Post #972201

2026-04-06 10:41 UTC

I think if Linux becomes something for the masses it will no longer be for me. So I’m hoping that won’t happen. End users just want their hand to be held by some kind of corporation. Happy to give up their information and privacy. To have no choices in interface etc. Basically, Linux for the masses will look exactly like ChromeOS. Completely unusable for a power user with a need for privacy and control.

Replies (5)

@TheIPW@lemmy.ml 2026-04-06 10:46

ChromeOS is basically the blueprint for the “Gold Cage”. My real worry is that “security” is just becoming a convenient excuse to swap user ownership for corporate control. Once that “masses” version becomes the legal standard for compliance, the rest of us are basically looking at digital exile.

Open ##972205
@juipeltje@lemmy.world 2026-04-06 11:21

I had similar thoughts, but at the same time i honestly think that wouldn’t be an issue because of the nature of linux and it being free and open source. There’s bound to be distros out there that won’t conform to whatever bs the corpos come up with.

Open ##972261
@Tetsuo@jlai.lu 2026-04-06 12:29

Meh it's not like Linux is one static block of immutable code. It's modular. So it's not like all linux distros will evolve the same way. And OP points it out that some distros are affected by age verification laws while others are not at all. So I think it makes no sense to panic and thinking all linux will converge to some Windows ersatz... I think the fact there is so many distros out there is our strength but also what prevents people from discovering the right linux for them. So this will be the year of linux discovery imo and all linux user should help out new users finding their way to a linux that fit them for their journey to freedom.

Open ##1110790
@HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 2026-04-06 19:10

The issue with Linux is going to be if there will be a single distro that dominates or if it will be more distributed. Right now, it looks like Google and Valve are the closest to making dominant distros, but I can see at least one EU government one being created as well. If there are few distros, then I can see development getting locked to those distros rather than across all Linux. The same thing happened with Android, Google ended up controlling Android so the open source side got hollowed out and the closed source side controlled by Google became necessary to running Android.

Open ##1110792
@0x0@lemmy.zip 2026-04-06 13:18

> End users just want their hand to be held by some kind of corporation. SheepleOS

Open ##1110793