Usually because they include by default some proprietary software. Usually that is firmware for processors or graphics. Or they by default include repositories with non-free software. Also media codecs are a common one too.

The FSF takes a pretty extremist approach to FOSS. Which isn’t necessarily bad.

Sure, but for say the average laptop buyer nowadays not really.

It is - that’s just how URLs in non-latin fonts look unfortunately. URLs, (and a ton of tech infrastructure) is hugely English/latin script biased.

The URL is Japanese.

Locked down would probably be a plus for enterprise.

But honestly I’ve never got that argument. In what way is macOS more locked down than Windows? In the hardware that it will run on yes. But for the average user it seems fairly similar on the being “locked down” front.

I have a Roborock that supposedly has Matter support (over WiFi not Thread, but still) and integrates into my Home assistant fairly well.

I wonder if it would break without Internet.

Should be able to unlock it if you get it retail. Mainline Linux I very much doubt it.

For Linux, you find out if there is a package. If not you go to a website and see if there is an app image or zip file. You then need to know where to place the downloaded file, how to get it running (making it executable), knowing how to chmod and chown (it is better to have to do it like in Linux, but it is an extra step), and how to add it to your desktop (there is no right+click and add to desktop/create shortcut option in Arch based distros like there is on Windows). If there is a service component you may need to go into command line and systemctl to enable it.

I don’t think I’ve ever followed that workflow to be honest. Except for when doing something niche and way above and beyond something a casual user would do.

Open the software center, search what you want. Click install. Done. I use the terminal to the same effect but that’s by preference. Installing packages as you described is not at all recommended… They won’t update with the system.

The “add to desktop” thing really depends on your Desktop Environment too. GNOME not really, KDE and most others yeah.

I don’t think the learning curve is any harder than someone who’s learning Windows for the first time.

It’s just different. Honestly in some ways simpler IMO. But if you were a life long Mac user and touched Windows for the first time today you’d probably have a rougher time I think.

Bypassing the battery?

Yeah I mean push through as in they don’t keep trying

I think it’s just an accessibility thing. VR is expensive, and it takes people pushing through some disorientation/nausea to really enjoy it. Many will simply feel sick the first few times they try it, decide it’s not for them and leave it.

They’ve released a version of every one of these before. Steam Controller, Valve Index VR set, a line of Steam Machines some time ago…

Given their history with input devices and the fact that it runs an ARM version of SteamOS I would bet that controller support will be good

iirc you can manually sideload from ADB (requires a PC)

I mean presumably in the course of such a large project this was done.

Presumably, it would be better to wait for more detail before wildly speculating that this was incompetence.

No you can still sideload…

So long as that apk/developer has registered. It doesn’t have to be on the Play Store for that.

Still shitty tho

Most of them don’t even get to prison before they get executed…

I have a couple in my Bitwarden (Vaultwarden)

But I already have issues with Android trying to force me to use the system Passkey provider, and companies like Apple only supporting their own device’s built in manager for Apple accounts.

Yeahhh you’ll get slapped with penalties for this though.

iirc you could pay your taxes once a quarter but longer than that and there are fines.

Installing anything. Updating. Formatting drives.