A truth: About once a year, someone proclaims very loudly that Linux is Dead with a capital "D" and that Microsoft, once again, is kicking the crap out of it in terms of market share. This year’s honor goes to Robin Harris at ZDNet with the article Windows kicks Linux to the curb.
Personally speaking I don’t think there’s any real way to know the true number of how many people are running Linux on the desktop or laptop. You can’t base it on sales of new computers because people can easily uninstall Windows and put Linux on a computer box. You can’t base it on web traffic statistics because someone using a Windows OS might be using a Linux OS next month – or maybe running a dual-boot system – or maybe using virtual session Windows inside Linux. You just never know.
Per the article linked above, netbook share does not dictate how much Linux is used or isn’t used – that much I know.
I think it’s safe to say Linux does have a foothold in the market simply for the reason people actually know what is and have heard of it. Is it the leading OS when bundled with new computers? No, and it never has been. This is because most people download it instead of actually buy it.
So.. yeah. Linux is "dead" yet again. But for a corpse it seems to be doing quite well.
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That was a hell of a brawl over at Robin’s article.
Although you can’t determine the coverage of Linux, it’s possible to determine its impact by the reaction from Microsoft. They don’t know how many people are using Linux either but they do know precisely how many licenses are MIA. Now look at title bestowed upon Windows 7: The Linux Killer. Thank you Microsoft.
it is dead =)
Okay, I don’t know what is so hard to figure out. Look at the total number of downloads of *nix. As far as it being dead, well, sorry, but this sounds like a piece of the usual Micro$oft marketing crap.
Is Linux dead? Look at all of the Enterprise editions of *nix being used.
Whatever, I really don’t think it is going anywhere soon. W7 isn’t even out yet and you have the usual Micro$soft minions running around spewing this drivel. Let’s wait and see if it even works right first.
Interesting…I have 5 out of 6 machines in my home and home office running Ubuntu (definitely a linux OS) and I don’t ever plan to go back to Windows. When my husband finally retires that one and only windows machine will also go to Linux.
Oh yes, most of my machines are new or have been upgraded in the last 18 months or so. They did come with Windows Vista, which I wiped totally, no dual boot…
I think it depends on if you want to spend outrageous sums of money and have someone spy on you constantly or if you want to try something new, something different and upgrade your skills in computing.
Marianne,
I agree with you. I have a Linux machine and a Windows machine and quite honestly, the only thing I use XP for is for Rhapsody and others where I have to deal with DRM. I am actually writing this from my Ubuntu machine.
It is really hard to beat the security and the privacy afforded by Linux… what is it, ummm 9 MILLION windows computers infected by the downadup virus?
Why is there really even a discussion about Linux v. Windows 7? Seriously.
Linux is definitely not dead. I install it on at least three computers a month and once those people get the hang of Linux, they tell me they have been installing it on their friends computers. So far they all have been telling me they will never go back to Windows.
Linux will become popular when it become truly easy to use and there are thousands of application out there that are also easy to load. Linux is not dead and never will be. Will it ever be as popular as Windows or Mac?…doubtful. Most people are just not into their computers. To most people a computer is a tool for accomplishing things. Most people don’t care how software works and don’t care to learn how it works….so long as it works. Most people don’t care to spend hours or days fussing with their computer to get it to work. Its better to spend the money and get something that is easy and has tons of applications. Personally, I would rather spend the money than spend the time…even if it is free.
I certainly understand people who don’t have the money but do have the time. I respect that in fact.
Um, there are already thousands of applications for it, and well, Ubuntu is pretty easy to use in my opinion.
Hopefully Open Source software will win out eventually.
GNU/Linux is the best collection of operating systems ever. Open source is always better than closed source, because it can be trusted. Who knows what goes on when Windows is running? Who even knows what the “open source” software for Windows even does? After all, Microsoft probably made the compiler, which may add “enhancements” to the software it produces, and the libraries used are probably still closed.