Re: “KDE For Windows 10 Exiles” Campaign

On 6/5/25 4:31 PM, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

On Thu, 5 Jun 2025 02:28:43 -0700, T wrote:
 

Unfortunately, if the programs you need to run are only written for
Windows, you are stuck with it. 99% of everyone is stuck with it.

 Actually, the proportion is a bit less nowadays. Free Software tends to be
invisible in the marketplace because money isn’t changing hands.

My biggest problem, and that is Windows or Linux, is trying
to get users to learn new things when I can no longer get
their old stuff to work under whatever operating system
they are running.
A prime example of this is LibreOffice, which I do use myself.
LO has to be, not similar, but "EXACTLY" the same as M$ Office
or they blow a cork.  Oh and they wont pay for the upgrade
to the new version of M$ Office.
Gimp and Inkscape are great product, but they are not EXACTLY
the same as their Adobe's products.
It seems that most customer have a window in they brains
where they learn new things, but after that, their brains
shut down.  I have had a customer jump out of her chair
once, whilst instilling something their business owner
directed me to install (his choice, not mine) and scream
in my face "I CAN'T LEARN ANYTHING NEW!!!"
So if you are going to transition to Linux from Windows,
you have to be able to learn different ways of doing things.
My office is a Linux office.  I support Windows and have
several qemu-kvm virtual machines of various Windows releases,
but only use them for supporting customers.  The differences
do not bother me.  But then again, in this business, you
are always learning.  It never stops.
I do adore bigger, better, faster.  One of my major gripes
with Windows and Wine especially, is that it is neither.
Both are typically one step forward and two steps backwards.
I do use GNU Cash.  It is has a bloody difficult learning curve,
but once you get there, it is a wonderful tool.  I can't see
any of my customer abandoning QuickBooks (a Linux killer) for it.
Too much "new" to learn.

You can run Windows programs in Linux with the Wine application layer,
but Wine is alpha stage code at best.

 It seems to be good enough to run the majority of Windows-specific games
on the Steam Deck. That product has created a whole new market category,
handheld PC gaming, where the Windows-based competitors are really
struggling to gain a foothold.
 And, you have to admit, games are among the most difficult things to run
properly under an emulator.

Wine is actually an application layer.  They get their nickers
in a twist if you call it an emulator.  Chuckle.