I think you’re always going to have issues installing an OS yourself versus using a laptop (or other device) with an OS installed already. The hardware issues should be resolved for you which gets rid of some of the issues others have raised like missing wireless card drivers. Having said that, the issues you hit are pretty common to anyone moving to a new OS like “how do I install software?”. I remember using macOS for the first time and finding the “mount a DMG file and drag it to the applications folder” completely unintuitive and someone had to tell me that was how it was done. There’s always a barrier to entry and I think it’s perfectly reasonable to say that Linux requires more from the user than other OSes. However I think we’re seeing some solid efforts from companies like System76 and Tuxedo to make Linux more accessible. Hell the Steam Deck is fantastic and the fact it’s Linux is almost completely hidden from you (until of course you come across a game you can’t play, thanks Warhammer Vermintide 2).

In short I disagree with some of the other comments that imply some failing on your part or on tech illiterate people. Every OS has problems, and Linux’s biggest problem is getting people past the painful stages of adoption which you just power through if you’ve bought a new device. I will agree with others saying their windows experiences are worse than modern Linux but then we’re probably a bit biased!

The self-contained electron app works better for most people I think.

Also chromosome tests aren’t a foolproof indication of sex anyway. People can have one set or another while still having the properties associated with the other sex, so it doesn’t really work as a definitive measure. The question is reasonable until you examine it and it’s motives.

The question subtly suggests that if she had a Y chromosome then she has some biological advantage and therefore doesn’t deserve the medal she earned. Does she actually have an advantage from the Y chromosome? Are we going to ensure through DNA testing that all competitors are going to be exactly equal by genetics? If so, we’re going to have 8 clones of Usain Bolt competing for the 100m sprint. Michael Phelps arguably had a biological advantage by having hyper flexible shoulders, are we disqualifying those biological advantages? Of course not, so what do they actually mean when asking those questions about the chromosome? They don’t have meaningful answers to the questions I raise, they just want to add fuel to the fires of the culture war for their own political means.

This really got me, thank you!

I for one am frequently so close to my very good friends that my nose is pressed against theirs, my eyes only able to see theirs, the world not existing around us, while discussing in a platonic way how their day is going.

Yes I should have said “employed full-time” probably. This also doesn’t account for the self-employed who have to manage it themselves too rather than having their employer do it.

If you’re British and employed your employer is legally required to provide a private pension I believe. You also get a state pension if you’ve been paying national insurance (most people will get this taken out of pay cheques before you ever see the money, same as income tax). Some employers offer “matching contributions” up to a certain amount. For example if you decide you want to send £100 per month into your private pension, your employer will also do the same, so your pension gets £200. These contributions are tax free so it’s a tax-efficient way to save money when compared to privately investing where you’d have to invest from your income, which has already been taxed and then potentially have to pay capital gains tax on profits.

Coming from a country that doesn’t have this sort of thing it’s really weird as an outside observer. Students have to swear allegiance to the flag every morning too which is the sort of thing I would imagine happens in north Korea or dictator states.

I think there’s a bit of “whoosh” happening…

I said in another comment but basically the left have a tougher message to sell than the right. The right says that the system works but it’s the foreigners/benefit thieves/refugees stealing your money/house/jobs. That is inherently quite easy to understand without much thought or critical thinking. The left on the other hand have to tell you all about Thatcher, Reagan and neoliberalism before we even get to the point of solutions which are usually incredibly radical like changing the fundamental economic model we’ve all been operating under since the 80s. Inherent in that is a fear that the left’s solutions will take assets and wealth away from people. While the right promises that your assets, wealth and property rights are sacred and that it’s the “other” that will have their assets, wealth and rights taken away. Again, very easy-to-understand messaging for the right versus the left.

Genuine question, where are the extreme left rising? I haven’t seen any but that might be the algorithms/my news sources talking.

I totally agree that neoliberal economics are essentially what we understand to be economics now. To be clear, I’m not blaming the left, I think it’s a case of they have a more difficult message to convey. To explain the problems that neoliberal economics has and to propose a solution to them is a really hard task compared with “it’s the foreigners at fault”. It’s a much clearer, more concise and seemingly solvable problem compared with “we need to overhaul the global economy”.

So I didn’t make a statement about that. I’m making a statement about what these results might tell us, admittedly in a very simplistic way.

Far right parties gaining significant popularity especially in France and Germany. It’s not great for the neo-liberal centre who created and perpetuated the economic downturn we’re all in and indicates a failure of the left to present a coherent alternative. There’s a lot to unpack about it. France has already dissolved their parliament and triggered an election because of these results.

I’ve been programming for too long, my brain just autocorrected the typo so initially didn’t get the joke…

It still works here. I for one have been avoiding prepping my next session for over 8 months now because of this!