> Yes, we're awkwardly cornered - hardware used to be open or easily reverse-engineered. Now it isn't.

When exactly was that? The 1980s?

Linux hardware support is better now than its ever been.

What did it take to port Linux to M1 series Macs (which at least has an unlocked bootloader)?

How do I install GNU/Linux distribution on a latest Galaxy S25 or iPhone or Google Pixel or Apple Watch or... (these are likely top-selling general compute devices in the world)?

Yes, on Windows PCs, Linux usually works better than Windows itself (except for the very newest stuff for a short while). But I think you missed the point of the GP.