GNU/Linux sucks.

GNU_Linux_sucks.md

GNU/Linux sucks

• apt - Sometimes metapackages require too much, leading to wanted packages being marked for autoremoval when removing unwanted packages.
• Dell webcams have poor support.
• GNU sometimes uses random file content to determine its type, leading to not being able to print on Tuesdays.
• Gnome
  • Clicking the active media notification does not focus the relevant Firefox window/tab.
  • Files:
    • 46.3 failed to refresh after extracting a .gz.
    • Lacks way to copy/paste the path.
    • Lacks image preview size selection.
    • Lacks thumbnails view toggle.
  • Terminal 3.52.0 doen't clear command on pressing Escape, only on Ctrl+U (backward), Ctrl+K (forward), or Ctrl+C (cancel and prompt anew).
  • Terminal 3.52.0 broke when trying to copy my PS1 using the mouse. (Random letters on cursor blink, lag, and scrolling with Chromium window?! I switched to Ghostty, but that lacks a scroll bar!)
  • Themes are a mess. Dash-to-panel is the only thing that seems user stylable anymore.
  • To waste less space by using a single system bar, sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions and install Dash to Panel.
  • Window management kinda sucks; can't simply super+arrow windows to external monitor. Shift+Super+arrow worked again after dconf shortcut view/edit.
  • 2nd Thunderbolt display and 1st one's mouse randomly stop working.
• KDE:
  • Opens context menus on mousedown and menu entries on mouseup, so many terminal windows were closed by opening the context menu too low on the screen while accidentally moving the mouse a few pixels.
  • Knows it's rebooting yet panics about it shutting down Konsole unexpectedly.
• Linux distros in general:
  • Can't keep your data while reinstalling after dist upgrade failed due to not checking for sufficient free disk space first.
  • Conflicts with key ring service for Chrome passwords when trying a different desktop after Gnome.
  • Poor UHD support in Gimp (tiny icons).
  • Elitist users who tell you to not expect anything for free.
  • Devs too lazy to fix critical exploits.
• "Problematic" and/or cancelled for being "problematic".
• Ubuntu
  • Can't Hibernate! cat /sys/power/state only says freeze mem, no disk. lockdown=none in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT should not be needed with the /swap.img (resized from 8G to 64G via sudo swapoff /swap.img && sudo fallocate -l 64G /swap.img && sudo mkswap /swap.img && sudo swapon /swap.img to fit RAM if very busy and assigned as hibernation file via resume=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv resume_offset=3633152 via df /swap.img and sudo filefrag -v /swap.img |head -10) on an encrypted partition but mokutil --sb-state being SecureBoot enabled says no because the stored RAM might still have juicy session keys.
  • Can't even Suspend as critical battery action, maybe due to /etc/systemd/sleep.conf still listing #AllowSuspend=yes (note the #) despite suspend working fine as power button action.
  • Intrusive update dialogs; system-breaking updates (Dell 5540 webcam broke again).
  • Kernel updates are hard in Ubuntu, but Mint has a nice GUI for that, but company policy is Ubuntu due to paid lobbying/marketing/business support, and main Mint lagging behind Ubuntu.
  • s2idle aka S0 sleep randomly fails in Ubuntu 24.04 so expect losing battery charge and data over night. Fix by setting to S3 (just keep RAM awake instead of network and CPU as well to update/spy on you) like it used to be:

    echo deep | sudo tee /sys/power/mem_sleep
    sudo nano /etc/default/grub
    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash mem_sleep_default=deep"
    sudo update-grub
    

See also other tech fails.