Decentralization is not a selling point for 99% of people

Decentralization makes the user experience worse

That’s true, but it’s a framework to allow instances to run cheaply. Otherwise you need corporate backing to build a cluster of servers with the bandwidth required to support millions of people. Decentralization provides a community for users run by users, no corporate bullshit, that’s the selling point. Unfortunately it comes with some complication. If that’s too much for someone they can happily stick to corporate social media.

The people who accept these trade-offs are not normal, and they’re in charge

Comparing Linux to the Fediverse is ridiculous. They’re just two completely different things. The Fediverse provides a specific function by a specific group of applications. The devs call the shots for their application only. They don’t design the entire user experience through hundreds of software components the way Linux does.

Anyway, yes Lemmy/kbin is more complicated to use than just pointing and clicking your way around reddit.com. I expect it will intimidate some users and repel them. Though I think Lemmy and kbin can do a better job than Mastodon at keeping user interest. I’ve never liked the Twitter interface and will never use Mastodon either. It could be people like me that prefer the Lemmy and kbin style of interaction may just have more fortitude to stick with it.