Insert xkcd about standards. I know. I know.

Here’s the thought. What if we made a distro called Doors as a replacement for windows, but don’t call it a distro? We don’t even call it Linux. We just called it Doors.

The most pedantic among us will say something like it’s GNU/Linux/Doors, but regular folks would, and currently do, ignore that person. We just praise the merits of Doors and they jump out the window(s)

Thoughts?

P.S. I’ve been in the process of migrating my parents for some time now. We are at the last step now that I’ve set up Nextcloud. It didn’t take my folks long to understand the ethical cataclysm that is windows/microsoft, but the fear of change, both to something foreign in nature and use, kept them back for a long time. I want to continue a conversation we often have around a critical topic. Perhaps in an unusual direction.

  • SuperDuperKitten@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    1·
    5 hours ago

    What if we made a distro called Doors as a replacement for windows, but don’t call it a distro? We don’t even call it Linux. We just called it Doors.

    So basically what Google did with ChromeOS? (Being quiet that it just a Linux distro) Yeah, no. I prefer distro that is transparent that it is Linux and doesn’t try to make out or as vocal that their still a Linux distro.

    • mystic-macaroni@lemmy.mlOP
      1·
      4 hours ago

      I can see where you are coming from and chrome os is a good and bad example of what I mean. It’s a bad example because of the lack of transparency. It’s a good example because it creates a “brand” around the product. Linux lacks brand recognition to the average person, and when we approach getting folks on Linux, we do one of two things. We pick a brand for them, or we explain what a distro is and that linux is actually the kernel and that its really GNU/Linux or GNU and Linux etc. I want to get to the point a non technical user makes the choice themselves

      Outside of just buying computers with Linux one them, imo the best scenario would be if there was a recognized brand, like chromeos, which people could point to and say “you’re good with computers and fuck windows. Can you install Doors?”. You have to admit an operating system called “FuckWindows OS” would be appealing to those who utter the words several times per day.

      I’m also not suggesting we go guns blazing into doing this so much as presenting a consideration why we are less effective than we’d like and what we could add to our focus to improve conversion rates.

      TLDR: Linux, or our representation of it, is confusing to the average person. Could we address this with a distro whose purpose is to establish a stronger brand?

      • mystic-macaroni@lemmy.mlOP
        1·
        4 hours ago

        I agree not sweeping Linux under the rug is important, but what about something like:

        Doors: Powered by Linux

        After all, Linux is just the kernel. It isn’t the operating system <insert long Stallman rant>. Saying ”Powered By" is both accurate, and the brand recognition horse shit people go for

        Make no mistake. I don’t like that brand recognition is an important consideration, but it’s important to recognize what works for many people

  • deadcade@lemmy.deadca.de
    15·
    2 days ago

    That’s just Ubuntu, including their marketing strategy towards enterprise clients for desktop. (Without the pun in the name of course)

    • jrubal1462@mander.xyz
      3·
      2 days ago

      I just set up a new computer that was deemed unworthy of Windows 11 on Linux Mint. I don’t believe I opened the terminal at all, except to do ssh-keygen stuff for my server, which I would assume you skip on grandma’s computer.

      The wifi, wireless printer, etc all just worked.

    • gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com
      2·
      2 days ago

      Have you used windows recently? Microsoft doesnt bother implementing anything, the last 30% of the product is controlled by pwsh cmdlets. I spend just as much time in the terminal on Windows as I do on Linux