> One thing I did do while I was building that first linux pc, and for every computer I've bought or built since then, was a tiny bit of research on driver compatibility. Just something as simple as typing '<laptop model> linux compatability' into google
And that's the reason you don't have problems - you're going for hardware/laptops that are well supported in Linux.
Do you expect mom and pop to do the same? Versus buying something off-the-shelf with Windows, or MacOS and it just working, without needing to undertake that step?
They don't put anything on anything. They buy Windows computers for Windows, and Mac computers for Mac. Summary, they would buy Linux computers for Linux. This isn't the 90s, or the 00's anymore.
And that's the reason you don't have problems - you're going for hardware/laptops that are well supported in Linux.
Do you expect mom and pop to do the same? Versus buying something off-the-shelf with Windows, or MacOS and it just working, without needing to undertake that step?