this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2025

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The year of the European Union Linux desktop may finally arrive (www.theregister.com)

submitted 4 days ago by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/linux@programming.dev

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Opinion | Microsoft, tactically admitting it has failed at talking all the Windows 10 PC users into moving to Windows 11 after all, is – sort of, kind of – extending Windows 10 support for another year.

For most users, that means they'll need to subscribe to Microsoft 365. This, in turn, means their data and meta-information will be kept in a US-based datacenter. That isn't sitting so well with many European Union (EU) organizations and companies. It doesn't sit that well with me or a lot of other people either.

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[–] throws_lemy@lemmy.nz 6 points 3 days ago

In my opinion, EU needs to force PC/laptop and other hardware manufacturers to provide drivers for Linux. Without this step, it will make it harder for them to move away from M$ Windows.

[–] enemenemu@lemm.ee 5 points 4 days ago (2 children)

According to microsoft, as an enterprise (and other factors) you can buy Advanced Data Residency add-on (ADR) such that your data resides in the country of your choice, not the US.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/enterprise/advanced-data-residency?view=o365-worldwide

[–] port443@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yes, but there's still the CLOUD Act

[–] enemenemu@lemm.ee -1 points 4 days ago

I'm just stating that the article is stretching facts. There are other sentences as well but I don't want to bother too much writing it all down.

[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

That is good to know.

Though the ask here is getting pretty large:

The OS requires a paid license
In order to continue receiving security updates, you have to pay an additional subscription fee
If you want all your hoovered data to reside in your own country, you have to pay even more

[–] PolarKraken@programming.dev 5 points 3 days ago

Yeesh. For the privilege of yourself and your users working with a horrible buggy mess of half replaced, half duplicated (triplicated? worse?) apps and features.

And a near guarantee that in a 5 year timeframe, you see 1+ others who paid for that "data in my own jurisdiction" service somehow get fucked in ways they shouldn't, be it leak or strongarm or whatever.

I'm not suggesting Windows is doomed or anything extreme, but they have cratered their credibility with anyone paying attention. Whole thing feels closer to poorly strung together malware than a serious OS to me.

[–] enemenemu@lemm.ee 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

What's the problem of paying for an OS?

https://www.suse.com/licensing/price/

[–] sxan@midwest.social 3 points 3 days ago

There isn't one. It's just increasingly unnecessary.

I, personally, have an issue with people taking millions of LOC of software written by other people and given away for free, slapping a logo on it, and selling it to people who don't know better, but thre licenses generally don't prevent carpet-bagging.

IMHO, selling an OS your organization built most of is fine. Selling support, or hosting, is also ethical. Selling Libre software is not.

[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

It's the summation of all of the above.

Does SUSE require a payment up front, as well as a subscription in order to continue receiving updates, as well as even more payments to ensure hoovered data resides in your country?

[+] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe -19 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Hahahahaha, oh yea, the Year of the Linux Desktop - been hearing that since 2000.

Look, Linux is a brilliant server OS, brilliant embedded/dedicated device OS. But as a desktop it's very problematic. It can be a great desktop OS, if you have very clear requirements, and know those requirements will never increase to include things from the Windows world, especially for end users who frankly have little tech understanding of any OS.

The very first issue they're going to run into is Excel. None of the open-source competitors come close, and any business/analysis will use it.

Oh, just RDP to a virtual desktop? Then why bother with Linux, which merely adds a layer of complexity?

The support issues/costs will skyrocket.

What they did a few months ago made more sense - use it in a small group, one with nominal requirements. Run that for a couple years, then expand a little. This gives IT time to flesh out issues and ensures they only get a small set of issues, affecting a small group, at any one time. It also allows for changing distro or shell with far less effort.

I've done this multiple times with other types of systems - run the new in a small group, not replacing the old entirely. Over time we identify pain points, develop work around or new architectural approaches, so when we finally full switch over and retire the old system it's a minor change.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 25 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You clearly don't know what you're talking about. You have no idea how much the Linux desktop experience has improved just in the past 10, or even 5 years. There's been LEAPS in advancement and Windows compatibility. It gets easier to use by the day. And Steam deciding to use Linux for its gaming devices is one proof of that.

In addition, this adoption means there will be much higher demand for new features and functionality, and potentially greater bug discovery. And there will be an increased involvement in the development and improvement from European countries to achieve these goals. Which will lead to an even faster growth and improvement of Linux in general.

[–] FizzyOrange@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

That is a very optimistic view! I decided to make a presentation in OpenOffice recently instead of Google Slides. It actually couldn't even show my bullet points in the right order. It revealed them like 1, 3, 2.

I guess you can make it work and the sovereignty & financial savings for a large number of users is maybe worth the pain, but let's not pretend the Linux desktop is really close to Windows/Office in terms of quality and reliability.

[–] solardirus@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

"Linux as a desktop is BAD!"

"Evidence?"

"I failed to make a slideshow in a buggy application. :'("

In all seriousness, though, wtf? You could have pulled from any of the well-know papercuts and instead you balk about a broken application? Lmao?

My vibeo gaem crashed on Windows once. I guess I should hold Microsoft personally accountable for it....

For the record, I've used Linux throughout Highschool, Community College, and College. No issues with basic software functionality, really.

The worst and only issue I've had in that regard is self-inflicted because I decided to run LibreOffice via Wayland, which has an ongoing bug that makes scrolling laggy. That's it.

The larger issues with Linux as a desktop is software compat (Wine) with Windows for nicher use cases (requires debugging and a bunch of setup), certain drivers (cough cough Nvidia cough cough), and general dumbass-proofing.

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 4 points 3 days ago

Your first mistake was using OpenOffice.

Try LibreOffice instead. Or one of these.