Linux market share on desktop computers reaches an all-time high

[p51d007]

If it’s so great, why’s everyone still on Windows if it’s literally Satan as an OS?

Because 99% of the corporate world uses software & hardware that only runs "on windows".

 

[b3rdm4n]

How do you know someone is a Linux user?

Don't worry, they'll tell you.

 

[LetTheWookieWin]

I doubt Microsoft would ever make Windows a subscription. They copy most of their ideas of Apple and Google, so I think most likely they will stop allowing exe's and force all app sales through Windows store where they add a 30% commission. They would make far more money doing that than trying to do subscriptions and potentially driving away users.

That’s certainly a possibility. Though forcing people into an App Store ecosystem would also drive people away in droves. I would be one of them.

 

[yRaz]

How do you know someone is a Linux user?

Don't worry, they'll tell you.

We totally will

 

[toooooot]

Win 11 probably helped a lot.
I have occasional BSOD crashes.
I forgot those existed on Win 10...

 

[dad0ts]

If this is true, 4% is amazing result. Long-term trend of desktop GNU/Linux MS is:

• 1991-1993. 0%
  20 years. Mar 2013: 1%
  8 years. Mar 2021: 2%
  2 years. Sep 2023: 3%
  6 mnths. Mar 2024: 4%

If such acceleration keeps going, we arrive at 10% by 2025?

 

[brunocasarini]

Linux will never be an option for most serious users. I'm an audio production specialist, and there isn't a Linux version or substitute for a single program I use to make a living, and will not integrate with my company's network. I wish Linux was an option, but it just isn't, never has been, and never will be. It's great for servers and the like, and is a fun hobby OS, but is not a threat to Windows and never will be.

That's true. I work in the TI department of an engineering company in Brazil and unfortunately there's no Autodesk, Adobe, Corel and other well established software companies available for Linux. Similar free software simply don't have the features as the paid ones do.

IMHO, Microsoft pays them not to develop Linux versions of their programs.

 

[liljom]

Linux will never be an option for most serious users. I'm an audio production specialist, and there isn't a Linux version or substitute for a single program I use to make a living, and will not integrate with my company's network. I wish Linux was an option, but it just isn't, never has been, and never will be. It's great for servers and the like, and is a fun hobby OS, but is not a threat to Windows and never will be.

You are right. But most user is not "serious". I don't know if my wife used her PC outside the browser the last 4 years

 

[kukoljaleksandar]

Linux is, in some flavors / variants. already better OS than Windows. However, it will never reach Windows in terms of market share based on OS quality.

It was never about OS quality - the OS must be good enough. but not necessarily the best. However, Windows has such long-term support (software from 1992 working on Win11 with few easy steps) and such backwards compatibly that no-one can even come close. And I do not see that change anytime soon.

Backward compatibility is not a Linux thing, so... Windows will be there, no matter how bad or bloated it becomes.

It is becoming bloated because it is no longer an important product for Microsoft, it is only a vessel for other stuff - just like Google does. After Nadella, Microsoft went to full-Google mode and now we have what we have.

On the other side, Windows will surely die without development, and Linux will increase market share slowly, due to simple fact - more and more things are being moved to cloud, to browser - in couple of years, maybe decade, whole OS will be nothing more than browser. Microsoft is working on that too, because Win apps are no longer developed - it is obvious. And then it will not be important is Microsoft or Linux beneath...

 

[lonetac]

Because 99% of the corporate world uses software & hardware that only runs "on windows".

I came here to say the same exact thing.

The world runs on MS because MS is the only one that can do it right now. Just look at how many hoops you have to jump through to support mac os or linux on an AD environment. There is no real alternative when it comes to corporate environments.

I applaud JAMF and Centrify for trying but both are light years behind a true MS network.

 

[erickmendes]

Give me full game compability and I don't care for the OS. I would even pay a monthly fee with a happy smile. Just make it run games well.
(seems like the path Windows is going anyway..)

 

[axiomatic13]

I dual boot Linux Mint and Windows 11. But I have moved my productivity software to Linux as well as my companies systems. You cannot argue with "free."

 

[loki1944]

Lol; that's pretty close to 0. Also what are the "unknown" and "other" OSs?

 

[loki1944]

Give me full game compability and I don't care for the OS. I would even pay a monthly fee with a happy smile. Just make it run games well.
(seems like the path Windows is going anyway..)

that's why I keep going to windows; if I want stuff like games to work right it's the only real choise; I don't want to play system administrator simulator to run games without issues.

 

[loki1944]

Linux is, in some flavors / variants. already better OS than Windows. However, it will never reach Windows in terms of market share based on OS quality.

It was never about OS quality - the OS must be good enough. but not necessarily the best. However, Windows has such long-term support (software from 1992 working on Win11 with few easy steps) and such backwards compatibly that no-one can even come close. And I do not see that change anytime soon.

Backward compatibility is not a Linux thing, so... Windows will be there, no matter how bad or bloated it becomes.

It is becoming bloated because it is no longer an important product for Microsoft, it is only a vessel for other stuff - just like Google does. After Nadella, Microsoft went to full-Google mode and now we have what we have.

On the other side, Windows will surely die without development, and Linux will increase market share slowly, due to simple fact - more and more things are being moved to cloud, to browser - in couple of years, maybe decade, whole OS will be nothing more than browser. Microsoft is working on that too, because Win apps are no longer developed - it is obvious. And then it will not be important is Microsoft or Linux beneath...

That's pretty optimistic; I say linux will never take off since it clearly is still struggling for a mere pittance of Microsoft's control; the lack of standardization and quality control on linux is what will forever keep it from being mainstream. When it comes to the mass consumer if you can't K.I.S.S. then you are done.

 

[loki1944]

Win 11 probably helped a lot.
I have occasional BSOD crashes.
I forgot those existed on Win 10...

That's weird; yeah I'm still on Windows 10 and it's pretty rare to get a crash/non working program. I can't say the same for my linux experience; it was more the rule to have a problem; not the exception.

 

[LimyG]

It'll take decades, if ever. I've used Linux, and some Linux applications. All were unpolished, buggy, missing critical capabilities, etc. I'm 62. The change won't come in my lifetime, as much as I wish it would.

Well I'm 56, so, perhaps I'll make it? mmmm.

 

[Guillermo Belli]

Marketing.

And new computers ship with Windows already, most people don't know any better.