).

    [–] GladiusB@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

    Printers are a pain in the ass. But who still uses printers?

    [–] Taleya@aussie.zone 7 points 15 hours ago (1 children)
    [–] GladiusB@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

    I use them daily at work. But at home? Never

    [–] Taleya@aussie.zone 5 points 12 hours ago

    I work from home. Checkmate!

    [–] YeahToast@aussie.zone 4 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

    My HP printer was plug and play for printing over the network, quite delightful really.

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    [–] Malfeasant@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago

    I do... Kids in school occasionally need stuff printed. I have a network attached laser printer, it was super easy, barely an inconvenience to set up in Linux. It was fairly easy to setup in windows too, but every so often it stops working randomly for a few minutes, then as soon as I start trying to figure out why, it randomly starts working again... No such trouble from Linux.

    [–] Zink@programming.dev 7 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

    I don't think I ever messed with the Windows 3.1 OS on my family's 486, but from Windows 95 and onwards I've done multiple installs of all the consumer versions of windows and was an avid user of win2k at the time. And for Windows 11 I have only ever installed it in a VM on a Linux machine to test Windows tools that are part of our builds at work.

    I've also installed the last couple versions of Linux Mint a few times on some newer and older PCs. And some other distros in VMs for various reasons.

    ALL of my recent Linux installs have gone far more smoothly and quickly than ANY Windows installs I remember.

    Old windows? Better.

    New Linux? Best!

    [–] Digit@lemmy.wtf 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

    Did you install linux at all in the same time in the 90s? SLS? Slackware? Debian? Caldera? RedHat? SuSe? Etc? to have a counterpart reference for that era?.. Contrary to the depiction in the OP image, GNU+Linux was fine and easy to install with a gui installer since 20 years years ago and far longer.

    [–] Zink@programming.dev 2 points 16 hours ago

    Nope I don't have experience installing older distros. I used some Unix systems in the late 90s (Sun Solaris) and really liked them even though I wasn't yet the Linux/FOSS enthusiast I am now.

    Your comment does not surprise me at all, though. For any rough edges Linux has had over the years, at least the motivations of the developers creating it have been in the right place all along. That is, making software for themselves and users, as opposed to the innumerable forces of enshittification within tech giants like Microsoft.

    [–] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 1 day ago (8 children)

    not very accurate, you can still install Windows graphically, and you could install Linux either on a console or with a GUI both in 2005 and now

    [–] Malfeasant@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago

    Yes windows can be installed easily, but it'll require a Microsoft login to do it- this meme is made for people who don't want that.

    [–] arc99@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

    I think Linux has progressed a lot since 2005. It's mostly idiot proof these days - it asks about language/keyboard/timezone/wifi and unless you ask for an advanced install (to partition a hard drive or whatever) it just installs.

    I don't think installing Windows is any harder but it may stop to ask for a registration key. Windows also prefers to connect to wifi during installation to fetch patches whereas Linux tends to do it after the fact.

    [–] Digit@lemmy.wtf 2 points 17 hours ago

    Seemed idiot proof already a couple years before 2005 in my experience. I hear for years prior already too. Rumours of Linux's difficulty have been grossly exaggerated, like in the OP image.

    ... And reading the EULA for Windows may be non-idiot preventative. But who ever reads what that says. ... I did, when I had read the GNU GPL. The difference... it's worth the read... to experience that vivid constrast awareness, with one offering freedom, the other with it's deal with the devil clause, that they can change the agreement after they make it, and do all manner of nasty to you. GPL's easier to read only a few thousand words, compared to the proprietary license etc that are probably something like thousands of pages in their entirety. The BSD licenses are an even easier read. The WTFPL even shorter yet. Freedom's brevity not trying to hide something nasty in either the license nor the software... unlike the scary stuff one can find hidden in proprietary software. ~ Anyhoo, I'll stop rambling on your comment. It just sprang to mind.

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    [–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago (4 children)

    Don't forget to remove the french language pack

    [–] oftenawake@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

    Pourquoi? C'est très utile!

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    [–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (34 children)

    My favorite conspiracy of the moment is that Microsoft intentionally does this New Coke thing and then they will roll out actually good Windows and make all of DA MONY AND KEEL DA LEENOOCKS DIZIZZ. But it's Microsoft, so the long game will go on forever and there will be no pay off. Also - Mint is soooo gooooood to use compared to Win11

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    [–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (11 children)

    Getting help with Linux 15-20 years ago: some forum full with slurs telling you to google it

    Getting help with Windows 15-20 years ago: "Do this and this, if that fails look up data backup methods before the reinstall."

    Getting help with Linux now: various Wikis and blogs. The hazard of finding an AI hallucinated blog post is significant, but can be blocked.

    Getting help with Windows now: support forums owned by Microsoft filled with users telling they have the same issue, and AI agents hallucinating solutions.

    [–] kopasu22@lemmy.world 4 points 17 hours ago

    Getting help with Windows now: support forums owned by Microsoft filled with users telling they have the same issue, and AI agents hallucinating solutions.

    I feel this to my core.

    My work PC uses Windows, and sometimes I have to Google something that is acting up, which takes me to these sorts of threads. It's always:

    OP: I'm having trouble with this app, it doesn't recognize my default audio device. I've tried X, Y, and Z, which did not work.

    Jimothy, Certified Windows Expert: Greetings, OP! My name is Jimothy, a Certified Windows Expert and fellow Windows enthusiast! I am sorry to hear about the issues you've been having. But don't worry, I am here to assist. 3 paragraphs later You should try going to the user settings and make sure that "Use default audio device" is checked on. Did this fix your issue?

    OP: I don't see any setting labeled "Use default audio device."

    15 posts follow from other users who are experiencing the same issue, also confirming there is no such setting.

    Jimothy, Certified Windows Expert: Greetings again, OP! I am sorry to hear that did not answer your question. According to the app specifications, use of the default audio device is not a supported feature at this time. If you would like to make a suggestion to include this feature in a future release, you may submit a request through the Microsoft Feedback Portal. I will now close this topic to further replies. Thank you!

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