桌面 Linux 需要什么才能在主流中获得成功？
桌面 KDE

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> 这是 Linux 走向大众最重要的一件事。
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![](/data/attachment/album/202201/18/025437s7v164m2wn7wv2np.png)


你可能看过 [最近 Linus Tech Tips 关于切换到 Linux 的视频](/article-14053-1.html)，以及 [他对 KDE 软件的一些抱怨的那个视频](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtsglXhbxno&list=PL8mG-RkN2uTyhe6fxWpnsHv53Y1I-K3yu&index=3)。对于那些关注此事的人，我想让你们知道，我们（KDE）正在努力修复 Linus 提出的问题，你们可以在 [这里](https://invent.kde.org/teams/usability/issue-board/-/boards/7723) 跟踪我们的进展。值得庆幸的是，大部分的问题都相当小，应该很容易解决。


关于桌面 Linux 需要什么才能成为主流的问题。[Sway](https://swaywm.org/) 开发者 [Drew DeVault 针对该视频发表了一篇文章](https://drewdevault.com/2021/12/05/What-desktop-Linux-needs.html)，而这篇博文是我的版本。Drew 强调了可访问性，我也同意，但结论略有不同。


### 桌面 Linux 需要预装在零售硬件上才能在主流市场取得成功


就是这样。


请允许我解释一下。


人们经常被功能和可用性所困扰，这些都很重要，但它们只是达到目的的手段，本身并不是目的。如果人们根本不能得到它，质量就毫无意义。而如果没有可访问的发行版，人们就无法得到它。高质量的 Linux 发行版还不够；它们需要被预装在你可以在主流零售店买到的硬件产品上。“主流人群”会购买他们可以触摸和拿起的产品；如果在主流商店找不到它，它就不存在。


想一想，**为什么普通人都使用 Windows 或 macOS**？因为他们购买的实体电脑包含了它。iOS 或 Android 呢？它被默认装在了他们的实体智能手机上。对于“主流人群”来说，不存在用一个新的操作系统替换设备的操作系统的想法。只有 [“三点”用户](https://pointieststick.com/2021/11/29/who-is-the-target-user) 才会这么做，而他们只占市场的 5% 左右。如果获得你的操作系统的唯一途径是自己安装，那么你就没有机会在主流市场取得成功。


![](/data/attachment/album/202201/18/025438egkow2u5vtbefyuo.jpg)


至于功能，人们通常只使用可用功能的很小的一部分。在可用性方面，大多数用户是 [记住他们的软件如何使用而不是理解它](https://pointieststick.com/2021/11/30/more-about-those-zero-dot-users/) —— 如果你真的需要，你可以记住任何东西。一个更好的用户界面会有所帮助，但是对于那些记忆这些的人来说并不是必需的，而它主要有利于那些能够识别模式，并欣赏逻辑、一致性和良好设计的高级用户（市场上 30% 的“二点及以上”人群）。因此，这些东西本身就不够好。


但这并不意味着我们应该忘记功能和可用性！一点也不。但是如果我们的目标是“走向主流”，我们就必须了解真正的受众：**是硬件供应商，而不是终端用户**。我们的目标是让软件产品有足够的吸引力，以便在供应商选购时被他们选中，因为它基本上就是这样做的。像苹果这样为知名产品定制自上而下的硬件和软件的公司很少。大多数公司都建立在第三方软件之上，这些软件需要他们内部软件团队进行最少的整合和定制工作。如果你的软件不能胜任，他们会转向下一个选择。因此，当一些硬件供应商有需求时，你的软件最好已经准备好了！


而硬件供应商需要什么？


* **灵活性**。你的软件必须容易适应他们的任何类型的设备，而不需要大量的定制工程，他们将在产品的生命周期中负责支持。
* **能使他们的设备看起来不错的功能**。对其物理硬件特性的支持、良好的性能、令人愉快的用户界面……人们购买它的理由基本上是这些。
* **稳定性**。不能崩溃并将用户抛弃在命令行终端提示符下。必须可以实际工作。不能让人感觉像一个业余的科学展览会项目。
* **可用性要足够好，以减少支持成本**。当出现问题时，“主流人群”会联系他们的硬件供应商。可用性需要足够好，以便尽可能少地发生这种情况。


它不需要完美。它只需要做这些事情。这就是 Windows 在 90 年代征服了个人电脑市场的方式，尽管它很糟糕！而我们的东西要好得多！


我看到有证据表明 KDE 已经是这样了。Pine 在 [PinePhone](https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/) 和 [PineBook Pro](https://www.pine64.org/pinebook-pro/) 上分别为 Manjaro 提供了 Plasma 的移动版和桌面版。Valve 也为 [Steam Deck](https://www.steamdeck.com/) 选择了 Plasma 的桌面版，在他们的新版 SteamOS 中取代了 GNOME。我认为 KDE 软件定位良好，并且一直在变得更好。因此，让我们继续加倍努力提供硬件供应商销售其出色产品所需的东西。


原文由 KDE 开发者 Nate Graham 发表在他的 [博客 PointiestStick](https://pointieststick.com/2021/12/09/what-desktop-linux-needs-to-succeed-in-the-mainstream/) 中。 本文经许可后转载。所表达的观点代表作者自己，可能不能反映我们的观点。




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via: <https://news.itsfoss.com/what-desktop-linux-needs-to-succeed-in-the-mainstream/>


作者：[Nate Graham](https://pointieststick.com/2021/12/09/what-desktop-linux-needs-to-succeed-in-the-mainstream/) 选题：[lujun9972](https://github.com/lujun9972) 译者：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy) 校对：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy)


本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出


OK
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You might be aware of the [recent Linus Tech Tips videos about switching to Linux](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0506yDSgU7M&list=PL8mG-RkN2uTyhe6fxWpnsHv53Y1I-K3yu&ref=news.itsfoss.com), including [one with some complaints about KDE software](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtsglXhbxno&list=PL8mG-RkN2uTyhe6fxWpnsHv53Y1I-K3yu&index=3&ref=news.itsfoss.com). For those of you who are following along, I want to let you know that we’re (KDE) working on fixing the issues Linus brought up, and you can track our progress [here](https://invent.kde.org/teams/usability/issue-board/-/boards/7723?ref=news.itsfoss.com). Thankfully, most of the issues are fairly minor and should be easy to fix.

This blog post is my version of [Sway](https://swaywm.org/?ref=news.itsfoss.com) developer [Drew DeVault’s post](https://drewdevault.com/2021/12/05/What-desktop-Linux-needs.html?ref=news.itsfoss.com) about the videos, regarding the question of what desktop Linux needs to go mainstream. Drew emphasizes accessibility, and I agree, but with a slightly different conclusion:

## Desktop Linux needs to be pre-installed on retail hardware to succeed in the mainstream

That’s it.

Allow me to explain.

People get hung up a lot on features and usability, and these are important. But they’re means to an end and not good enough ends by themselves. Quality means nothing if people can’t get it. And people can’t get it without accessible distribution. High quality Linux distros aren’t enough; they need to be pre-installed on hardware products you can buy in mainstream retail stores! “The mainstream” buys products they can touch and hold; if you can’t find it in a mainstream store, it doesn’t exist.

Think about it: **why do normal people use Windows or macOS**? Because the physical computer they bought included it. iOS or Android? Because it was shipped by default on their physical smartphone. The notion of replacing a device’s operating system with a new one doesn’t exist to “the mainstream”. Only the [“three-dot” users](https://pointieststick.com/2021/11/29/who-is-the-target-user?ref=news.itsfoss.com) ever do that, and they’re about 5% of the market. If the only way to get your OS is to install it yourself, you have no chance of succeeding in the mainstream.

As for features, people generally use only a very small fraction of what’s available to them. When it comes to usability, most users [memorize their software rather than understanding it](https://pointieststick.com/2021/11/30/more-about-those-zero-dot-users/?ref=news.itsfoss.com)–and you can memorize anything if you really have to. A better user interface helps, but it isn’t needed for the memorizers and mostly benefits power users (the 30% of the market “two-dot and up” crowd) who recognize patterns and appreciate logic, consistency, and good design. So these are not good enough on their own.

This doesn’t mean we should forget about features and usability! Not at all! But if the goal is to “go mainstream,”we have to understand the true audience: **hardware vendors, not end users**. The goal is to have a software product appealing enough to get picked up by vendors when they go shopping for one, because that’s mostly how it works. Companies like Apple that do their own custom top-to-bottom hardware and software for big-name products are rare. Most build on top of 3rd-party software that requires the least integration and custom work from their in-house software team. If your software isn’t up to the task, they move onto the next option. So when some hardware vendor has a need, your software better be ready!

And what do hardware vendors need?

**Flexibility**. Your software has to be easily adaptable to whatever kind of device they have without tons of custom engineering they’ll be on the hook for supporting over the product’s lifecycle.**Features that make their devices look good**. Support for its physical hardware characteristics, good performance, a pleasant-looking user interface… reasons for people to buy it, basically.**Stability**. Can’t crash and dump users at a command line terminal prompt. Has to actually work. Can’t feel like a hobbyist science fair project.**Usability that’s to be good enough to minimize support costs**. When something goes wrong, “the mainstream” contacts their hardware vendor. Usability needs to be good enough so that this happens as infrequently as possible.

It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to do that stuff. This is how Windows conquered the PC market in the 90s despite being terrible! And our stuff is much better!

I see evidence that this is already working for KDE. Pine ships Manjaro with Plasma Mobile and Plasma Desktop on the [PinePhone](https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/?ref=news.itsfoss.com) and [PineBook Pro](https://www.pine64.org/pinebook-pro/?ref=news.itsfoss.com), respectively. Valve also picked Plasma Desktop for the [Steam Deck](https://www.steamdeck.com/?ref=news.itsfoss.com), replacing GNOME for their new version of SteamOS. I see KDE software as well-positioned here and getting better all the time. So let’s keep doubling down on delivering what hardware vendors need to sell their awesome products.

*Originally written by KDE developer Nate Graham on his blog PointiestStick. The content has been reproduced here with his permission. The views expressed are of author’s own and it may not reflect the views of It’s FOSS.*

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