HACKER Q&A
📣 LockAndLol

Open-source devs&users using closed source OSes, could you explain why?


Just got through Lunduke's "Linux sucks 2020" video [0] and even if it might be in jest, he brought up a good point that many people promoting linux, presenting linux stuff, working in opensource or contributing to it, use closed-source OSes. I'm not trying to bash anybody, it's just genuine curiosity as to why.

0: https://open.lbry.com/@Lunduke:e/LinuxSucks2020:b?t=3215

  👤 non-entity Accepted Answer ✓
Because while I enjoy the philosophy behind open source and use, and even occasionally contribute to OSS projects, I'm not a zealot. Theres still plenty of software that only runs on proprietary systems I want to use (games are a bug one, but you'd be suprised how much dev software only runs windows). Hell even mant linux systems likely have something proprietary on it, even if it's just firmware for some wireless or graphics device.
👤 jqpabc123
"Open source" is primarily a coding phenomenon.

But an operating system is about more than just code. It is the central component of a computing ecosystem. And producing a viable, productive ecosystem requires much more than just open source code. It requires design, implementation, incentive and marketing.

If code was all that was needed, Linux distros should be dominate by now. Instead, after 30 years of effort by some of the best and brightest and billions of lines of code later and the result is --- a big yawn from the general computing public.

But, but, but Android. Well, Android isn't totally "open source" now is it? Key pieces of the ecosystem are not really "open" at all. And these key nuggets capture the incentive that propels the design, implementation and marketing forward.

Bottom line --- it takes more than an engine to produce a best selling car. And likewise, it takes more than charity, good intentions, free labor and open source to produce a truly viable and popular operating system.

👤 parentheses
Windows vs Mac vs OS OSs is what you’re talking about. If you’re a gamer - Linux is no go. If you’re a developer, macOS is more often used than _anything_ else. If you’re not trying to benefit from any well made commercial software then OS OSs are terrible. CS software is almost never optimized for OS OSs.

Much of what’s OS is not delightful to use unless you’re in the terminal. It’s much better now than 5 years ago. Simple things like watching videos and listening to music requires proper OS configuration because of codecs not being free as in freedom. There’s more annoyances, so to sum it up, nothing available for Linux that has a GUI is enticing to me. Whereas many native Mac apps are simply amazing.

👤 frou_dh
I do enthusiastically use Linux in the scenario where it is comparatively strongest, that is, on computers without screens.