I recently got into Mint Linux as a means of getting tired of windows 8 and I was impressed I tell you. Until my video driver stopped working or should I say it never worked. GT 430 L-Cheapo video card makes me happy on windows. So now I'm stuck in recovery mode.
Linux is on the edge of getting really big but I don't think it could ever take off if there such bad support for hardware. Maybe that a Microsoft conspiracy. Huhhh
Think about it Andriod - is Linux Mac - is Linux.... Mint is about as user friendly as it gets however better then windows 8 . then it goes down hill from there.
I go to get help from there forum What a missss information center... Enuf info to get you into trouble not enuf to do what you need. You could spend 5 hours and not get anything done. And after that amount of time would it be worth it. Even if I was smart enuf to change kernels WTF how complicated can it get.
So here is what they give me http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=117643 enuf to get it installed not enuf to tell me how to uninstall it after it does not work. What good is half information. Like half a plate of food. Half of what you need. One shoe fits right. that's all you need.
And that is where linux falls apart. It would be worth money it would be worth $5 tax to simply get the stupid driver working in under 5 minutes. But no its holy crap complicated is it not.
Maybe I'm off on a rant here.... But I'm trying to make a point...
LINUX is at the point where it could over take windows. But for whatever reason there still 10 years behind. I'm thinking next thing like nas. Taking a device installing a nas on $50 ebay device that has android. Because that is the power of linux. There all kinds of things linux could do.
Linux could be on phones/tablets it could be on home computers you name it.... but not when there is simple problems like this and miss information.
Think about it app store there money to be made. Who lives on free... Only so many people want to live in there parents basement.
YOU guys are so close its not funny.... I'm afraid is something does not happen then maybe you be left in the dark ages in the dust.
Android is not as open anymore as they used to be iphone is loosing steam Microsoft can't design a phone and Nokia is about as bad as Blackberry.
Its time to get serous it could happen. All those systems are basically based on linux.
Imagine having a system selling at Bestbuy
If everybody put there heads together it could happen. Pay $5 a year for hardware support pay nvidia or ati to make drivers that really work not just sort of sometimes. And require them to keep to not restrict the users. I know this make people not happy to think linux could cost money.... But if it it was better then windows 8 would people feel bad. You only feel bad if you had to pull your hair out because a driver is not working.