Lemmy folk forgetting that not every person cares enough to switch OSes.
If you ever work tech support even at a basic level, you’ll see. It’s not even boomers or genZ. I helped a grown ass human who was my age at 40yo how to install a Firefox extension.
Lemmy folk forgetting that not every person cares enough to switch OSes.
Right, so if they don’t care they’re not going to complain very much about it. If they are going to complain what are they going to do about it? If it’s “just complain and nothing else” then Microsoft doesn’t care.
So are you volunteering to install Linux on everyone’s machines when they get a new computer? And answer their tech support questions when they inevitably need that one program?
I’m volunteering to install Linux on my machine instead of just bitching about Microsoft while continuing to use Windows.
I don’t see how pointing out the reality of “if you’re not going to stop using Windows then Microsoft doesn’t care what you think” somehow makes me responsible for every computer in the world.
supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 6 days ago
Can y’all IT people please stop with the condescending “you don’t know how stupid people are about computers”, it seems like y’all show up everywhere to tell us that we can’t have the future because we are too stupid and lazy.
Were you as condescending to them in person as you are being in referencing them right now? Why is not knowing how to install a Firefox extension some indicator of failed computer literacy, there are plenty of smart people out there who can learn how to use a computer absolutely fine who have just simply never learned about extensions for Firefox. This is a very feasible and normal reality.
Do you know how to change the oil on your car yourself? Do simple plumbing jobs? What about basic healthcare changes or cooking? What about outdoor work or basic small engine maintenance? Do you even know shit about the most basic species of trees in your backyard? Do you know the species of songbirds you often hear outside your window? Do you even pay attention to that?
My point is, don’t go looking for confirmation of how stupid or lazy people are or what their limited capacity is by casting the shapes of people’s ignorance onto the floor and trying to read some magic language from that.
Maybe they don’t know because they are hopelesssly stupid, but also if they don’t know computers then those are the perfect people to teach linux. Then it is their first language instead of windows, many linux distro are perfectly fine for this at this point.
I’m sorry if I snapped at you a little but I think it is existentially important to recognize here that we don’t know what people are capable of, you can’t know the essential capacity of people to change, don’t try to predict it. Focus on creating the material opportunity for change and the rest may follow depending on what people desire, no matter to us, we desire to create that positive opportunity for change because it is the right thing to do not because we like the future growth charts of the things we believe are important and vital.
pycorax@lemmy.world 6 days ago
I think you’re missing the point here. It’s more that people couldn’t even be bothered to search up how to do something (that takes seconds) that they want to do first, and instead just rely on someone they think is an expert without putting in any effort at all.
Your examples don’t really make sense either as a lot of these are paid professions for larger tasks that most people simply don’t want to do. There’s a huge difference in searching online “how to install a Firefox extension” vs “how to do an weave”, etc.
supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 5 days ago
Are you honestly going to still claim at this late date of 2024 that a decent popular linux distro is actually going to be MORE of a headache than Windows?
…?
Have you tried Windows recently?
pycorax@lemmy.world 4 days ago
I’m not sure why that is so hard to believe. I use Ubuntu and Windows at work daily and Windows at home. I know the challenges of both and Windows at worst just annoys me with them forcing the new Outlook app on me. Everything else just works. Plays games amazingly, Visual Studio is uncontested, syncs nicely with my Android phone and I have no driver issues whatsoever. Don’t have to go diving into the command line to change settings either.
The only time Linux works perfectly for me is on my Steam Deck and that’s entirely because Valve has handled all the driver issues for us on that hardware.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 5 days ago
Exactly. Look at Reddit/Lemmy where people ask questions instead of searching, when they could’ve gotten their answer faster by searching using their question as a query instead of posting it (i.e. LMGTFY). People are lazy in very weird ways, some are happier to call tech support than read an article, even if that call takes more than 2x as long as the search.
velxundussa@sh.itjust.works 6 days ago
I agree with the sentiment of your post, but I think the examples are a bit too far fetched:
I’d wager most people use a computer/phone on a daily basis, which is why having a basic understanding of it seems like knowledge we should all have.
Inversely, most people don’t need even have a turbo in their car and many don’t even have a car, so any knowledge relating to that is probably useless for them.
That being said, even if someone is less knowledgeable in a field, respect should always be the baseline, as you illustrate, they’re probably skilled in something else!
I’m saying that as an IT person that’s aware that I’m making money mostly because people don’t bother to learn all this, so in the end I don’t mind that much.
AlexWIWA@lemmy.ml 6 days ago
Excellent rant, I hate that doomer mindset. Old people used DOS, kids figure out vpns to get on gambling sites. People aren’t stupid they just haven’t had a reason to learn, or didn’t have someone to make them care.
Agrivar@lemmy.world 6 days ago
Awesome post. As a former IT person who has worn many other hats over the years, I couldn’t agree with you more.