Every time they add new things to the OS, the old functionality is crushed under the weight of the new.

Agreed, yet I don't see people rushing out to buy GNU/Linux powered laptops at Media Markt, because there aren't any.

And it's very odd. You can find Microsoft and Apple laptops in many stores, but for GNU/Linux you basically have to go to speciality shops. Now, obviously, MS isn't going to be doing the whole 'if you don't sell non-Windows machines we'll give you a better deal' malarkey any more because they've learned that the court will bring the hammer down with a righteous fury when MS does that kind of anti-competitive nonsense (just remember the whole bundled browser saga), so it's weird.

I suppose it could just be the vicious cycle of 'no GNU/Linux laptops in stores' -> 'people don't know about GNU/Linux laptops' -> 'there's no demand' -> 'no GNU/Linux laptops in stores'. A problem which can only be solved by people in the know informing the general public (informing the public is always better than merely voting with one's wallet because multiple wallets > one wallet).

I've bought multiple laptops that either shipped with Linux or were widely recognized as Linux-friendly.

They all functioned better (hardware support wise) with Windows than Linux.

I don't buy that it's just an issue of informing the general public.

The products need to be better.

And yes, I'm very familiar with all the anecdotes about how people's relatives have never been happier since they switched them over to Linux.

I don't care what the computer comes with, because I want to install the OS myself anyway. I expect that group not to be small for GNU/Linux, so even if there is a market for GNU/Linux installs the market of people who absolutely need it preinstalled is even smaller.

People can take, and do take a lot. A lot of actual abuse is happening in relationships, from corporations, politicians, pollution from the environment, and so on. And change always seems HARD, and very uncomfortable. So, people tolerate.

And that's why you don't see many GNU/Linux offerings around - if there was a real market, corporations would adapt in a heartbeat. For example, Steam Deck is estimated to be sold 4-5M items, Chromebooks upwards from 20M. If there is a market gap where people actually want the thing, it will sell.

Another factor is of course Microsoft's business strategy. They are pushing Windows hardcore, so it would take a lot to disrupt the desktop space. Even now, but it would have been even harder between 2000-2020.

A Dell Latitude 3550 works on OpenBSD without issue. I feel certain it must support Linux.

Even worse than macOS, which also became almost unusable over the last years.