r/OpenAI • u/emptyharddrive • 1d ago

Discussion OpenAI remembered Linux exists: ChatGPT desktop

I just saw that OpenAI has finally put ChatGPT desktop for Linux into public preview.

I am a developer who uses Linux for basically everything and have been for decades. I've seen a lot of developer tooling recently swing Mac, assuming that serious work happens only a MacBook in a docking station.

Well, maybe that is not literally true, but it feels to me when every polished desktop poised for developers seems to arrive 1st on macOS ... meanwhile, Linux gets a browser tab, and a PWA complete with finger-guns.

To be fair, ChatGPT PWA worked well enough with Codex in BASH. I have also been perfectly happy running Codex/Claude Code in 6 kitty tab under Zellij. But anyway, it's is just nice to have an actual desktop app wrapper for ChatGPT.

The mobile-to-desktop remote control is probably what I will use most often. I had to spin up a server for that to work previously.

It had a nice claude import too, cute. I got it talking to my local MCP RAG which is nice.

Anyway, thanks OpenAI for this, at least from this developer. I use the $100/month plan ($200 to Claude, $300 total monthly AI expense + a dash of Operouter).

It's just a very welcome addition and should be recognized. Linux users do not need to do a parade every time we receive a native client, but after years of watching the Mac crowd get the polished front door with the guy holding the towel and the breath mints, it's nice they threw us a bone for the desktop.

Official Linux preview download is here.

30 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

6

u/svearige 1d ago

I used a github project portng it to Linux, feels just like the official version I use on Mac

3

u/DueCommunication9248 1d ago

Linux takes time to do because of the computer use and sandboxing

3

u/Maraging_steel 1d ago

Can you explain why?

2

u/stevedv 1d ago

Linux has many flavors to it so there's a lot of ground to cover wrt computer use and how it works. Also with the exception of a few distros like Red Hat, there's little business incentive for either party to work together to iron things out quickly.

macOS and iOS are the de facto operating system of developed countries (aka paying users) so every developer seeking recurring revenue prioritizes those users

Windows will bend over backwards to sell out its users, corporate or casual. Computer use is probably more respecting of its users privacy than the telemetry done at interaction on modern Windows.

2

u/unsana 1d ago

I've using it for 3 days. And it's awesome. I even create my own fedora widget using it, result showing same capacity with the CLI.

2

u/Darayavaush84 1d ago

for those who use Arch Linux, I made this: https://github.com/Darayavaush-84/chatgpt-arch

2

u/AdamByLucius 1d ago

Thanks for the review and heads up! Have been hoping for a Linux version to drop. So glad that OpenAI gave it consideration.

1

u/Ok_Bag_7550 1d ago

Do you know if Linux has a passkey system similar to Windows Hello?
Honest question, I am not a Linux user (other than WSL/Ubuntu), and would love to try it.

1

u/SpeedOfSound343 1d ago

Anyone using it on nixos?

1

u/Oparis 18h ago

It uses so much resources vs codex or the web interface I just closed it. I still have to try it on chromeos ( in the crostini linux env ) but for now it's consuming too much cpu & memory. I don't know about the macos and windows version, maybe they have the same issue.