How popular is linux in your country ?

[praveesh]

How popular is linux in your country ? In my country everyone knows the name linux but noone uses it . This is the case of Kerala state . I dont know about other states . Studying linux and other open source apps like openoffice, GIMP is part of school syllabus in Kerala. Thats why everyone knows its name .

[lisati]

I'm aware of a moderator or two, and a website I saw claimed someone else living in my area.......

[dragos240]

Most people in my town alone haven't even heard of Linux.

[jpmelos]

I know most people in Brazil doesn't even know Linux exists. This is basically restricted to computer people... The ones who have heard it has some wrong ideas of it, like that it's an illegal OS.

[dragos240]

I know most people in Brazil doesn't even know Linux exists. This is basically restricted to computer people... The ones who have heard it has some wrong ideas of it, like that it's an illegal OS.

An illegal OS?

[Kareeser]

It's not very hard to fathom why people would assume that Linux is an illegal OS. For years now, Windows has been available for "free", through illegal downloads.

Our society isn't accustomed to getting something for nothing, so the fact that Linux is free (in both senses of the word) is mind-boggling. Their intuitive "it's too good to be true" is kicking in, and they're explaining it however they can - by assuming it's illegal.

[themarker0]

I live in hick town canada >_< i say " you heard of linux" they say "how does it taste?"

not even joking

[stwschool]

I'm in Thailand. Everything here is pirated, so Windows tends to win out. That said, every computer here is riddled with viruses as they tend not to be looked after. Never use a usb stick in a cybercafe in thailand if you don't want any nasties on it. Still, it's nice not to think about that anymore :)

[neo_1in]

How popular is linux in your country ? In my country everyone knows the name linux but noone uses it . This is the case of Kerala state . I dont know about other states . Studying linux and other open source apps like openoffice, GIMP is part of school syllabus in Kerala. Thats why everyone knows its name .

It is moderately popular among engineering students and IT people. But overall general public is pretty ignorant about it. The fact that except kerala no other state has adopted GNU/Linux, and easy availability of pirated softwares doesn't help either :(. Simputer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simputer) was a great project, but it didn't really grew. But on the positive side linux is growing steadily, and government's attempt to increase computer literacy in rural areas can be a boon for linux.

[MikeTheC]

I'd say that awareness of it here in the U.S. is definitely on the up-swing, particularly since Apple's marketing has started the mental "ball" rolling in a lot of people's heads that actual alternatives to Windows can possibly exist, and especially since Microsoft's been falling on their face in the past couple years.

Widespread and common it isn't, by any means, but yes, more and more are hearing of it and even willing to give it a spin.

[Kareeser]

Local small-chain computer stores are including Ubuntu on some of their demo computers - very cool!

Other than that, there's only a very small contingent of Linux users in Hamilton, Canada :)

The LUG here doesn't seem too active... bleh.

[heroidi]

In Gjakova my Hometown we made a LUG and every week I'm holding meeting, every week i see new faces and give them CD's when they ask where can i get it it's going fast and it's nice to meet people that share the same thoughts with you, it's not popular but the popularity is growing.

[Dimitriid]

Very unpopular but not hopeless. Since Windows having a pricetag is not an issue at all here due to rampant piracy you really can't use one of the main points of linux: being free.

However people is usually behind the curve on hardware cause a computer represent a huge financial investment for a country submerged in rampant pobertry. So running on older hardware balances thing out a little bit.

[heroidi]

Same here but we tell the people that windows will be soon with money not with unlegal copies, and none in kosova would pay 200 euros for windows so i tell them use linux it's free and virus free, i say to them just try it not stick on it if you don't want it's for they're good they don't have to pay for windows if they use Ubuntu.

[Chris_no]

You can buy Acer Aspire one with Linux in the chain Spaceworld in Norway.
Many other chains are selling computers with Linux as well.

[penguin-of-doom]

In my area many people know linux. I know really much people which are using linux and are fascinated about it. My uncle told me about Linux and then I tried it, and since then I never used Windows again on my PC.

[Sublime Porte]

In Australia Linux is now moderately known, especially after the Eee PC, but most people look at it as a "cut down" or deficient OS that comes on cheap laptops, instead of a real OS, on which you can actually run normal programs, like Windows.

[Kareeser]

In Australia Linux is now moderately known, especially after the Eee PC, but most people look at it as a "cut down" or deficient OS that comes on cheap laptops, instead of a real OS, on which you can actually run normal programs, like Windows.

An unfortunate assumption that Linux needs to shed eventually... but there's no such thing as bad press. :)

[alket]

In Gjakova my Hometown we made a LUG and every week I'm holding meeting, every week i see new faces and give them CD's when they ask where can i get it it's going fast and it's nice to meet people that share the same thoughts with you, it's not popular but the popularity is growing.

Hi Heroid, im from Presheva but i live in Prishtina, i want to come someday in your meetings, is that possible ?