You have misjudged who actually uses Linux. This setting would be ideal for all the billions of people Canonical wishes used Ubuntu.

Ubuntu (and GNOME, who seem to have the same mindset) have no clue in hell how to actually get the billions of proverbial grandmothers to use their software. All they seem to manage is to poorly ape Microsoft and Apple, which will never get them what they want.

Regular people wouldn't use windows if using it required them to understand the concept of an OS and install it for themselves.

People will never buy linux but they might buy computers with linux at some point just like they have bought phones with it. Android had things that iphone didn't have and at a much cheaper price point thus linux based phones are everywhere. I wish steam boxes had taken off.

Yes... Isn't that what I said?

If you agree that it's not the current userbase of Ubuntu, then you're saying people should quit using Ubuntu en masse, only a fraction staying behind.

The idea that you "misjudged who actually uses Linux" was based on the assumption that you think a product should generally cater to its users. If instead you think most of the users should leave, then okay, that's a valid opinion, it's just surprising.

There is a world of difference between automatic updates by default and _not being able to turn them off at all_.

The concern is that there's no simple way to disable auto-updates. If you want Ubuntu to turn into Windows, why not just use Windows?

Because there are so many different Linux distorts out there. I feel like at least one of them should be as newb friendly as possible.

That doesn't answer why it's okay to not give an option for advanced users. Even they want to use Ubuntu.

Too many options are confusing ala apple? But it really is simple enough to push the advanced options somewhere most users would stumble upon.

As I understand it, that one is Linux Mint. For windows users, it just looks like a slightly older windows.

That said, I don't think Newbie friendly and power user friendly must be at odds with each other. If you can figure out what the sensible defaults are, and provide simple toggles to customize things, you can cater to newbies, average users, and power users alike.