Linux makes gains as Windows and Mac OS slip

[MichealH]

Linux makes gains as Windows and Mac OS slip (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/linux-makes-gains-as-windows-and-mac-os-slip/8471)

Intresting :D

LINUX RULES!

[-grubby]

Fluctuations like this happen every month. Measuring general marketshare is more relevant than specific marketshare, and even then, Linux doesn't have licenses and can't be measured (neither can pirated Windows.)

[Frak]

omg

A WHOLE 0.08%, MAN, WE'LL BE POPULAR IN AT LEAST A DECADE!

[meho_r]

omg

A WHOLE 0.08%, MAN, WE'LL BE POPULAR IN AT LEAST A DECADE!

I wasn't aware Linux is in popularity contests...

[Frak]

I wasn't aware Linux is in popularity contests...
Then what does marketshare mean, again?

[Khakilang]

That is interesting news. Anyway I did a vote on Which is the most secure OS. Guess what I vote?

[NightwishFan]

Dude you voted Ubuntu. :D

[Khakilang]

Half right. I voted Linux. They don't have Ubuntu on the list. It is Window, Mac, Linux and others. But I would have voted for Ubuntu.

[3rdalbum]

Net Applications' figures are wrong. I'm pretty sure Linux's desktop marketshare is similar to that of the Mac OS.

[Grenage]

Net Applications' figures are wrong. I'm pretty sure Linux's desktop marketshare is similar to that of the Mac OS.

It's not even close.

[Zoot7]

omg

A WHOLE 0.08%, MAN, WE'LL BE POPULAR IN AT LEAST A DECADE!
Haha, my thoughts exactly.

[JDShu]

Well.. it is the biggest gain ever recorded on Net Applications I guess. Still, you should wait for all the other market share sites to release last month's statistics first before you can even start to make a reasonable conclusion.

[Nick_Jinn]

I wasn't aware Linux is in popularity contests...


That is a trend among old school linux geeks to not want to compete with windows but to do its own thing for a niche cult following, but Ubuntu has stated that it does in fact want to compete with Windows breaking from that old way of thinking.....and they are the most popular distro of linux and the third most popular OS in the world, so they are in fact doing it.

[Werner7]

I don't see other Linux distro's really making it in the sense of ever overtaking OS X or Windows. Although Ubuntu's future looks good to me.
I am using Ubuntu again, after Windows 7 stole my attention with their free beta and rc version. Then i got it free from microsoft at my Uni! But i have been using Ubuntu for 10 days now. Only used windows for 2 hours for games.

HURRY UP STEAM! GET THE LINUX VERSION DONE! I WANT IT! It will help Linux with popularity.

[Nick_Jinn]

I think Mint might make some serious inroads, and some of the Ubuntu based distros that use enlightenment like MoonOS, or the GE one (IF they ever catch up and gain a bigger following) would have great luck on touch screens.


Gnome on desktops and laptops, Enlightenment on touchscreens FTW.

[Werner7]

I like Ubuntu. Partly because I'm South African, and Mr Mark as well. :P

One thing that i would like improved in ubuntu is the User interface stability. Its not as smooth or good looking as Windows or Mac. (not referring to 3D effects though).

[pwnst*r]

http://bit.ly/c8SKdh

Intresting :D

LINUX RULES!

*yawn*

[Helkaluin]

... Anyone care to look up the percentage error in the statistics before getting excited?

[98cwitr]

Fluctuations like this happen every month. Measuring general marketshare is more relevant than specific marketshare, and even then, Linux doesn't have licenses and can't be measured (neither can pirated Windows.)

actually it can. Browsers can send data relating to and identifying what OS you're using. All you would have to do is hit the site and your OS can be logged. It has nothing to do with licenses.

[formaldehyde_spoon]

omg

A WHOLE 0.08%, MAN, WE'LL BE POPULAR IN AT LEAST A DECADE!

This made me smile. ;)
The need for someone not shy about his support of Microsoft to rain a little derision on someone else's (MichaelH's) ''Go Linux'' parade screams ''insecurity'' about MS's position in the world....

[ssj6akshat]

One thing that i would like improved in ubuntu is the User interface stability. Its not as smooth or good looking as Windows or Mac. (not referring to 3D effects though).

https://launchpad.net/ayatana

There you go.

[Nick_Jinn]

NEW users want it to be awesome 'out of the book'. Ubuntu can be way better looking than Windows maxed out, but many will never get that far because nobody has taught them how to customize it and they may not give it a chance if it does not initially look better and requires more trouble shooting.


That is why I am wondering if new users shouldnt be promoted to use the previous release rather than the latest and greatest, and we should also have a bot that teaches them how to use some of the basic functions.

[Frak]

https://launchpad.net/ayatana

There you go.
Oh yeah, that's really hitting the goal, isn't it?

[Nick_Jinn]

Oh yeah, that's really hitting the goal, isn't it?


Maybe he is suggesting that he gets involved and fixes it himself?

[TheStroj]

NEW users want it to be awesome 'out of the book'. Ubuntu can be way better looking than Windows maxed out, but many will never get that far because nobody has taught them how to customize it and they may not give it a chance if it does not initially look better and requires more trouble shooting.


That is why I am wondering if new users shouldnt be promoted to use the previous release rather than the latest and greatest, and we should also have a bot that teaches them how to use some of the basic functions.

If CompizConfig Settings Manager would be installed by default + there would be a shortcut in Programs menu, people would find out soon that Ubuntu can be customized much better, faster and easier. Next to this one, there should also be Gnome color chooser.

There could also be a promotion while installing Ubuntu - some picture of desktop cube (probably most famous compiz effect) and people would try it out for sure.

[uRock]

Net Applications' figures are wrong. I'm pretty sure Linux's desktop marketshare is similar to that of the Mac OS.
I know more people using Linux than I do people who use OS X. Most of them are developer and/or ITSEC geeks that could easily afford OS X, but have no use for it.

[j.bell730]

Oh yeah, that's really hitting the goal, isn't it?

You're being quite constructive, aren't you?

[Ric_NYC]

Internet users worldwide = 1.73 billion – Internet users worldwide (September 2009).


Linux users = 1.13%


That's a lot of people using Linux on the internet.

[meho_r]

That is a trend among old school linux geeks to not want to compete with windows but to do its own thing for a niche cult following, but Ubuntu has stated that it does in fact want to compete with Windows breaking from that old way of thinking.....and they are the most popular distro of linux and the third most popular OS in the world, so they are in fact doing it.

If you compete with an inferior OS, you're bound by its limitations too (or even worse, imitation). To just ignore other OSes and go up your own way is (IMHO) right approach.

[uRock]

If you compete with an inferior OS, you're bound by its limitations too (or even worse, imitation). To just ignore other OSes and go up your own way is (IMHO) right approach.
Ignoring release dates and building a system that works with very few bugs would be an even better plan.

[Isaacgallegos]

Woot! Go linux!!:KS

[quinnten83]

this made me smile. ;)
the need for someone not shy about his support of microsoft to rain a little derision on someone else's (michaelh's) ''go linux'' parade screams ''insecurity'' about ms's position in the world....
+1

[Frak]

You're being quite constructive, aren't you?
Yes.

[Ric_NYC]

Linux rules... the supercomputer world... :P
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/1206/15604616.png

The biannual Top 500 supercomputer list has been released.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10187248.stm

[Frak]

This made me smile. ;)
The need for someone not shy about his support of Microsoft to rain a little derision on someone else's (MichaelH's) ''Go Linux'' parade screams ''insecurity'' about MS's position in the world....
I'm totally afraid that Microsoft may pass under 90%. It just haunts me.

[Ric_NYC]

The biggest and best run Linux


The biannual Top500 report on the world's biggest and best supercomputers has been released and shows that almost all of the top 500 now run Linux.

According to the report 91% of the top 500 - or 455 - run a version of the Linux operating system. Windows-based machines account for 1% and Unix-based ones for 4.4%.
http://mybroadband.co.za/news/software/12773-The-biggest-and-best-run-Linux.html

:guitar:

[Sealbhach]

Well the trend is definitely upwards, and I think this survey reflects that. Desktop Linux is quickly spreading through family and friends networks. I think if the research could be done, it would be surprising how many seniors are happily using Ubuntu.

.

[KiwiNZ]

It does not matter if you support Linux , Windows or OSX the author of that article had way too much coffee the morning he wrote it.

Windows: 91.28% (down 0.18%)
Mac: 5.27% (down 0.05%)
Linux: 1.13% (0.08%)

All of those changes are well with in any statistical margin of error and would mean no change in real terms.

Internet Explorer: 59.69% (down 0.26%)
Firefox: 24.35% (down 0.24%)
Chrome: 7.05% (up 0.32%)
Safari: 4.77% (up 0.05%)
Opera: 2.43% (up 0.13%)

And from a 0.32% change he concluded " Chrome is making good ground on Firefox" , again way too much coffee.

The reality is at 1.13% Linux is at the percentage usage it was when Ubuntu was launched in 2004.

As for the Super computer result , that is not surprising at all as these are generally clusters and with Linus licensing it is cheaper to use Linux as opposes to any other OS.

[Ric_NYC]

More people using cell phones to access the internet...

Android is based on Linux: :P


Android overtakes Apple in US smartphone market

Google’s Android OS surpassed Apple in US smartphone market share during the first quarter of 2010. According to the NPD Group, Google now enjoys 28 percent of the smartphone market, earning the company the second-place spot behind Research in Motion (36 percent) and pushing Apple to third place (21 percent).

[pwnst*r]

I'm totally afraid that Microsoft may pass under 90%. It just haunts me.

Don't be skurred, I'm here for you, man.

[RiceMonster]

The trend looks good! 3083 - the year of the Linux desktop.

[uRock]

The trend looks good! 3083 - the year of the Linux desktop.

Too funny!

[NightwishFan]

2007 was the year of the Linux desktop. I completely dropped Windows, and found a great hobby. ;)

[Frak]

Don't be skurred, I'm here for you, man.
Thanks man, I feel ok now.

[Queue29]

All of those changes are well with in any statistical margin of error and would mean no change in real terms.


That needs to be bigger. These numbers indicate no change. Nothing more, nothing less. Take a stats class before running around claiming victory.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/extrapolating.png

[Nick_Jinn]

What is the margin of error? Linux seems to be making gains, though if the gains are within the margin of error there is enough doubt not to assume we are definitely seeing gains, but we likely could be.


Linux is absolutely making gains though. They are perhaps beating windows in the Smartphone and Ereaders category, which is huge, and are making gigantic (if undocumented) gains in poorer countries outside of the US and Europe as it gets harder to pirate windows, and Linux is making great inroads into the netbook category.

Fewer desktops and full feature laptops come with Linux only, but even that is picking up.

[Ric_NYC]

I think this is important.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8300/pandapcsinfected.png


http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10363373-83.html

[Frak]

I think this is important.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8300/pandapcsinfected.png


http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10363373-83.html
When you have majority share, you're going to have the highest infection rate.

[saulgoode]

What is the margin of error?
Considering that the source is Net Applications, the margin of error somewhere just north of one hundred percent.

[jerenept]

Considering that the source is Net Applications, the margin of error somewhere just north of one hundred percent.

:lolflag:

[Sealbhach]

When you have majority share, you're going to have the highest infection rate.

The highest? It's not even a competition.

.

[Dharmachakra]

Linux is making gains simply because it can't really regress.

[Frak]

Linux is making gains simply because it can't really regress.
I laughed, I admit.

[libssd]

I found this more interesting: "Google bans Microsoft Windows on office computers (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7792685/Google-bans-Microsoft-Windows-on-office-computers.html)"

[formaldehyde_spoon]

It does not matter if you support Linux , Windows or OSX the author of that article had way too much coffee the morning he wrote it.

Windows: 91.28% (down 0.18%)
Mac: 5.27% (down 0.05%)
Linux: 1.13% (0.08%)

All of those changes are well with in any statistical margin of error and would mean no change in real terms.

Internet Explorer: 59.69% (down 0.26%)
Firefox: 24.35% (down 0.24%)
Chrome: 7.05% (up 0.32%)
Safari: 4.77% (up 0.05%)
Opera: 2.43% (up 0.13%)

And from a 0.32% change he concluded '' Chrome is making good ground on Firefox'' , again way too much coffee.

The reality is at 1.13% Linux is at the percentage usage it was when Ubuntu was launched in 2004.

As for the Super computer result , that is not surprising at all as these are generally clusters and with Linus licensing it is cheaper to use Linux as opposes to any other OS.

Your opinion of the article, as a Mac supporter, is no less biased than the opinion of anyone else posting here (including myself, of course).

Where did you find their margin of error? I couldn't find it for any data on their site, but considering they give two significant figures to the right of the decimal I think it's reasonable to assume the margin of error is no more than 0.1 percentage points, so the drop in Windows last month cannot be explained by error.

Netmarketshare apparently isn't making data back beyond Dec 2007 (when Linux was at 0.67%) available anymore, but someone here (http://www.brighthub.com/computing/linux/articles/32201.aspx) last year quoted their 2004 figures as having 0.29% for Linux, so I don't think your 2004 claim can be called accurate.

Since December 2007 Windows has dropped 4.28 percentage points (a decrease of 4.5%),
Mac has climbed by 1.76 percentage points (about a 50% increase),
Linux has climbed by 0.46 percentage points (a 69% increase).
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=113&qpnp=25
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpdt=1&qpct=3&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qpcal=1&qptimeframe=Y&qpsp=2007
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9452/cft06030454112a1bf.png

Longer term trends are very clear and consistent: Windows down, Mac up, Linux up.

[meho_r]

Ignoring release dates and building a system that works with very few bugs would be an even better plan.

I wasn't referring to Ubuntu, actually ;) But for that, there's Debian.

[mickie.kext]

NetApplications analysis is falulty. Even Balmer knows that (http://www.osnews.com/story/21035/Ballmer_Linux_Bigger_Competitor_than_Apple).

Linux has more than 4% worldwide. This stats (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp) are more true.

[JDShu]

NetApplications analysis is falulty. Even Balmer knows that (http://www.osnews.com/story/21035/Ballmer_Linux_Bigger_Competitor_than_Apple).

Linux has more than 4% worldwide. This stats (http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp) are more true.

Actually pretty interesting stats... only 5% of the geeks learning web dev use Linux.

[JDShu]

Alright, every measure of Linux's market share from wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems#Web_clients) is higher in May than it was in April. (you can click on the individual links to verify). I think this shows that the "Linux makes gains" portion of this thread's title has more substance now. Still, it could be seasonal, or maybe something happened to make a bunch of people try Linux last month - Trying out Lucid perhaps? In any case, for now it doesn't mean anything. If a similar gain is shown to have been made in this month, then it could start to mean something.

[jerenept]

I don't think that anything will affect Microsoft's monopoly any time soon.
Not all computer users want to learn the intricacies of a new OS, and they already know about Windows.

Do you want to know in detail how the average fridge is constructed? It's the same with computers. people want it to just work, or call a technician.

[Nick_Jinn]

If you compete with an inferior OS, you're bound by its limitations too (or even worse, imitation). To just ignore other OSes and go up your own way is (IMHO) right approach.

No. I dont agree with this.

Ubuntu has stated that it wants to compete, breaking with traditional Linux geek trends. Are they bound by Windows's shortcomings?

The idea is to be better, not copy it. We should be aware of their cultural relevance though. We dont need a free windows clone, but it should still be intuitive and consider the skillsets that people already have.

Is there a good reason to completely ignore culturally relevant skill sets?


In my opinion Linux should compete, and this competition will make Linux better.....Ubuntu is proof of this.




Ignoring release dates and building a system that works with very few bugs would be an even better plan.

I agree totally.


Whats the big deal about deadlines anyway? Its not like you get a prize for having a new release before your competitors do. It always feels like a rush job and it doesnt need to be.

[GSF1200S]

Im not entirely sure that Linux would be infested with malware if it had Microsoft's marketshare, at least in the way Windows has been infected so far.

That said, I think Linux is MORE succeptible to social engineering attacks. Imagine someone tells you to enter this command to make something happen:

NOTE: Do NOT RUN THIS COMMAND!!

sudo rm -rf /etc

Linux affords you control, and that is control the masses will not be able to handle. Ill even wager some of you reading this thread would be affected- I surely know when I started with Ubuntu I would have been. Also consider that some evil-dooer can obfusicate the above command a great number of ways where even experienced users could miss it.

Yes, there are avenues one should follow to avoid such things. But they often wont, and Linux could be devistated in this regard.

In a way, I think Linux should exist as a cult OS, because what it offers isnt appreciated by the masses. Its a power users OS- greatly powerful, greatly dangerous in the wrong hands, and totally unsupported by the capitalist software ecosystem which exists..

[McRat]

Im not entirely sure that Linux would be infested with malware if it had Microsoft's marketshare, at least in the way Windows has been infected so far.

That said, I think Linux is MORE succeptible to social engineering attacks. Imagine someone tells you to enter this command to make something happen:

NOTE: Do NOT RUN THIS COMMAND!!

sudo rm -rf /etc

Linux affords you control, and that is control the masses will not be able to handle. Ill even wager some of you reading this thread would be affected- I surely know when I started with Ubuntu I would have been. Also consider that some evil-dooer can obfusicate the above command a great number of ways where even experienced users could miss it.

Yes, there are avenues one should follow to avoid such things. But they often wont, and Linux could be devistated in this regard.

In a way, I think Linux should exist as a cult OS, because what it offers isnt appreciated by the masses. Its a power users OS- greatly powerful, greatly dangerous in the wrong hands, and totally unsupported by the capitalist software ecosystem which exists..

Back in the day that was:

cd \
del *.* /s

ARE YOU SURE???? :)

There is perhaps more Linux devices today OFF the desktop than on.

There have been a couple hundred O/S's to date. Linux appears to be winning the long term battle.

But it never should have been a war.

The O/S for personal computers should have been an ANSI or ISO project from the start. Having a single commercial entity in control of a standard that defined both hardware and application software was perhaps not the best thing for computer technology.

[GSF1200S]

Back in the day that was:

cd \
del *.* /s

ARE YOU SURE???? :)

There is perhaps more Linux devices today OFF the desktop than on.

There have been a couple hundred O/S's to date. Linux appears to be winning the long term battle.

But it never should have been a war.

The O/S for personal computers should have been an ANSI or ISO project from the start. Having a single commercial entity in control of a standard that defined both hardware and application software was perhaps not the best thing for computer technology.

Yeah, but back in the days of DOS the demographic using computers were largely technical minded people. Sure, some "normal users" existed, but they werent constantly exposed to a ravenous internet.

Now all it takes is that command buried in a script that some user is told to execute to install the newest "FACEBOOK UPLOADER!!1!! OMGzzz"

Our user base still has a sufficient structure to educate new users, but inevitably the numbers of those who are not familiar with the OS will rise and problems will come about.

[Nick_Jinn]

You know, you can mess your computer in Windows too. Of course. That is hardly a reason to be afraid of success.

And if you want a neutered version of Linux that replaces Windows without accessing the advanced features.....well, I think it could do a damn good job and people would be happy with it. Some ideas would have to change though if you really wanted to focus on marketability. The OS would ideally be free, but opening yourself up to proprietary software is arguably a good thing if it means more money and funding for advances and more hardware support. It sure wont stop anyone from using free alternatives. Most people dont care about the philosophical implications of proprietary software (including many linux users), either because they are not developers or because they dont give a hoot about copyrights to begin with even if they were and will just do what they were going to do anyway, legal or not. :p


I dont think that the people who are likely to be tricked so easily are the people who enjoy using the command line at all. Its easy enough to use some of the polished Ubuntu based distros without ever having to use the command line, and the easier it gets with GUI fronts the less you have to worry about malicious commands. People just dont bother, even when you tell them how.

I guess there are intermediate users who are just starting to feel their way around but who dont understand what they are doing who might fall for a malicious command, but there are some great tools for making backups, and if your computer promoted you to do this then a corrupted system is not the end of the world. If the installation disks separated home and root automatically it would be even less of a problem.



Android seems to be doing what Ubuntu possibly wanted to do.....Google has more resources at its disposal of course, but they are using the linux kernel but without the X desktop.....and I am a novice and dont fully understand what that means except in a general superficial way. It looks like Android is moving from phones to tablets and now into netbooks and soon will be running on PCs with touch screens as a competitor to Windows.....at least we can shake things up a bit, and this is arguably good for linux indirectly thouh I kind of wish that Ubuntu/Mint/ect would have taken a serious stab at it like Android has.

I think it would be awesome if linux became the mainstream and people started to see windows as the money making scam that it is....and I mean scam. Its not that people shouldnt be paid for working hard on needed projects, but they artificially create need that shouldnt be there just to sell you the solution for it. Bring you into the desert and sell you ice (Burning Man?). lol.

[dE_logics]

You can rate the popularity of an OS roughly by the amount of search results it give.

Mac gives less, Linux give many times more.

[Frak]

You can rate the popularity of an OS roughly by the amount of search results it give.

Mac gives less, Linux give many times more.
I thought that was problems?

[uRock]

You can rate the popularity of an OS roughly by the amount of search results it give.

Mac gives less, Linux give many times more.

Why would people search Macs? Linux gets more searches because there isn't as many places to call to fix your system. Don't believe me? Call Best Buy and ask them for a price on installing and configuring Debian or RedHat, they will most likely hang up on you or tell you how inferior Linux is to Windows and how inferior Windows is to Mac.