> Open source might be part of the answer to this, or some kind of legal 'right to migrate'.

It isn't. Everyone who tried to decide over which version of a distribution to run should know this. It's fine as long as you run the newest or don't need new things. But once you need something specific and especially once you start installing things outside the package manager things go down hill quickly.

I wish people wouldn't use this argument in favor of open source, because if you make institutions choose between open source and proprietary solutions based on "updates" it's appstores, cloud software and subscriptions that will win.

>>Everyone who tried to decide over which version of a distribution to run should know this

I have used Linux as my primary operating system for more than 15 years, I have been using Arch as my primary distribution for more than 5 years. I do not know this.

>t's fine as long as you run the newest or don't need new things.

So which is it, I am fine if I want to run the newest, or if a do not need the newest? Your statement is a contradiction

>But once you need something specific and especially once you start installing things outside the package manager things go down hill quickly.

No, not really... I install things all the time outside the Package manager, of course I know what I am doing so...

>because if you make institutions choose between open source and proprietary solutions based on "updates" it's appstores, cloud software and subscriptions that will win.

How so? App stores to not solve the Lockin problem the OP is talking about, if anything it makes it worse

It's not very appealing to respond when you don't give any reasons. I work with making and maintaining Linux distributions for enterprise, and previously embedded, systems (including desktop). We commission open source work, buy 'support' from major vendors and upstream our own changes. I don't share your views and judging by the development in things like e.g. configuration management I don't think I'm alone.

> So which is it, I am fine if I want to run the newest, or if a do not need the newest? Your statement is a contradiction

I don't see the contradiction, maybe I didn't express myself very well. The problem is when you mix old and new software and distributions. As long as you run a single release (old or new) and all software is for that release you're fine. When you have to deal with many different versions of third party software, libraries, interpreters, shells, build systems etc. is when you run into problems. Just like in the case with "ExpensiveScannerManager95".

>>I don't share your views and judging by the development in things like e.g. configuration management I don't think I'm alone.

How does the development of Configuration Management tools for linux support any of your statements? I fail to see the connection. Linux has needed enterprise configuration management tools for awhile, it is one area where Windows is better as there are many many many many Configuration Management tools for Windows.

>>maybe I didn't express myself very well.

I think this is true, because I still do not understand

1. What you are really system 2. Why you believe windows is better at any of these things than linux 3. How it is relevant to what we are talking about.

Yes when you mix old and new things you may have problems, depending on the system. I however maintain you have LESS problems with linux than you do with Windows, having managed both systems in large enterprise environment, Windows is a finicky broken system that does not play well with anything.

I spend the majority of my time fixing broken shit on windows. The idea that Linux is worse is laughable

While I agree open source is the answer, linux as it stands isn't -- which we can see from the mess which is abandonded and un-upgradable Android phones. I'm not saying it's Linux's fault, but it certainly hasn't proved to be a magic solution either.

In case with Android things like drivers or builtin software are often closed source and it prevents community from fixing them or migrating them to newer Android versions.