When you connect a new device to a ‘smart’ tv, you must pay homage to the manufacturer with a ritualistic dance. Plugging and unplugging the device. Turning them on and off in the correct sequence like entering a konami code.

Every time you want to switch devices, the tv must scan for them. And god forbid you lose power, or unplug something. You are granted the delight experience of doing it all over again.

I have fond memories of the days of just plugging something in, and pressing the input button. Instant gratification. It was a simpler time.

What is some other tech that used to be better?

  • @Sethayy
    link
    -5
    edit-2
    24 days ago

    Uhh Linux is a kernel and on its own doesn’t even support graphics much less customising them.

    But if you wanna actually blame someone, we’ll need to know which software youre talking about - could be OPPO’s ColorOS for all we know.

    That being said a big name in the Linux world is KDE, and they have one of the best theming engines Ive ever used. Everything QT follows the theme - so much so I didn’t even realise how ugly some apps look on windows (like prism launcher not matching my file explorer?? Eww)

    That being said I couldn’t agree more with the first part, and in linux specifically I wish we had more ‘basic display driver’ like tools to handle emergency situations.

    • Count Regal Inkwell
      link
      fedilink
      14
      edit-2
      24 days ago

      Uhh Linux is a kernel and on its own doesn’t even support graphics much less customising them.

      I think we all realise that when someone says “Linux” in casual conversation on the internet, they mean existing well-known distros that include far more than just the naked Kernel, because no one who uses Linux is using just the Kernel, even headless servers aren’t “just the kernel”.

      ANYWAY, I mostly am bitching about Gnome, but other DEs and WMs caught that bug as well to varying degrees. As have a dozen unconnected libre programs. Just for one example try finding a Matrix client that DOESN’T look like a shittier version of Discord (… And doesn’t run on the Terminal)

      There was even a collective of libre application developers that got together specifically to chastise people for using themes and to beg DEs to disable all theming by default because “muh app’s branding and identity!”

      Everything QT follows the theme - so much so I didn’t even realise how ugly some apps look on windows

      Unless you’re using Flatpaks. Then you have to spend an afternoon metaphorically beating your computer with a metaphorical hammer to get the apps (not just qt, gtk too) to look like the rest of the OS.

      and in linux specifically I wish we had more ‘basic display driver’ like tools to handle emergency situations.

      It’s true. It would make the whole thing more resilient.

      • @Sethayy
        link
        -423 days ago

        Of course, but by just saying Linux you’re bound to be wrong somewhere - I’m just highlighting its so broad its an essentially useless definition (42% of all computers run it by the way). Gnome is pretty shit for customisability, so what’s more customisable than having another option?

        By looking at ‘just Linux’ you couldn’t be more wrong for the core argument.

        It also shifts the blame to many smaller devs like matrix which tbh they’re mostly doing work for free so who’s gonna complain they don’t want to add extra complexity, just get in that source code if you really care. And in the age of such easy frontend engines an experienced could probably whip up their own in a week.

        Also ive never had issues with qt/flatpaks, using prism launcher as an example, its seamlessly followed my color scheme (not saying bugs don’t exist somewhere I’m not seeing, but there certainly is 'just works support to some degree).

        I you’re gonna be mad people don’t like something, yikes open source isn’t for you - git as a whole all but is designed to handle disagreements without breaking its stride.

    • ASeriesOfPoorChoices
      link
      fedilink
      523 days ago

      “I use Linux as my operating system,” I state proudly to the unkempt, bearded man. He swivels around in his desk chair with a devilish gleam in his eyes, ready to mansplain with extreme precision. “Actually”, he says with a grin, "Linux is just the kernel. You use GNU+Linux!’ I don’t miss a beat and reply with a smirk, “I use Alpine, a distro that doesn’t include the GNU Coreutils, or any other GNU code. It’s Linux, but it’s not GNU+Linux.” The smile quickly drops from the man’s face. His body begins convulsing and he foams at the mouth and drops to the floor with a sickly thud. As he writhes around he screams “I-IT WAS COMPILED WITH GCC! THAT MEANS IT’S STILL GNU!” Coolly, I reply “If windows were compiled with GCC, would that make it GNU?” I interrupt his response with “-and work is being made on the kernel to make it more compiler-agnostic. Even if you were correct, you won’t be for long.” With a sickly wheeze, the last of the man’s life is ejected from his body. He lies on the floor, cold and limp. I’ve womansplained him to death. Here is a quick text about GNU/Linux:

      "I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

      Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

      There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!"

      Understood? No? Here then:

      “I installed Linux and the feeling of freedom and privacy hit me so hard that I immediately began committing crimes, knowing that the FBI could never track me. Piracy, sexual assault, trademark infringement, petty larceny, tax fraud, you name it. I also own several fully automatic firearms even though I live in the state of California, but it doesn’t matter. Ever since I removed Windows 10 from my computer and replaced it with Arch Linux, and began using a PinePhone as my daily driver phone, police can’t even stop me in traffic. Windows may have a lot of video games, but the benefits of Linux should not be understated.”

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        223 days ago

        First, I love this.

        To be fair to the original poster though, he did not do the “GNU / Linux” thing. His point seems to be that “Linux” is not enough information to know much about the graphics stack and that seems fair since there is Wayland / Xorg and an array of DE, WM, and toolkit options.

        Have you tried Chimera Linux? It does not even use GCC. It is even less “GNU” than Alpine but no less “Linux” and I do not mean just the kernel.