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0 pointsrandoadmin1d ago0 comments

Well, considering that you can run almost anything (excluding games and specialized graphics software) with 99.99999% guaranteed result via WinApps, I don't see what the issue is for a hypothetical member of the majority population.

It's not 2016 anymore, you don't have to switch to LibreOffice if you need an office suite of apps.

That obviously would be preferable, but if you're an avid Microsoft ecosystem user, just use WinApps. It's simple enough to the point that a child could use it.

0 comments

bonoboTP1d ago

What percentage of MS Office user can, in your estimation, complete the steps as described in this readme?

https://github.com/winapps-org/winapps

falcor841d ago

I know it's a bit ironic given TFA's focus on shoving Copilot and Recall down users' throats, but I really do believe that an OS-level AI agent could solve these usability issues. We need to solve a lot of trust issues, but the capabilities are essentially already there for a non-technical user to tell a Samantha-like OS AI "please get this working", and it will.

pixelmelt1d ago

I've already been doing this haha, got Claude to install VR mods into a game that most certainly should not have been working with VR mods on linux

alexb_1d ago

Even skipping the first step (which requires a second readme) the next step involves opening a terminal. Instant fail. The entire point of an operating system is to make computers usable without knowing how they work, what a file is, what a command is, or having to look up anything. If something needs to be done, it needs a GUI.

Linux is an important operating system, but anyone under the delusion that it is desktop ready right now needs to actually watch someone use it. I say this not because I hate linux, but because I love it. I want someone to make it usable for a desktop, and people claiming that it is usable right now are not helping that.

hdb21d ago

> Even skipping the first step (which requires a second readme) the next step involves opening a terminal. Instant fail. The entire point of an operating system is to make computers usable without knowing how they work, what a file is, what a command is, or having to look up anything. If something needs to be done, it needs a GUI.

I strongly disagree with this; I believe that an OS should be whatever the user needs it to be. In my case, I am a power user that loves the command line, and while I agree that I may not represent the majority of users, I do not care for your assertion that my way of doing things is somehow invalid.

hootz1d ago

I agree that most users won't be able to follow Winapps' guide, but "The entire point of an operating system is to make computers usable without knowing how they work" is just false. That is the point of an OS for computer illiterates, not the "entire point of an operating system".

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bonoboTP1d ago

I agree on the facts but I think the gatekeeping effect is probably helpful for the current users.

If we had a giant influx of computing illiterate people, the platform would enshittify. They would move towards android-type lock downs and user hostile stuff. More and more binary-only proprietary software, they might fork systemd etc and make sure that the proprietary binaries only run under certain unmodified setups etc. Of course there would be escape routes to various other, nonpopular distros, so the skilled people would be fine again, but there would be a barrier again.

I think this is fundamental. Once the general public starts entering an arena, it won't stay the same. Eternal September etc.

fwip1d ago

I may be showing my grey hair here, but that's emphatically not the point of an operating system.

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bmn__1d ago

That's barking up the wrong tree. Github shows instructions for software developers. A normal user would just install Winapps from package manager, like with all the other Linux software.

Your critique should be channelled into a productive direction and point the finger at the maintainers why this is not packaged yet. https://repology.org/projects/?search=winapps https://pkgs.org/search/?q=winapps

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

bonoboTP1d ago

What percentage of MS Office user can, in your estimation, complete the steps as described in this readme?

https://github.com/winapps-org/winapps

falcor841d ago

pixelmelt1d ago

I've already been doing this haha, got Claude to install VR mods into a game that most certainly should not have been working with VR mods on linux

alexb_1d ago

hdb21d ago

hootz1d ago

1 more reply

bonoboTP1d ago

I agree on the facts but I think the gatekeeping effect is probably helpful for the current users.

I think this is fundamental. Once the general public starts entering an arena, it won't stay the same. Eternal September etc.

fwip1d ago

I may be showing my grey hair here, but that's emphatically not the point of an operating system.

2 more replies

bmn__1d ago

That's barking up the wrong tree. Github shows instructions for software developers. A normal user would just install Winapps from package manager, like with all the other Linux software.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse