You know it does. You just didn't like the answer because it is true, and even the respondents here have reinforced my claims.
The OP is talking about the host desktop platform to develop ON to TARGET whatever they want, which may include Desktop apps, Linux apps, whatever. As you already admitted that Linux is a bad desktop, it is immediately disqualified as a 'developer-friendly' host platform, especially when there is no reason why Windows users need to do a full migration, backup, clean install of a distro that works terribly than both Windows or macOS. They might as well use WSL2.
> The OP didn't ask about "good desktops" though, and your willful misinterpretation of the question is getting you nowhere.
Then is that why the majority here are not even supporting or recommending a Linux distro to use to target Linux itself? It seems more have responded with either Windows or macOS!
You can continue your denial, but this is how 'Ask HN' works.
Yeah. Responding back to point out the fact why 'Linux is a terrible desktop' hence the reason why even the majority of respondents here use a Windows (with WSL) or macOS desktop do to development ON it and NOT doing a clean install of a full Linux distro to just target Linux. That is the point of the 'Ask HN' question here.
> WSL is neat, but it's not any more advanced than what Chromebooks have had for years. Hell, it's barely more impressive than MacOS' POSIX compliance.
Yet when asked here, I see the majority of people here not interested in running desktop Linux distros as their dev environment and instead are using either MacBooks (running macOS) or using a typical Windows desktop.
With WSL2 there is little to no configuration or installation that requires an involved setup contraption that you have just described. No need for a clean install and they can keep their Windows desktop, run, develop their Windows desktop apps / games without fail or any migration of existing files. So even with the additional use cases you mentioned:
> But you're right, writing Fart Simulator for iOS is where all the real money is. I'll defer to your opinion rather than the thousands of people on this very site making money off headless Linux servers.
> Sure, if they don't want to write system services, self-hosted websites...
Either way, they are still 'targeting' Linux through the comfort of their Windows (WSL2) and macOS desktop environment. As I said before, with WSL2, there is ZERO NEED for a clean install of a Linux distro to even test any of that. macOS already has the sufficient environment to do the same use-cases you mentioned anyway, hence why installing Desktop Linux wasn't even mentioned and was just ruled out.
> They should focus on the actual breadwinners, like getting their 70% from the App Store.
Yeah, even with both uses no developer should be wasting time troubleshooting and playing around with their Linux desktop because the desktop environment crashed or Wayland failed to run an app or some other cryptic Linux Desktop issue.
My point still stands: 'If they cannot use the desktop then it is pointless to recommend it as a 'developer-friendly environment' or even begin clean installing it just for a worse desktop experience for the developer' and it also includes both Linux as a general target and for desktop GUI apps where it is always targeted last hence as you already admitted that it is 'a terrible desktop' which explains why little to no normal users are using it AND developers here are still recommending either 'macOS' or 'Windows' for their dev environment.