Honestly 99% of my complaint on Linux is package management. The .deb/Ubuntu approach of “downloadable installers must micro-target specific semi-annual releases” is absolutely bananas when Windows can install software from the 1900s. Otherwise? I mean I have a lot of micro-complaints but that’s the 500 lb gorilla in the room. Still happy to be done with Windows though.
Downloading .deb from internet directly is a recipe for breakage on update. Appimages are analogous to .exe in windowsland. Proprietary vendors not being up to speed with Linux distro landscape is a very real issue
Right, that’s my whole point. “Installing software” should not be such a minefield where basically unless the package version you need is in Discover or whatever, you have to learn about the dozen+ different ways an application can be packaged and the various footguns of each.
edit: I want to install a service and it’s not on Discover. Do I want the package source? The flatpak? The snap? The appimage? The .deb? The .rpm? The docker image? The podman image? Build from source from GitHub? Or the .tar.gz? Or they just published a shell script and said “just run this as root”.
And for each of the above, which one do I want? Especially if you’re not on a mainstream distro so if it says “oh use this if you’re on Ubuntu 26.04” and you have to confirm “okay, under the hood my Mint distro uses Ubuntu 24.10 as its package source”.
Honestly 99% of my complaint on Linux is package management
this, ffs what’s wrong with flatpack and click with a mouse. I want to use apps, im not there 'mirrin the OS and my kb skills, tap up 30 times in terminal. Hell I even havee a txt file to copy paste some commamds into Terminal
Well that’s the publisher’s fault then. They decided to publish it the way it wouldn’t work with future distros. There was no real reason for them to do it that way.
Legit switched to Linux because of Win11. It’s been a hell of a learning curve too, but I’m doing it specifically to spite windows.
Honestly 99% of my complaint on Linux is package management. The .deb/Ubuntu approach of “downloadable installers must micro-target specific semi-annual releases” is absolutely bananas when Windows can install software from the 1900s. Otherwise? I mean I have a lot of micro-complaints but that’s the 500 lb gorilla in the room. Still happy to be done with Windows though.
Downloading .deb from internet directly is a recipe for breakage on update. Appimages are analogous to .exe in windowsland. Proprietary vendors not being up to speed with Linux distro landscape is a very real issue
Right, that’s my whole point. “Installing software” should not be such a minefield where basically unless the package version you need is in Discover or whatever, you have to learn about the dozen+ different ways an application can be packaged and the various footguns of each.
edit: I want to install a service and it’s not on Discover. Do I want the package source? The flatpak? The snap? The appimage? The .deb? The .rpm? The docker image? The podman image? Build from source from GitHub? Or the .tar.gz? Or they just published a shell script and said “just run this as root”.
And for each of the above, which one do I want? Especially if you’re not on a mainstream distro so if it says “oh use this if you’re on Ubuntu 26.04” and you have to confirm “okay, under the hood my Mint distro uses Ubuntu 24.10 as its package source”.
this, ffs what’s wrong with flatpack and click with a mouse. I want to use apps, im not there 'mirrin the OS and my kb skills, tap up 30 times in terminal. Hell I even havee a txt file to copy paste some commamds into Terminal
I use LMDE btw ;)
Why would you use downloadable installers?
Because… that’s how the software I’m trying to install was published? I mean I’d rather they were in the ubuntu repos but they aren’t.
Well that’s the publisher’s fault then. They decided to publish it the way it wouldn’t work with future distros. There was no real reason for them to do it that way.
Unfortunately need Windows for work, but was able to switch my HTPC server to Linux and have been very happy. Still a lot to learn!
I started by making my old W10PC dual boot, and now I boot windows weekly at most, and just virtual box windows for a few work apps daily.