Quick lets all Google "Linux"

[ianc1]

I used Google trends for the first time today at work and looked up a few other "trends" this evening.

It's questionable I suppose whether the data is meaningful as, if I understand it correctly, it's just looking at the number of times a search phrase is used. Eg "Ubuntu" peaks around every release.

Anyway if you look at "Linux" its been on a downward trend since 2003 and is now searched for 75 % fewer times than in 2003.

Why is this? Is it because individual distros have become more well known?

Any ideas and is it meaning full?

We could of course all set our machines to Google "Linux" continually to reverse the trend.

[Dry Lips]

Why is this? Is it because individual distros have become more well known?Well, at least this is part of the answer...

...And perhaps Android is the new Linux?

[freebeer]

We could of course all set our machines to Google "Linux" continually to reverse the trend.

Just a note: automated inquiries to Google violates its Terms of Service. Good thing too, because the spammers would be doing that.
(Probably are, but Google would have protection for that as well.)

[CraigPaleo]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the way Google trends works is that it shows the results relative to total search traffic at any given time. So, the actual number of searches may be higher now but lower in relation to all other searches combined. It could just be that there are more things for people to look up besides Linux.

If we want it to go up, it'd also help to stop searching for anything else. :)

[ianc1]

Ah, so that's what Google trends is doing. Thanks for the explanation.

I was of course only joking regarding setting machines to search Linux.

[MrNatewood]

I fail to see why would anyone care what is linux's google trend. I mean to the extent of actively changing it. What benefit does anyone get from that?

And yes, I think less people search for linux because they search for distro names as for most scenarios searching for "linux" is too generic and leads to useless results. If i have a graphics issue I'm more likely to find a solution if I search for my distro name and the problem than "linux". The results are far more likely to be about my specific issue.

Also, no new user who knows what he is doing will search to download "linux" and will search instead for a specific distro.

[Linuxratty]

[QUOTE=MrNatewood;11048042]

And yes, I think less people search for linux because they search for distro names as for most scenarios searching for "linux" is too generic and leads to useless results.

Agreed..When I was thinking of using Linux,I did search for Linux. Once I started using it,I searched for general news related to it and info on my distro of choice. Now that I'm on certain Linux forums,searches are way less.

[BrokenKingpin]

Why is this? Is it because individual distros have become more well known?

This for sure. If you looked at all the top distros Googled in 2003 compared to today, I bet you would see an upward trend (especially after Ubuntu came out).

[MasterNetra]

For the win, I googled linux and Ubuntu was the very first listing for me.