Why is Linux desktop not popular among non-programmers?

[Amit]

Hi,

I have been programming since 1998 mostly in C language and Linux. I
use Debian Linux and my user interface is GNOME Flashback Metacity (I
don't like the GNOME 3 interface).

Even Linus Torvalds was critical of GNOME 3
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME).

According to the following website
(https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide), linux
desktop has 4.13% of the desktop market share while Windows has 73.41%
market share.

So, it looks like non-programmers have not yet embraced Linux desktop.

Some people will say that it is because of marketing by Microsoft and
Apple but I don't buy this answer.

I am listing the no. 1 reason that I believe is behind the
un-popularity of Linux desktop among non-programmers (I know some
people won't like it):

I don't think Linux desktop development teams (GNOME, KDE, etc.) are
interested in increasing the usage of Linux desktop among
non-programmers. The main reason for coming to this conclusion is that
Linux desktop development teams don't ask people (non-programmers)
what they want, they just go ahead and do what they want to do. An
example of this is that the GNOME development team went ahead and
created GNOME 3 without asking the users (non-programmers) whether
they would want this kind of user interface or not. In my opinion,
GNOME 3 is less user-friendly than GNOME Flashback Metacity.

Recently, I opened a discussion on Discord to talk to GNOME developers
and I told them that GNOME Flashback Metacity is more user-friendly
than GNOME 3. They got hurt and closed the discussion thread. Then I
also got angry and forced them to delete the whole discussion.

But, if Linux desktop development teams are really interested in
increasing the share of Linux desktop among non-programmers then they
have to think from non-programmers point of view. They should also ask
non-programmers as to what will convince them to use the Linux
Desktop.

My analysis is - Microsoft Windows is insecure, Apple is costly, so
Linux desktop(s) should become very popular among non-programmers but
it is not.

It looks like there is not much will to make Linux desktop popular
because where there is a will, there is a way.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone. People don't like constructive
criticism these days.

Regards,
Amit