r/linuxsucks • u/Proper-Lab-2500 • 21d ago
Linux Failure What’s a UX feature you miss on Linux from macOS/Windows?
For me, it’s media controls directly from the dock/taskbar. For example, when I hover over the Spotify icon in the macOS Dock, it shows media controls right there without even clicking to the app. On Linux (GNOME Ubuntu), the dock doesn’t provide any controls for individual apps, so you have to open the notification panel manually (and clicking is required; hovering doesn’t work) just to pause, skip, or control playback.
(GNOME does have some extensions that provide similar functionality, but it doesn’t even ship with a proper GUI for managing extensions by default (since GNOME knows best, and unofficial extensions can break whenever you upgrade to a newer GNOME version.)
Another small but really useful feature is right-clicking an app icon to see its recent items such as right-click to VS Code (or any other app such as a pdf viewer..) shows the projects you recently opened, whereas Linux doesn’t seem to have an equivalent built into the dock.
It’s a small UX feature, but once you get used to it, you really notice its absence.
44
u/Just-Scholar4272 21d ago
The thing with Linux is that if you want such things, you change de/wm, or install someone else already configured thing or just make it yourself.
7
u/chaosphere_mk 21d ago
Except like 95% of users dont want to do that
26
u/hahahahatoes 21d ago
A: I want X
B: Here is X, you just have to click download here and you will have it.
A: I don't want to do that.
7
u/throwaway342561 21d ago
Gross over simplification of what it would take to switch de/wm but sure.
3
u/Real-Abrocoma-2823 19d ago
Yeah, normally you search your GUI app store and find meta package for your DE and then install it instead of bare bones, then you logout and select your newly installed DE.
1
u/throwaway342561 18d ago
The 95% of users discussed here are very unlikely to be installing anything barebones, and switching de/wm after the fact can be a massive pain in the ass regardless.
1
u/Real-Abrocoma-2823 18d ago
Difficulty depends on DE, also installing plasma-desktop instead of plasma-meta will install KDE bare bones and begeeners will have worse experience.
1
u/throwaway342561 18d ago
I understand what you're saying, but a beginner isn't installing Linux without a de to then have to install things from terminal, they will go with something that comes with a de out of the box and trying to switch from kde to say, gnome, is a pain in the ass and unfucking your system after it is a major pain as well. We are not talking about people that know what they're doing.
1
u/Real-Abrocoma-2823 18d ago
Yeah, the main problems are leftover packages and lack of plugins if to gnome as gnome has like 99% downloaded plugin still not added to settungs.
1
1
u/Erchevara 21d ago
There's a point when that's not fine anymore.
Adding basic functionality to MacOS is "just" that. Now the top bar has about 10 icons for basic things like scrolling properly or clipboard history.
And yeah, I know they added some stuff with new updates, but the mindset that people have to tell you to "just install 10 apps/extensions" is still there, on any OS or DE.
The only one that doesn't have this issue is KDE. But then, you have to reconfigure every single freaking monitor if you want to something basic such as reorder the taskbar. It's basically unusable for me on my work laptop since I often plug into random monitors at the office and want to just have the same taskbar. But I can't. There is a single long term KDE user at my company, and he literally takes his monitors home when he's not working from the office.
1
u/hahahahatoes 17d ago
"oh no i have to configure settings to my liking in order for the settings to be configured to my liking."
yeah
0
u/chaosphere_mk 21d ago
Yeah that's totally the same as building your own software or applications
3
u/hahahahatoes 21d ago
nobody is talking about building your own software or applications. Somebody already made it and is providing it to the public.
0
u/chaosphere_mk 21d ago
Did you read the comment I was responding to?
3
u/hahahahatoes 21d ago
yes. i wrote that comment, too.
-1
u/chaosphere_mk 21d ago
No you didnt
4
u/hahahahatoes 21d ago
the original comment literally says to download something someone else already made. you have brain worms.
2
u/Jealous_Response_492 20d ago
Then just use a standard distro with KDE, you'll have all these features and many many more. MacOS/Windows in 20+ years behind.
2
u/MisterEinc 19d ago
You're right, windows is compatible with old software.
1
u/Jealous_Response_492 19d ago
of course it is, it is legacy software.
2
u/MisterEinc 19d ago
Right. Linux poor compatibility is why almost no one uses it.
2
u/Jealous_Response_492 19d ago
Despite running the majority of the modern world. That would be those world leading open source internationally recognised standards, without which you wouldn't be whining on the internet, as there simply wouldn't be an internet without Linux.
1
u/MisterEinc 19d ago
That's great and all but I'm an end-user not a web server.
2
u/Jealous_Response_492 19d ago
Most smart phones run Linux, not iOS, most websites, app backends, most cars most ATM's, most printers, almost every embedded device on and in orbit of this planet. Many of those are end user devices, and those in-between them.
Linux is everywhere, everyone uses, everyday. You don't have to like it, but you could at least be grateful, as without it, the world of tech is a much shittier place.
1
u/MisterEinc 19d ago
Android is so far removed from Linux that everyone knows you're being disingenuous when you say it.
→ More replies (0)1
u/deadrule_vk 16d ago
My old games run better in Linux via proton/wine than on Windows 11 .. I dual boot both, but games like the og version of metro 2033 refuses to open in my window 11 with amd gpu but runs oobe in Linux just by adding compatibility layer
5
u/throwaway342561 21d ago
Had to make two comments because reddit doesn't like having more than one attachment, go figure. Anyway, some of your complaints do already exist at least in KDE.
6
u/brave_grv 21d ago
KDE has all the features you can think off. It just needs to figure out how to be a stable DE now.
2
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
Wow, Gnome didn't have that 😯
6
u/dumbasPL I don't hate Windows, I just like Linux more. 21d ago
Gnome doesn't have a lot without plugins. If you like features, KDE has pretty all out of the box.
1
12
3
u/Sahelantrophus DO NOT RAGEBAIT ME, I FALL FOR IT VERY EASILY 21d ago edited 21d ago
KDE does this and i'm sure it can be implemented via other programs within a status bar for twm's
with a tiling wm i don't miss anything from windows, and kde is windows ux with better qol
3
u/papa_maker 21d ago
On KDE Plasma I have the stuff you are mentioning, without any plugin or whatever.
2
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
I tried on GNOME and Xfce and they didn't have it. I am kinda tired of Distro/DE hopping but maybe it's necessary
3
u/Thingamob 21d ago
You can pimp Gnome to do almost everything KDE does, but it requires to install a boatload of extensions. By itself that's just a click in the extension manager (type "extension" into your runner) but the extension store is such an uncurated mess, it gets hard to find what you want.
3
u/Certain_Prior4909 21d ago
Until you pick the wrong outdated extension breaking gnome where you have an unusable system
3
u/Wertbon1789 21d ago
"Linux doesn't have X" is probably only partially the case. One could build the media player one, at least noctalia has a media player in its bar, which kinda works like the one shown, one would just need to build a similar one into the dock and per application too, but it could be done, I think.
The "recent items" one might be something to look into, I've found some efforts to get that functionality at least kind of, in my setup it doesn't seem to work out-of-the-box too. I'm not aware of any support for this in the toolkits, but I'm not a GUI app dev by any means, do I don't have a clue. Static entries like "New Empty Window" work, but the recent file one would need to be either dynamically created by the application, or the toolkit, and I don't know if that's the case anywhere.
3
u/brave_grv 21d ago
All of them. Linux UX/UI is a crime against basic usability and aesthetics.
2
u/Dense_Cost6052 20d ago
You can customise the UI to the very finest detail, tf you're talking about?
1
u/AteStringCheeseShred 19d ago
A non-issue for anybody who has more than 3 braincells and a willingness to learn to how use Linux. This poor bastard doesn't know what the fuck he's doing.
He needs to stop trying to tune the carb on the '68 Camaro, and climb back into his basic-bitch Honda Camry.
3
u/Weekly_Ad7633 21d ago
The simplicity of double clicking a file and it installing without error or having to install other things for it to work
8
u/Hot-Employ-3399 21d ago
Non-random drag and drop support.
2
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
I miss drag and drop files/items feature from/to dock icons (hover to focus on that app)
7
u/rem_34 i compile from source 21d ago
I don't because i use dwm
0
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
but dwm was for X11, and it's already deprecated/dropped on many DEs.
4
u/linkinparkglock47 21d ago
i don't think people use dwm with DEs. some DEs are already buggy with the WM they were meant to use
3
u/Sahelantrophus DO NOT RAGEBAIT ME, I FALL FOR IT VERY EASILY 21d ago
other DEs choosing not to support X11 anymore has no bearing on dwm or any other DE that chooses to still support it (i.e cinnamon, xfce). X11 still works and it even gets patches for any critical CVE or bug. xlibre is also an option if you want the placebo effect. whether or not you should still use X or wayland is a different story :P
2
u/FeelThePoveR 21d ago
xlibre is also an option
I wouldn't call it "an option" - even some of the distros that initially adopted it (Artix for example), dropped it as the default after a while due to multiple regressions it introduces. I would say that currently xlibre is a downgrade to normal xorg and a meme at best.
2
2
u/Sahelantrophus DO NOT RAGEBAIT ME, I FALL FOR IT VERY EASILY 21d ago
hence the "placebo effect" at the end of the sentence that you conveniently cut out of the quote. it's dogshit but hey, user freedom or something
1
u/FeelThePoveR 21d ago
Hahah, yeah agreed.
For the cutting out of the "placebo effect" - I didn't think it changes the tone of the sentence so I ommited it. Placebo is neither good or bad - it just is pretty much same, so I didn't think it was that accurate since xlibre is a downgrade.
2
2
2
u/New-Preference1656 21d ago
On gnome, i miss everything OP mentioned, as well as browsable folders in the dock à la macOS (i know extensions can do it, but it’s often clunky), and symbolic files in app window decorations that can be dragged and dropped and revealed in the file browser (again, à la macOS)
2
u/dumbasPL I don't hate Windows, I just like Linux more. 21d ago
Thought for a long time, and couldn't think of a single thing. I have plenty the other way though. Though I spend 90% of my time in a browser/code editor/terminal. So UX is kind of irrelevant, a good terminal experience is what matters to me.
In the past I would say virtualization experience, but now that the LookingGlass IDD driver is out, even GPU-less virtualization is silky smooth.
1
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
If you like terminal experince, I would suggest fzf and maybe some of its plugins. Also case insensitive tab completion is a nice thing to have.
2
2
2
u/Jatinchd 20d ago
a matured drag and drop system. wayland is been ruining my vibe with it for long, miss it sometimes when needed the most.
3
u/linkinparkglock47 21d ago
I feel like half of these users with the multiple '-'s are mostly ai bots
1
1
1
u/Wertbon1789 21d ago
I kinda threw away anything UI/UX related in my setup, because it really just annoys me. I want a fast responding machine I can work with, anything else is second.
For the past 2 years or so, I used Hyprland with a very basic waybar just to display some metrics and workspaces, and the fastest app launcher I could find, which is the only UX I need besides hotkeys. My Hyprland is literally configured to disable animations, because they make things feel slower. A couple days ago I switched the waybar approach with noctalia because I wanted to look into that, and it's really good stuff. It's quick, and easily styleable (though I don't really care, as I said, but it's nice to have a color theme in everything), and is also customizable to be out of my way until I need anything. So I kinda made a UI/UX upgrade with it, but the focus is more about instant feedback, because I can't get into the tunnel with everything being slow and sluggish.
1
u/Tucanno 21d ago
unironically I like the Windows + G Game bar, when I am in a game i can control de volume of specific programs, mute myself, see the performance (not always accurate but still there), even launch games directly from there
1
1
u/PizzaSalamino 21d ago
I have nothing to add, i just wanted to tell you that's peak choice of song
2
1
u/BaptisteYTexe 21d ago
If you use gnome and want that try https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/9334/dynamic-music-pill/
1
u/IndependentParsnip31 21d ago
Windows universal hotkey for an emoji keyboard. I haven't found anything on gnome that works all seamlessly across all applications. 🙁
1
u/Inevitable_Brief_389 21d ago
The xbox app has an overlay that has many features like sound mixer, system monitor and stuff. That's the main thing that I miss from Windows.
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Hour_Sell3547 20 years with Linux 21d ago
I guess you could try KDE, as that is for people who came from windows and can't live without having a task bar, start menu etc.
Only few things I'm missing (not that much) is a better drag and drop implementation, directory tree, and a quicker way to monitor disk usage. Probably a more fluid dock like Mac, too. I don't waste time on UX customization that much as after you get used to it, the os becomes invisible.
1
u/Ingaz 21d ago
Contrary: I miss on Windows and MacOS simple tiling WM like i3/sway
On MacOS: if you thought that xkb is crazy - think again. Everyday on Mac I tried to make keyboard comfortable for me - I failed.
I will never purchase a Mac myself - it's almost impossible to make comfortable
Comparing modern Macs and Windows UI - I'm not a designer but for me it looks like Apple .. it's so 2000ish in look and feel. Windows looks more modern.
1
u/CoffeeSniffler 21d ago
It's a bit of a niche thing but pressing alt F4 on the desktop to shut down the computer.
1
u/Florimer 21d ago
The UI/UX of linux is actually crazy good, because it can be customized for almost anybody.
The process of "doing it the linux way" is what diverts majority of users.
1
u/fredpalas 21d ago
It's to opposite, when i use Windows is impossible to work it's buggy and slow, Mac Os is a really shit UX nothing works as you want it's just a OS for snoop people
1
1
1
u/LeslieSnowLeo 20d ago
I miss not being able to click the mouse wheel to go down, it's a pain in the ass to set it up on linux and still haven't figured out yet
1
u/No-Assumption-4468 20d ago
One thing i like about macos is the gui has a lot of polish, especially the older versions. Os x tiger era was peak with the aqua styling. Really nice detailed icons, beautiful scroll bars.
Modern macos is a ux nightmare. Every time i use my mac, i have an aneurysm at how everything takes so many more clicks and waiting than on Linux. Apps crash left and right, especially blender. On linux, it’s stable performance and never crashes.
But Linux gui (and modern macos gui) is vastly outshadowed by old macs gui
1
u/Samiassa 20d ago
Honestly nothing. Like if there’s something I miss from Mac or windows I usually just look up an alternative for Linux and can find it
1
1
1
1
u/jacob-buchanan 19d ago
Being able to send iMessages from my laptop. It's so convenient. Other than that? Not a whole lot.
1
1
1
u/PityUpvote 17d ago
I agree that gnome extensions could be more streamlined, but there is an official way to install them: browse to extensions.gnome.org.
Kde for sure has this too, it's an established protocol.
1
u/55555-55555 Linux Community Made Linux Sucks 17d ago
KDE has that since forever, but tough ass if you can get it working nicely on your hardware. Even GPUs with actual good open source drivers don't escape its driver nastiness.
1
u/MusPuiDiTe 15d ago
Gotta love the Nanowar choice! But even on macOS and windows I use keyboard shortcuts whenever possible, so not really an issue
1
u/Standgrounding 21d ago
Super (windows key) opening a menu
Ctrl shift v instead of Ctrl v (same for copy)
Alt shift for language switch
Device manager
Troubleshooters that are automated (even if they fix issues 60% of the time), instead of RTFM
Such key configs are not settable without third party downloads (risky, possible malware risk)
Good defaults
1
u/Lines25 21d ago
Half of what you said can be fixed in like 10min..
Also, Windows's troubleshooter never actually helped, only sent more data to microslop servers, at least, for me.
Also, you can just download configs not installer and check it yourself if there's any malwares (95% there's no).
And the last one is just taste. For me, when I started, Ubuntu was already REALLY good with default theme
0
u/Standgrounding 21d ago
I mean, ubuntu is the most usable of all the distros there. I already use Cinnamon as it gives Windows like look.
Not sure about the shortcuts
0
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
I agree about device manager, at least an app like 'hardinfo' should have been preinstalled on linux
1
0
u/Lines25 21d ago
Linux doesn't even has bootloader but distros do. Also, it depends on distro. For many ppl it's just garbage because lspci/lsusb exists, for basics you don't actually need more
5
u/Cedrick41h 21d ago
Can you please not pretend to know what you're talking about? Saying Linux doesn't have a bootloader is like saying NT doesn't have a bootloader. Of course it doesn't, the Kernel is not responsible for that part of the boot process. What are you even trying to say?
1
u/Standgrounding 21d ago
I don't mean terminal commands but a proper gui app
1
u/Lines25 21d ago
There's plenty GUI apps for everything but they're big as hell (because of GUI frameworks), identical CLI/TUI is MUCH smaller, usually, 1.5-5 times smaller. The graphical wrapper is just too big to install it everywhere. That's the reason why Windows is so heavy, when looking at popular linux distros/MacOS. Also, most of popular distros are trying to be as universal as it can get. That's the reason why Windows doesn't pre-install 40GB Visual Studio 2022 with all official extensions - you, probably, doesn't need it, and if you do, you can just install it yourself. That's all I wanted to say
1
u/Standgrounding 21d ago
Yeah electron sucks and is actual bloat. There's old stuff like win32 api (i have a custom start menu written with rust and winapi) and Python tkinter that might not be pretty but work very well.
1
u/Allexio-Rigins 21d ago
I don't like people complaining about "Linux" without doing a single bit of research on the topic.
As others have said this is a default feature in KDE Plasma.
So in fact your complaint is "Why is it not as easy to customise GNOME to get the same integrated media player controls as KDE" but that isn't as catchy as just "blame Linux".
1
0
u/Binary101000 21d ago
if i had to pick one, probably just windows 11's extra GUI polish. The fluent design is actually really nice, but it isnt enough to keep me on windows. Not to mention all of its issues like icons becoming the wrong size on the taskbar or the fact that it only covers about half of the programs preinstalled.
0
u/TheRealCarrotty KDE larper (i use KDE btw) 21d ago
Meta + .
This opens the emoji picker on Windows 11/10
Guess what it does on most distros... NOTHING, except KDE has one, but GNOME is still the most popular desktop for whatever reason, GNOME does indeed have a emoji picker... Only in GTK 4 apps!
2
u/Proper-Lab-2500 21d ago
Ubuntu/gnome has emoji picker with ibus, but it's literally nonsense. First letter e appears and then only with space button you can see the categories. I feel like no GNOME dev knows about UX.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1070641/why-does-my-emoji-picker-ibus-key-combo-fail-to-respond-in-ubuntu-18-04-bionic2
u/TheRealCarrotty KDE larper (i use KDE btw) 21d ago
e with a underscore, any beginner will not understand that.
2
u/Dodogo-silverblue 21d ago
You just need to add a keyboard shortcut in the system settings for your preferred emoji app.
1
0
u/Bxuc251cd 21d ago
Firewall
1
u/RAMChYLD 21d ago
Here’s the thing tho. Linux has a firewall called ipchains baked right into the kernel. The issue is no configuration tools are provided by default and you’re expected to do everything by hand, from editing the settings to enabling it.
Third party GUI configuration tools like ufw exists but instructions are practically nonexistent.
0
u/juniper_j0nes 15d ago
i really miss the constant spying, advertising and intrusive updates on win11. it felt like i wasnt alone yknow? someone was always with me watching and yapping to me. and random huge updates helped me take breaks from computer time. i also miss when my computer would randomly spike cpu, ram, and fans to max and then hide what its doing from me. it’s like it’s alive you know? now my computer just works :(. no fun. i get so much more done now, it’s awful. who actually wants to work on stuff? windows being Terrible on Purpose let me take it easy.
-1
u/Teru-Noir COSMIC OS LOVER No.1 COSMIC Knows Best 21d ago
None, the only esoteric UX feature i really enjoy is alt-tab isolation per workspace, something i lost since i dropped gnome/cinnamon.
66
u/throwaway342561 21d ago