You’re right (and very justified) in pointing out that the vast majority of people simply want something that works, and as people who spend a lot of time tinkering with gadgets, it’s so incredibly easy to become detached from what the vast majority of Internet users want.
Regular users are unlikely to ever set up lineageOS or pop! OS simply because Windows/bloated android just works and comes out of the box working. When preinstalled, however, would I say these tools are harder to use than Windows and Googled android? Not really. It’s all about what people are used to, and switching platforms is too much of a hassle for most people.
I already come across as the paranoid tinfoil hat individual in all of my circles because of my own practices, but when someone else asks me how they can improve their privacy, I often tell them a few small changes (browser, password manager, debloater) that they can make. Sometimes, I’ll tell my friends that if they want to fullly avoid google/microsoft/apple spying the only way is to switch to a different operating system, but I’d fully recommend against this for the vast majority of people who can’t be bothered with a learning curve.
However, if someone is starting out with tech, and has no prior experience using any email address/OS and is starting fresh (extends to people switching to android), switching to pop! OS isn’t an inherently less user friendly decision than Windows. Same with using f-droid and the aurora store.
Still, we need reminders every now and then. Keep posting takes like this 