what percentage of computer users use linux?

[GoneWithTheWind]

What percentage of computer users use Linux?

Do more people use Linux than Mac?

[dca]

That's up for debate. Because the OS (GNU/Linux) does not require activation or a key there really is no way of telling.

Quite a few I would think, though...

[phrostbyte]

Nearly every single person I know in IT uses or has used Linux before. I don't know if that matters though.

[bread eyes]

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

[Quillz]

There are about 25 million Mac users in the world, I think Linux has about the same number. But I doubt that every single person running Linux actually likes it, so the ratio of users to satisified users is probably not as high.

[@trophy]

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

Lies, damned lies, and statistics!

[Nekiruhs]

Lies, damned lies, and statistics!
Meh, 75% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

[macogw]

There are about 25 million Mac users in the world, I think Linux has about the same number. But I doubt that every single person running Linux actually likes it, so the ratio of users to satisified users is probably not as high.

Er, if they didn't like it, they could switch it. Mostly people using Linux are the ones that know enough to change the OS. There's likely more unsatisfied Windows users because the majority of them don't know how to change their OS.

Hmm, wonder if there's a way to see if it spikes during the 2 weeks following an Ubuntu or Fedora or OpenSuSE release.

[GoneWithTheWind]

That's up for debate. Because the OS (GNU/Linux) does not require activation or a key there really is no way of telling.

Quite a few I would think, though...

Does that mean this poll underestimates linux users?

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

[Sayers]

I think in the last year the users have 2x'ed

[misfitpierce]

I think linux may have more users than mac due to server users and such. No way to be for sure though as everyone on linux is not accounted for lol. :)

[earobinson]

http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp
we are beating vista!

[Mathiasdm]

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

Bad example (imho), since W3schools is for web developers. It has a higher Firefox percentage than average as well.

I'd estimate Linux usage around 1-2% on the desktop (according to other statistics I've seen, taken from a few thousand websites).

[Malh]

Meh, 75% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Perfect example :)

[popch]

The very question raised by the OP is somewhat flawed. For a variety of reasons, I use WinXP, Win2k, Win Mobile, Linux and OS X, while my mobile phone appears to do Epoc or some such.

What percentage do I belong to?

[Sayers]

The very question raised by the OP is somewhat flawed. For a variety of reasons, I use WinXP, Win2k, Win Mobile, Linux and OS X, while my mobile phone appears to do Epoc or some such.

What percentage do I belong to?
Pick one :)

[moffatt666]

I use Win XP on a laptop (with a WLAN card that will not work with any amount of tweaking), Win 95 (on a box soon to recieve DSL) and Ubuntu (soon to be Xubuntu) on my main PC.

[Adamant1988]

Well, there have been a lot of estimates ranging from an extremely conservative 1% to an overly optimistic 8%.

Obviously it's hard to get a solid number of users, but Fedora has managed to show that they have about 2 million unique users, I figure Ubuntu probably has around twice that much judging by the popularity. openSuSE announced not long ago that their had either their 1 millionth download or user, but either way they're probably looking at around a million users themselves. So, between three of the largest distributions there is probably around 7 million people, give or take. Then you have the fractured users of other distros, so let's be a little optimistic and say that the total number of Linux users (desktop users that is) is probably floating around 14 million. I don't know what that translates to in terms of percentages.

As time goes on more distributions will start including measures to count unique IPs, etc. so they can get a more solid idea of how many users there are.

(note that all of the math here is strictly just off the top of my head)

[swoll1980]

Mac & linux users combined make up less than 6% of the market this is why 3rd party software and hardware companys don't support them

[Adamant1988]

Mac & linux users combined make up less than 6% of the market this is why 3rd party software and hardware companys don't support them

Actually, if you believe recent statistics released by a third party Apple can claim to have around 5% of the market. (5.25% IIRC)

Apple also had 14% of all laptop sales made in May, so, they're growing at a pretty healthy rate.

[swoll1980]

the source I used was wikopedia they also siad that mac made 5% and that linux was less than one percent I combined the stats so it wouldn't sound as bad

[GoneWithTheWind]

The very question raised by the OP is somewhat flawed. For a variety of reasons, I use WinXP, Win2k, Win Mobile, Linux and OS X, while my mobile phone appears to do Epoc or some such.

What percentage do I belong to?

The one that you use the most.

Everyone probably has a version of windows around. I used a mac for 7 years but quickly didn't like the lack of options. I went back to windows and then downloaded linux. Now I am using linux 100 percent of the time.

However I just got a magicjack and will need to reboot to windows for the few long distance calls that I make, until they come out with a way to use it with linux.

[Adamant1988]

the source I used was wikopedia they also siad that mac made 5% and that linux was less than one percent I combined the stats so it wouldn't sound as bad

I would say that Linux probably makes up 2-3% myself. But it's certainly possible that adoption is under 1%, I just don't believe that.

[popch]

Actually, if you believe recent statistics released by a third party Apple can claim to have around 5% of the market. (5.25% IIRC)

Apple also had 14% of all laptop sales made in May, so, they're growing at a pretty healthy rate.

As I have said above, that's easily explained because the size of the market appears to be some 500%.

Even counting the number of IP addresses wiill not help: My household runs to about 6 to 8 computers, all using the same IP address (thanks to NAT) and running Linux, Mac OS X, and several flavors of Windows.

Also, the number of downloads of any OS or the number of licenses sold (or given away, for that matter) is a very poor metric for the question of the OP. How many of you have downloaded only one OS? And how many are still using the OS license which came with the computer you are using?

[popch]

The one that you use the most.

Everyone probably has a version of windows around. I used a mac for 7 years but quickly didn't like the lack of options. I went back to windows and then downloaded linux. Now I am using linux 100 percent of the time.

However I just got a magicjack and will need to reboot to windows for the few long distance calls that I make, until they come out with a way to use it with linux.

Well, your description does not quite apply to me. At my place of work, I use three devices with Windows XP, Windows Mobile and Epoc, respectively. As I am using them for different purposes, it would not be proper to just name the one being 'used most'. Besides, the one I use least frequently is still being used more often than - say - the laptop of my elderly stepmother-in-law.

[Adamant1988]

As I have said above, that's easily explained because the size of the market appears to be some 500%.

Even counting the number of IP addresses wiill not help: My household runs to about 6 to 8 computers, all using the same IP address (thanks to NAT) and running Linux, Mac OS X, and several flavors of Windows.

Also, the number of downloads of any OS or the number of licenses sold (or given away, for that matter) is a very poor metric for the question of the OP. How many of you have downloaded only one OS? And how many are still using the OS license which came with the computer you are using?

Well, I believe the way it is determined is by % of computers sold for the most part. I'm not sure what metrics they use completely, but I know Apple's statistics were based on hardware sales. Microsoft may do it differently, probably by the number of activated copies. They probably take that out of an estimation of the number of active desktop computers and determine a percentage.

[popch]

Well, I believe the way it is determined is by % of computers sold for the most part. I'm not sure what metrics they use completely, but I know Apple's statistics were based on hardware sales. Microsoft may do it differently, probably by the number of activated copies. They probably take that out of an estimation of the number of active desktop computers and determine a percentage.

Microsoft does it most certainly not by the number of activated copies. At my place of work we use something like 5000 PCs, every blessed one with Windows, none of them 'activated'. We don't do that kind of license.

[Adamant1988]

Microsoft does it most certainly not by the number of activated copies. At my place of work we use something like 5000 PCs, every blessed one with Windows, none of them 'activated'. We don't do that kind of license.

Perhaps sold licenses then?

[popch]

Perhaps sold licenses then?

In another thread (sorry, can't remember which one) we already commented on the number of customers using Windows which had been published by MS. Since that number was about to reach one billion, the conclusion appeared to be that they were counting the number of licenses sold since Windows 1.0 and not even taking into account the number of PCs that had been sold with windows and were scrapped in the meantime.

[bread eyes]

Bad example (imho), since W3schools is for web developers. It has a higher Firefox percentage than average as well.

I'd estimate Linux usage around 1-2% on the desktop (according to other statistics I've seen, taken from a few thousand websites).

Ya, it's definitely not perfect but it gives a rough idea.

[Lozz]

Obviously it's hard to get a solid number of users, but Fedora has managed to show that they have about 2 million unique users, I figure Ubuntu probably has around twice that much judging by the popularity. openSuSE announced not long ago that their had either their 1 millionth download or user, but either way they're probably looking at around a million users themselves. So, between three of the largest distributions there is probably around 7 million people, give or take.

Mark Shuttleworth believed Ubuntu to have at least 8 million users at the end of 2006 but I should imagine a large number of those will be using a dual boot.

[Hex_Mandos]

Novell claims there are more than 30 million Linux users. I'm from Argentina, and we're definitely number 2 here (for instance, I know my bank uses Linux, last time I renewed my account I peeked into the employee's monitor and saw KDE). Mac is growing at a fast rate, though.

[hobieone]

like previous posted said and i agree this is largly up for debate. but personally susp there are a lage number of linux users like myself that eith dual boot or have one windows pc and one linux pc.
i also believe that the number is definatly growing due to other companies besides dell are starting to ofer pc with linux on them now like i reading epson is getting ready to market to the us a computer they been selling in japan since 2006 that has turbolinux on it

[Adamant1988]

Mark Shuttleworth believed Ubuntu to have at least 8 million users at the end of 2006 but I should imagine a large number of those will be using a dual boot.

Shuttleworth has every reason to be optimistic about that number. I'm betting it's more around 4-6 million, myself, using Ubuntu. 4 for the sake of being conservative with the figures.


Novell claims there are more than 30 million Linux users. I'm from Argentina, and we're definitely number 2 here (for instance, I know my bank uses Linux, last time I renewed my account I peeked into the employee's monitor and saw KDE). Mac is growing at a fast rate, though.

Again, Novell has EVERY reason to want to suggest that there are tons of Linux users out there. It doesn't make it so, though. I'm more inclined to believe that Linux is in a close 3rd place behind Apple.

[jonny]

The problem is that it's very hard to even ask the question properly. Do we count users or computers? If we count computers, what about dual booting? Do virtual machines count twice? If we count users, what about people who regularly use different machines (eg home, work, laptop) and does it matter if they use some machines more than others? Do power users who are addicted to their PCs count for more than someone who only checks their emails once a month? If we counted user-hours, that would exclude servers. Counting processor cycles might give an unfair advantage to badly written code. Machine hours would disadvantage systems with good standby facilities. Web page counters are heavily skewed by their target audience, geography and language.

In short, the question can't really be answered although, by most of these measures, Linux's share would probably lie somewhere between 0.1% (perhaps a web counter on a cookery site) and 10% (a share of processor cycles - Linux us widely used in data centres). The important thing is the trend - choose a measure and stick to it, however flawed - and by most measures that appears to be resolutely upward. W3C's not a good example, as its users tend to be tech-savvy early adopters. Developers have known about Linux for years and growth in this area will be slow, hence their relatively stable Linux figures.

Net Applications http://marketshare.hitslink.com/ takes the other extreme - largely US based, English sites; OS X is much more popular in the US and this affects Linux's share - and shows a much lower market share for Linux at 0.75% for July, 0.61% for the year to date and 0.38% for 2006. The figures are small, but the trend is clear - Linux is beginning to break away from the software engineer's system and onto his mates' boxes. It'll take a few years before it's mainstream, though.

This is no surprise. 2-3 years ago, many Linux applications were powerful but breath-takingly ugly. No-one but a geek could love XCDRoast or DVD-Rip, but programs like FSpot or Tomboy are so simple and elegant that they inspire genuine envy amongst people stuck on less ergonomic platforms. My Linux boxes aren't just cheap and effective; they've become real objects of desire.

[DoctorMO]

It really makes more sense to do polls on how many people have heard of ubuntu, then a figure for how many have tried it and then a figure for how many use it regularly.

Do a big poll from each of the LoCo groups and collect all the info together, we can gather some solid stats to extrapolate against. just needs some organising.

[olieviya]

I think it really depends on how you use the term "use" in this particular case. I think practically all the people working in IT come in contact with Linux at some point or another, and all the people doing Computer Science have some basic knowledge, and thus have used a system with Linux.

[mangar]

I think that the actual number is closer to 0.1%, probably much lower.
Don't forget that many search engines (mainly Google) uses Linux machine to crawl the web.

Using anecdotal evidence, a large portion of my friends (me included) are CS and Eng. majors, and non bar me considers using Linux as a desktop machine, while many do use it at work (mostly Red Had variants).

I'll be incredibly surprised, actually, if the real number of desktop home machines running a variant of gnu/ linux exceeds a single million, where the vast majority are dual booting windows.

[HermanAB]

Pretty much everybody uses Linux every day. Linux is quite common in routers, servers, phone exchanges and cell phones. An IBM marketing manager estimated that there are at least 1 billion Linux systems.

In terms of desktop users, the numbers are much less though...