The trouble with linux...
...is all the stupid bloody names they use for parts of the system that could just be named something sensible. For example:
Windows: File Explorer
Mac: Finder
Linux: Nemo, Nautilus, Krusader, Thunar, Dolphin, Kaja...
It's just *confusing* for the average user. And these things change all the time.
And then there's the browsers. There's no easy way to just install 'chrome' - yes, you can install Chromium. And yes, there's firefox. But people like to use Chrome and are familiar with it.
What I'm talking about is the ease of use for ordinary home users or small businesses. People want compatibility with everything else and they want simplicity. Moan all you like about Windows if you're a Mac user and vice-versa but at least it's relatively simple to get stuff working with both those systems. Why would any small business try linux when:
- it won't run Sage
- it won't run Chrome (yes, I know it runs Chromium but not out of the box)
- it doesn't come with proprietary drivers (the average business user couldn't give two hoots about 'but it's not open source' - they just want to get things done!)
- it doesn't run MS Office (yes, I know it runs LibreOffice but I've tried introducing that and there's a reason that companies will use paid-for-MS365 over free-libreoffice, and that's because it works with everything else that they, their suppliers and their customers use!
- Cloud file systems: only dropbox has a linux client that's relatively easy to install.
It mostly boils down to lack of familiar software and a relatively poor out-of-the-box experience.
Obviously there are use-cases where a linux desktop would work for a small business, but what's the advantage when the computers cost practically the same and there's no guarantee that the services you use will continue to work over the years?
I know I'll get downvoted for this, but public opinion does seem to support these arguments. If it was really that good, and that cheap, then why aren't more people using it? You can't have good, cheap AND easy all at once.