Package Management and Software Installation

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The great thing about most GNU/Linux distributions is package management has made installing new software stupid simple for years before Apple ever imagined its App Store. The problem comes when the software—or the version you want—is either not in the repositories for your version of the distribution or not at all. Sometimes there's a source package that the binaries can be built from, but otherwise you're left with hoping the binary Linux version will work on your computer or building from source yourself, and for complex software, building from source straight from the software's own site is often error prone, requiring customization and tweaking. Tools like autoconfig help generate the correct Makefile, but even this is no guarantee. At this point, you can dig in to the configuration files for the build yourself and even the source code, check build dependencies (headers and libraries and their versions, etc.). It's far more complicated than Windows' so-called "DLL hell," where at least Windows has done a good job of maintaining binary compatibility over many years.

Don't get me wrong: I do like Linux and free software, but it's obvious it doesn't come without occasional trade-offs.

Yes, it can be a nightmare. From an author's point of view it is also a pain. My main business is selling software. I try to maintain a Linux version but it is a complete minefield as I can't release the source. It is just not feasible to maintain a different package for every Linux distro. With Windows I have one version that runs on anything from Win2K to Win7.