I'm left wondering which of them laughed because they're racist Nazis themselves, and which were laughing because they only serve the rich, and watching people do this to each other is a sweet irony to them. Nah, it's both, and it's sickening.
I won't be an apologist for people's shortcomings, especially when those hurt Linux adoption.
Familiarity: There is Cinnamon, MATE, and KDE that is plenty similar to Windows for understanding the interface. This is not an excuse.
Games: The fact that games continues to dictate peoples platform choice is simply intolerable. Games are on Windows to make money, not on Linux because it doesn't make enough money. That simply should not be allowed. It's a feedback loop. And why? So people can sit on their butts accomplishing nothing. If one is going to be on a computer, USE it for doing something useful. Games are a waste of good computer.
Consistency: Seriously, be a thorn in the side of proprietary file format users. They promote vendor lock-in with their careless use of proprietary Windows software. Don't just go with the flow, show them they are wrong for surrendering to companies in it only for money. If it costs you friends, they weren't good enough people to be friends with, anyway.
IT people can...: Sure... nothing like Teams and corporate spyware agents on your system. No thank you.
Proprietary software: Simply shouldn't exist. It is a harm to society and needs to be eradicated.
Non-power users: Yeah I said it, and I'm not wrong.
The message: Join the Linux and FOSS utopia, quit wasting life gaming (unless you do it to spend quality time with your child, as computer games are for children), make real relationships not based on conforming and not based on promoting non-FOSS solutions, learn how to properly run and secure a computer, as it is a responsibility and a tool, not a toy and not something you should trust anyone else to administer, stop paying for software written for non-FOSS platforms, and finally, again, more responsibility in knowing how to properly and safely use a computer. That time wasted gaming could have been spent educating oneself on how to use, administer, and secure computers. It can also be used to properly call this stuff out in order to help create a more perfect society.
Did you think the burn in heck was for you? It wasn't. It's for people who only write software for Windows because it makes them more money. No one was being hostile to you. Seriously, what the heck?
IT people can... = You accept being controlled by others
...proprietary software... = How fcking dare you, sir?!?
Non-power users - These people need Linux the MOST. They screw up their windows installs and need competent people to fix it for them... again, and again, and again!
Did I object to making money? No. I object to allowing the making of money to be the guiding principle of software development. Make something great? Want to sell it? Fine. But only write it for Windows because it will sell better? Burn in heck.
And I totally agree with you. I just lament that games and other made for Windows software is what's enabling that. People should just want a free and opensource operating system as a matter of self interest... but no. It's games and Windows apps. Yet another sign that our species is just sick in the head. :)
Books, books, books! O'Reilly publishing is your best friend. Search engines are next. And finally, Youtube.