Does it worry anyone that Ubuntu is becoming unpopular?

[Mazza558]

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu

This has been my 'go-to' for Ubuntu popularity over the last few years. Now it seems the last time it was this unpopular was way back in 2007.

Maybe it's because Windows 7 perhaps leapt ahead in usability, and the whole infrastructure of Linux is fading into obscurity, to be replaced by things built on top, like Android and Chrome OS. I admit, the last time I used Ubuntu on my machines was over 2 months ago.

[98cwitr]

No, i'd like it to stay unpopular. Last time I used Windows @ home was like a year ago.


I love the spikes at every new release...haha.

Now compare it with Fedora

http://www.google.com/trends?q=fedora&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

if you want to worry about linux...fedora might be a distro to see fading away in the future.

Im surprised that opensuse has done so well

http://www.google.com/trends?q=opensuse&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

The big picture (http://www.google.com/trends?q=linux&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0)

[tgm4883]

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu,+windows&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

By your analysis, it would seem that Windows is becoming unpopular as well

[thatguruguy]

Well, these findings are definitely conclusive. Time to go back to using manual typewriters.

[kaldor]

Considering each release of Ubuntu breaks something, I can see why it would be becoming unpopular to some people.

I wish there was another huge/well known Desktop distro (no, not RHEL/SLED) that gave a better example of the Linux desktop.

[Bachstelze]

No. Well, not me at least.

[98cwitr]

you do realize all this is biased to those who use Google and they frequency of such, right?

[beew]

Actually windows 7 is not very popular either. Most windows users still use XP and will probably stick to it for quite a while. This is actually a problem for M$.


Considering each release of Ubuntu breaks something, I can see why it would be becoming unpopular to some people.

New releases are always buggy, the same goes with Windows, that's why you shouldn't get the new release until later to wait for the bugs to be fixed unless you want to participate in bug testing,--which is a valuable service and you don't have to pay to be a genuine pig like in Windows.

[Spice Weasel]

No, if you look at the chart it's bouncing up and down a lot. There are peaks, then it dies down a bit, then another peak etc. The Linux one is a bit worrying though. I wouldn't take it that seriously, it's just a Google result.

[Calash]

People tend to search more when there is a problem than if everything is working.

I kind of like this graph and how it lines up with release and other notes.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=Ubuntu+10.04,+Ubuntu+10.10,Ubuntu+9.04,+U buntu+9.10&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

[malspa]

I couldn't care less about how popular a given Linux distro is.

[kevdog]

I'm shocked Mazza that you don't use Ubuntu anymore.

[alket]

That means that Ubuntu is becoming more user friendly and people are less googling for solutions.

[98cwitr]

I couldn't care less about how popular a given Linux distro is.

two reasons why it's important

1. Updates

2. Troubleshooting support

It's the reason I went to Ubuntu from Fedora

[Queue29]

That means that Ubuntu is becoming more user friendly and people are less googling for solutions.

Don't delude yourself.

What is actually somewhat interesting is the constant decline in popularity for "linux":

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu,+windows,+osx,+mac,+linux&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

[malspa]

two reasons why it's important

1. Updates

2. Troubleshooting support

It's the reason I went to Ubuntu from Fedora


Yeah. But besides Ubuntu, I have some less popular distros installed, and I don't really see there being any issues there with either updates or troubleshooting support. So popularity doesn't concern me.

[Queue29]

two reasons why it's important

1. Updates

2. Troubleshooting support

It's the reason I went to Ubuntu from Fedora

I'll add #3: Package support. For example, Google Video for gmail chat is packaged for .deb only, and it's no secret that software packages are typically packaged for rpm and debian based systems, and then everybody else gets to build from source. I just want to click on something and make it work, I don't want to screw around with somebody's .config file and also track down the old/new versions of packages that something depends on. Thus, I use Ubuntu.

[98cwitr]

Yeah. But besides Ubuntu, I have some less popular distros installed, and I don't really see there being any issues there with either updates or troubleshooting support. So popularity doesn't concern me.

what do you use them for?

[malspa]

what do you use them for?

I like to multi-boot for several reasons. For one thing, I'm interested in the different projects out there. I hear so many different opinions about this distro and that distro, and I like to see for myself how things go when using a particular distro over a long period of time.

I like to say "I'm a Linux user," not a PCLOS user or Ubuntu user or Mepis user.

Another reason is that it's fun to me to be able to switch to a different distro and use that for a few days or so.

And if one distro starts going in a direction I don't like, or if I encounter some problems with one, I have another one installed that I can log into.

Of course, if you meant, literally, "what do you use them for," the answer is "everything."

[Sporkman]

I use 3 different distros:

Xubuntu on my work computer,
Ubuntu on my home laptop,
and Ubuntu Server on my home server & web server.

[bryanfblareunion]

I think Ubuntu is still a great distro. It's definitely better than windows in my opinion, but I still use windows for some things that ubuntu just can't do. I feel like that's why ubuntu is maybe becoming a little less popular. at every new release, people try it out hoping that some of these bugs have been fixed and yes, many have, but some areas of ubuntu still have room for improvement.

[ironhoof]

Not for me either, I don't care if they say Ubuntu is a beginners OS. I can clean it up, and make it faster. Its STILL used as my main OS. There are (not named) versions people swear by. I don't have time to read an entire Wiki just to install an OS though. I love Ubuntu Linux , and all the work everyone has put into it. I have converted my entire family, and several friends. I also have about 4 other people who want to convert to Ubuntu THIS weekend. They show their friends, and then they show their friends. I have converted 16 people in 4 months. I REALLY just wish these people would learn how to install it themselves. Its not like its difficult, and it takes up a lot of my free time. I think the results will be more clear when we can actually figure out how many people are using it for sure.

-Cheers

[s0rc3r3r]

Well, I am quiet new to Ubuntu, but my experience with Ubuntu, right from installation to time till, now has been a smooth cruise.
Only thing was to install the ethernet driver which was a walk in the park.
a lil bit of hiccup here and there and yeah..that all got sorted out in here in this very forum.


A few of my hardcore WINDOWS friends used my laptop to browse the internet and ya know..for general use kinda thing.
They really liked the way UBUNTu was running, and handling stuff.
All of em were so impressed by it and a few of them installed UBUNTU on their systems.

They never had anything to complain about the Ubuntu system.

Secondly, I have a buddy who owns an internet cafe and trust me he has more virurses in his computers that windows system files.After seeing Ubuntu and using it on his laptop he is seriously considering to change all the windows system to unix in his Internet cafe.

I think its just that, in Windows you have an easy FIx, Uninstall, reinstall or FORMAT![common thing most people do]
In Linux there is always a fix.without loosing the data, thought its a bit twisted way...I mean..there is always a way..and you dont have to pay.

It takes a while to get this message across I guess!
I mean..good things always takes time...

[jshepherd]

Personally I don't think is as simple a case as whether Ubuntu isn't popular or Windows is better. The way I see things is that people in the main want a computer OS that's a jack of all trades. Windows has it's faults but it (in the case of Windows 7) also has it's good points, the user interface is very intuitive for example. I Use Windows because it comes pre installed on my computers (why not use what you already have?). I prefer Ubuntu and open source that's why I dual boot but, sadly, some of the better commercial app's either don't have equivalents or don't run under Wine. Lotus notes comes to mind. M$ Outlook is still streets ahead of Evolution etc and whilst BasKet is very good it still isn't as flexible as OneNote. I love open Office and use it in Portable app's on my work (XP) laptop because I prefer it to Office 2007 although OOo calc is nowhere near Excel standards. Yes I know it's all free but then many people, like me, get to use computers other people have paid for so the ludicrous cost of M$ is negated. Take into account the current problems people have financially and I'd guess new computer sales are down too. Just my thoughts though.

[NCLI]

Don't delude yourself.

What is actually somewhat interesting is the constant decline in popularity for "linux":

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu,+windows,+osx,+mac,+linux&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=0

Well, we all know that search is growing, and more and more non-techies are using the Internet. I think it has more it do with the increasing number of average Joes who search than the declining popularity of Linux.

[toupeiro]

What worries me more is that there are elements of it that feel like they are becoming commercialized, or at least paving the way for that. I dare say, more paved than some of the actual commercial versions of Linux.. I could care less how popular people think it is.

It still remains a solid operating system, that for the greater part of it doesn't try to shove ideaology down your throat about free formats like fedora, or being completely open like GNUsense. It still strikes a good balance between freedom and function, and until it doesn't anymore I will promote it, support it, and use it.

[bouncingwilf]

Well it's not unpopular with me so what do I care? And as for Google statistics - I never use it! (Meta engines such as ixquick)

bouncingwilf

[Denis Krajnc]

I don't care. I just want it better with every release.
It's best for me, that's why I use it.

[jshepherd]

Ubuntu still rocks. I don't care if it looks commercial either, just means more mainstream acceptance and better and better support. I'd love to see Ubuntu used everwhere.

[toupeiro]

Ubuntu still rocks. I don't care if it looks commercial either, just means more mainstream acceptance and better and better support. I'd love to see Ubuntu used everwhere.

Not that I have any proof it will happen, but lets see if this is still the tune you sing if/when you have to start paying for tenets of your functionality in ubuntu that have shifted priorities from free/open source offerings to closed/proprietary offerings that canonical gets kickbacks from.

The more I think about it, If I had to pay for a linux OS, I would rather pay canonical directly for their contributions than to put it in the hands of special interest proprietary development and get my functionality in pieces. I can see paying for open source in the way ubuntu makes it easily accessable, and if I don't want to pay for it, I can still build and compile myself. When you start integrating with third parties that offer competing products, and could very easily offer download incentives to Canonical to promote their products, it hurts FOSS projects. I only care because I fundamentally agree in the cynergies and tenets of development FOSS brings to the table. The other way sucks.

I digress, but that is why its becoming worrysome for me. Just reading corporate writing on the wall. I still hope I am wrong.

[khelben1979]

No, it does not worry me. And about Windows 7: if Microsoft have actually managed to do something good this time, good for them! Gamers are gonna stick with Windows for the coming 10 years to come and I think most peope on this forum thinks so too.

When it comes to Linux distributions: they will probably be left way longer than Microsoft Windows from a longer time perspective (100 years?). History have showed otherwise, but I just think it's just a matter of time, and as we all know, big changes have already been made and the total number of Linux users have never been bigger than it is today (I think).

Linux for me means freedom, and I think that's more important than Google Trends. We as a community should continue and show off the good things with using Linux to make the community bigger and better. ):P

[Ransoms]

I think Ubuntu is losing popularity due to fanboyism. At least among other linux distro's. The fact that a lot of Ubuntu users seem to think Linux is Ubuntu, kinda rubs some people the wrong way.

[Frogs Hair]

I don't get worried about peaks and valleys on a graph . Graphs can be changed make them look more or less favorable depending on what side your on.The sample only represents only those who took part in the poll and may or may not be accurate.

[73ckn797]

I could care less about whether it is popular or not. It works for what I want an OS to do. Windows XP has a place in my computing but I have not used it in a few months.

[jshepherd]

I agree with you on all points toupeiro but I actually said I don't care if it looks commercial. As in professional, as in slick, smooth and dependable looking. That way there will be more adopters and less critics. Of my friends and colleagues only one if them is a regular Linux user, some others bought netbooks with some variant of Linux or other and promptly replaced it with Windows because it didn't look like what they were used to seeing and others don't take it seriously despite my constant attempts at persuading them otherwise (even though I demonstrate it's capabilities).

[Cam42]

I don't really care, in all honesty. So what if millions of people use it? If it works best for you, use it. In reality, Windows works best for most people right now.

[MichealH]

Im not sure if smeone hasnt pointed ths out before (and if you havent you just cant think ;))

Anyway... Hasnt the OP even thought that just becase google says... It isnt right? There are lots of seach engines out there... NOT just google. Maybe for a more comprehensive search maybe look aroind and recearch a bit more? Maybe someone went directly to the ubuntu.com website? Maybe a frend had gave them a CD/DVD?

These are all genuine possibilities behind all this...

MichealH

[sxmaxchine]

no because ubuntu has never been popular

[neu5eeCh]

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu

This has been my 'go-to' for Ubuntu popularity over the last few years. Now it seems the last time it was this unpopular was way back in 2007.

Maybe it's because Windows 7 perhaps leapt ahead in usability, and the whole infrastructure of Linux is fading into obscurity, to be replaced by things built on top, like Android and Chrome OS. I admit, the last time I used Ubuntu on my machines was over 2 months ago.

On LinuxToday, there was an article that pegged XP users at 60%. Don't ask me for a link. I looked, couldn't find it. Here's another:

http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

Don't know exactly what you mean by "less popular". I've converted two computer users to Linux (Gnome Mint 9) which is (for all intents and purposes) Ubuntu. All the information I can find strongly suggests that Ubuntu is the most utilized Linux distro.

However, here are two very different articles on Linux share:

http://broadcast.oreilly.com/2010/09/debunking-the-1-myth.html

http://thepcspy.com/read/one-percent-myth-is-pretty-accurate/

I personally find the first to be more persuasive. So... I'm not persuaded that Ubuntu is, in fact, becoming less popular.

I do notice a definite lone-wolf snobbishness among the Linux crowd. As soon as a distro becomes too popular, there's a kind of communal smack-down. How dare they ruin are private party with success!?!;)

[jshepherd]

I do notice a definite lone-wolf snobbishness among the Linux crowd. As soon as a distro becomes too popular, there's a kind of communal smack-down. How dare they ruin are private party with success!?!;)

Ha ha, well put. I like Linux (and Ubuntu) because it does just what I want it to (most of the time) not so I can look down my nose at windows users.

[MichealH]

no because ubuntu has never been popular

/me goes tho the ubuntu irc channel

OHAI! So what are all you 1345 people doing here?

[rtimai]

I'm glad that Ubuntu is not becoming too popular. May be my imagination, but I think Ubuntu forums seem increasingly flooded with new user cries for help. Wish the guidelines (below) in the Absolute Beginner Talk forum were made more conspicuous. Many posts are unanswered because readers don't have a clue to what they're trying to say.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1422475

[wilee-nilee]

Well, these findings are definitely conclusive. Time to go back to using manual typewriters.

Lol; Nothing like forum peer review to persuade a personal bias, now where is that damn typewriter?

[Robynsveil]

Ha ha, well put. I like Linux (and Ubuntu) because it does just what I want it to (most of the time) not so I can look down my nose at windows users.
Well put, yourself, Shepherd.

Linux isn't worried about popularity or market share. That's just the nature of the beast. I use it because it is safe, it is quick, it is stable, it is free and it does what i need to do in a reasonably reliable fashion ( recent GRUB SNAFU aside :p ). Yes, there are times I do have to use Windows just because Poser doesn't run *natively* in Ubuntu, but for 99% of my day-to-day PC activities Ubuntu Linux does it really well. I don't proselatise it much, because that would involve having to ultimately support it which with my time constraints i can't really do anymore, but who knows: I'm edging towards retirement, so an iCafe with a Linux server and cheapo-laptops sounds like a good business to get into.

[Belak]

http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/09/11/the-road-not-taken/

That has an interesting few points. Really, it seems as though Ubuntu as of late has become more interested in eye candy and slightly less in stability. Why does almost the same system run "better" in Arch.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love Ubuntu, but I've started using other distros because I think they run much more stable.

I am not a Linux guru. I think LFS is a bit pointless. I will also admit that I am typing this in Windows 7. Though I am tempted to go back to XP. This laptop does have a dual boot with Arch and my second laptop is running 100% arch.

Linux in general is an amazing piece of software that I sincerely doubt will be fading out any time soon. You can look at trends all you want. They don't matter. Communities like this one, and the Arch forums and the Arch, Gentoo, Ubuntu, etc IRC matter.

I wish packages in Ubuntu stayed up to date more. I'd rather see something crazy-stable than something crazy-shiny. And up to date is good.

Essentially, all I have to say, is that Linux, even with some shortcomings, and despite any trends, should not be going anywhere any time soon. And that makes me happy.

[Mazza558]

I'm shocked Mazza that you don't use Ubuntu anymore.

I have it, but yeah, I don't particularly use it any more. On my machine Windows 7 is actually faster than 10.04 and as I've got into music technology a bit more, I shifted to the Windows-only commercial programs from Linux. It is very difficult to get audio and MIDI up and running lag-free (or at least it was a year ago), so there that deterrent, too.

I'd like to get back into it all and help try to develop the community side of LMMS (which still has great functionality), but if the distro side keeps disappointing me, I get turned away.

What I think Linux needs, really desperately, is something flashy and user-friendly built upon a rock-solid Debian stable core, even if it is more than 3 years old. Who cares if the kernel has the latest and greatest if it causes so much pain for everyone? And surely it's more satisfactory to build features which every user will enjoy, rather than slightly shinier innards?

[kamaboko]

I won't lose sleep over the popularity of any OS.

[Belak]

I have it, but yeah, I don't particularly use it any more. On my machine Windows 7 is actually faster than 10.04 and as I've got into music technology a bit more, I shifted to the Windows-only commercial programs from Linux. It is very difficult to get audio and MIDI up and running lag-free (or at least it was a year ago), so there that deterrent, too.

I'd like to get back into it all and help try to develop the community side of LMMS (which still has great functionality), but if the distro side keeps disappointing me, I get turned away.

What I think Linux needs, really desperately, is something flashy and user-friendly built upon a rock-solid Debian stable core, even if it is more than 3 years old. Who cares if the kernel has the latest and greatest if it causes so much pain for everyone? And surely it's more satisfactory to build features which every user will enjoy, rather than slightly shinier innards?

I have to agree with this. K.mandla's blog post is a good read on this subject too. ;)

[Ric_NYC]

Are Windows and Microsoft becoming unpopular?

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3157/screenshotru.png

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/3185/screenshot1ia.png

[Cam42]

google trends =/= how popular an OS is...