in 2030 GNU/Linux will surely have 90% Market share of desktop computer operating systems (the other 10% beig BSD, RedoxOS and other FLOSS *nix systems)
I'm a millennial but I didn't own my own PC until I was like 21 (even then, half the parts in it were handmedowns from my Dad). I would have never been able to afford a laptop of the time. Computers are an expensive purchase all at once. Phones come with subsidized plans. That's probably why you see a lot more bias towards them.
Yep. If you want a real computer instead of a cheap-ass disposable office machine, be prepared to spend quite a bit of money. That was a fact 20 years ago and is still true now. We had crappy sub-$500 E-machines and Gateway PCs in those days too.
I dunno sort of have the opposite experience, up until this year I used a 2015 MacBook I found at a relatives house and Linux installed. Got me through college until I finally caved in and got a used thinkpad(13th gen) for $350. Phones are a whole different ballgame where as I can all day get a computer decent enough to use for $100. New phone ended up costing me 400 for enough storage
The 180โฌ Mini PC I have as torrenting server, NAS and TV Box (and it's overkill for just that) says otherwise.
$300 will buy you a lot of Desktop PC nowadays if all you want is to browse the web and read emails (in fact that approx. $200 mini-PC of mine is more than enough if you're running Linux on it as I do and if you add a simple monitor, keyboard and mouse you're about $40 shy of $300).
A $300 PC is only shit if you're trying to run things like AAA games on it or use Windows 11.
There used to be a point back in the day when you did need a good PC for things like document edition or watching videos, but now we're well past the point where you needed anything more than the most basic PC for everyday stuff.
As general purpose computers become more and more rare, I am desperately hoping that a free and open-source revolution comes to the smartphone space. C'mon year of the Linux phone!