Desktop Linux Keeps Winning the Wrong Battles

Summary

Linux is one of the most prolific operating systems in the world—except when it comes to desktop PCs. Yet lovers of Linux hold on to the idea that one of these years, Linux will reach the tipping point and become the most popular desktop operating system—the year of the Linux desktop. While this could absolutely happen, the way that Linux as a whole has been developing over the years isn't always conducive to making the world's Windows and macOS users convert en masse. Linux is always winning a new battle, but are they the right ones? The Myth of the “Year of the Linux Desktop” The idea of "The year of the Linux desktop" is less a prediction of something, and more like a prophecy. Like a belief that a messiah will one day come and whisk us all away to Linux heaven. Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Andrey Suslov / Shutterstock Every time a new computer that ships with Linux makes waves, or there's a promising new user-friendly distro, you'll hear that this is the year Linux makes its mark on the desktop market. Where Linux Actually Wins Sydney Louw Butler / How-To Geek If you look closely, Linux is making gains—just not the ones that get splashy headlines. Gaming support has improved dramatically thanks to initiatives like Proton and Steam Deck’s Linux-friendly ecosystem. Hardware compatibility has gotten better, with manufacturers finally shipping devices that don’t require endless driver hacks. Polished distros like Pop!_OS, Fedora, and Ubuntu have made Linux more approachable for newcomers. The problem is that these are "wins" because they bring Linux closer to Windows or macOS. In some cases, it's literally about making Windows software work on Linux, which is impressive and arguably necessary, but that's a rather pyrrhic victory, don't you think? We get desktop environments more like Windows, and Linux laptops are just laptops that usually ship with Windows. Nothing bespoke the way that Apple does it, for example. In short, Linux is "winning' by chasing other opera...