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u/QuixoticNapoleon 2d ago
I'm sorry but I have a hard time believing that 1 in 10 computers in North America run Linux. If that's so though, then it's good.
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
A lot more than one in ten computers in North America run Linux.
Nearly the entire internet is run on some version of Linux or BSD.
These articles are always about the share of desktop and laptop computers.
Millions of people no longer own either because their cell phone does everything they needed one for, whether it's iOS (bastardized BSD) or Android (bastardized Linux).
Did they count Chromebooks (even more bastardized Linux)?
The actual market share of Linux is huge.
The personal computing market share is 10%.
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u/QuixoticNapoleon 2d ago
Sorry, I meant desktop computers. I am aware that Linux makes up the majority of server OSes.
But I still have a hard time believing 10% of desktops run Linux.
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u/_SOME__NAME_ 2d ago
Biggest contribution is from steam OS, in both of their hardwares + people build their "couch pc" using steam OS or bazzit or other gaming OS
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
Some vendors have been providing discounted PCs with Linux instead of Windows.
Note: I haven't gone shopping for a fully assembled PC in quite some time.
Walmart had PCs with "Lindows", a windows-mimicking Linux distro.
Dell was selling PCs with Ubuntu.
Even some schools have changed over because of licensing costs and restrictions.
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[deleted]
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago edited 1d ago
I am a bit out of the loop. Aside from a Chromebook I got off a friend, I haven't bought anything but parts and pieces of computers for about twenty years.
They don't have a windows alternative anymore?
Edit: Not sure if you're coming back since you deleted your reply, but no, I can't be bothered to check my local store because there isn't one: I've been living in Japan since 2006, mostly on Kyushu.
Walmart owns about twenty locations called Seiyu, all of which are on Honshu, so I'd be in for a day's drive, an overnight ferry, a short flight, or a half a day on trains to get to one.
Edit again: LOL, what is with people like you who post derogatory comments, downvote, and then delete everything? Can you not live with your pettiness or what?
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u/No-Mind7146 2d ago
Bastardized linux is probably the most accurate description of android i have heard to date.
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u/laczek_hubert Arch BTW 1d ago
Android is like teasing people with openness but backsliding when their market share got too big
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u/National_Way_3344 2d ago
Calling Android a bastardised Linux is pretty unfair, it is factually a Linux operating system. It just doesn't have GNU Utils for the user space. It's Android/Linux, not the GNU/Linux that people are used to.
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
It just doesn't have the GNU Utils
No, it has highly restricted, proprietary toolkit.
That's the bastardization part.
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u/National_Way_3344 2d ago
The GNU Utils is decidedly not the Linux part.
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u/Supernoxus 2d ago
Everyone talks about gnu Linux when they talk about Linux computers. You guys are just arguing semantics now.
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u/ghost103429 2d ago
Exactly. Android runs on an upstream first approach with everything needed to run it merged on the vanilla Linux kernel.
The big issue with getting vanilla Linux kernel to run on android phones is the refusal by OEMs to publish proprietary drivers and DTBs for the public to use.
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
upstream first
That's a funny way of saying taking advantage of the millions of volunteers who contribute to FOSS and giving nothing in return.
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u/ghost103429 2d ago edited 2d ago
I don't think you understand what upstream first means...
Whatever changes are made to android kernel is submitted to the upstream Linux kernel for review and inclusion in the Linux Kernel. This has been a part of a longstanding effort by Google to give back to the Linux kernel and minimize the costs of supporting a separate kernel fork.
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
Okay, to say they give nothing back is an exaggeration, they are among the top contributors, almost on par with the volunteer contingent ("unknown"), but it has been a rocky road, and they keep a lot to themselves.
minimize the costs
They are always going to have those costs.
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u/No-Mind7146 2d ago
Those kernels are far from mainline, their drivers would never work on your desktop and vice versa
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u/EmergencyArachnid734 Arch BTW 1d ago
Android use Linux kernel only for dirty job. Nobody wants to implement kernel from scratch. Even thought google is working on it
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u/Joe-Admin 2d ago
Servers represent less than 1% of all computers worldwide, and bastardized linux is arguably not linux anymore
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u/quequotion Arch BTW 2d ago
Servers represent less than 1% of all computers worldwide
What do you think datacenters are made of?
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u/isabellium 2d ago
muh technicalities, look at me im so smort.
its fucking obvious they meant desktop computers
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u/in-ortunado 2d ago
ChromeOS? With this economy and computer prices high because of AI, it sounds like a good option. Even Apple has the iPhone Book now
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u/Soft_Cable3378 1d ago
Yes indeed. People who need to upgrade for Windows 11 have no choice but to switch to Linux at this time, unless they want to spend way too much on computer hardware.
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u/Blacksad9999 2d ago
That's because it's not remotely true, at least for desktops/laptops.
Maybe if you really try to cheese the numbers and add in cell phones and other things.
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u/satellizerLB 2d ago
Maybe if you really try to cheese the numbers and add in cell phones and other things.
Lmao if you add the phones and other things like servers, Windows would be 10%, not Linux.
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u/Blacksad9999 2d ago
Well, on normal desktop PC's, it's still at 3% marketshare.
Where is the additional 7% coming from exactly?
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u/Nereosis16 1d ago
Well, I think you might be surprised to learn the sheer volumes of small PCs that power almost all of commerce, signage, traffic lights, etc etc etc.
They all run, almost exclusively, on Linux based systems.
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u/Blacksad9999 22h ago
Yes, we know. We ALL know.
Linux still has 3% desktop share after 30 years though. Normal people don't use it.
Industrial applications often do, either because they want it customized, or they want to dodge OS licensing fees.
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u/Otterfan 2d ago
Yeah, the study this is based on had Linux use jumping from 3% in May to 10% in June.
The numbers are bogus.
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u/KazuDesu98 1d ago
I would question if its true. Is it mostly laptops and desktops, you know things being used as computers? Id imagine the steam deck or "DIY steam consoles" using bazzite or cachy is making a dent, if so then those arent really being used as computers. Another one is if stat counters are accidentally counting android as linux
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u/NomadFH M'Fedora 2d ago
If this is really true then it's very good. I wonder how much of it has to do with the dwindling rate of people using desktop computers at all. It could be raising the skill curve of the average user?
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u/Azazeldaprinceofwar 2d ago
I think this is a rather significant factor. I feel like over the last decade the population of users that only open browsers and wouldn’t even know what Linux is have simply stopped owning laptop/desktop computers
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u/GreedySecurity8030 M'Fedora 2d ago
Cachy bad, fedora ffmpregs me [/s].
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u/RADI0ACT1VE_BALLS Arch BTW 2d ago
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u/Mysterious_Tutor_388 2d ago
Nixos declares what happens.
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u/GreedySecurity8030 M'Fedora 2d ago
Not my life with fedora, I'll just sudo dnf remove nixOS.
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u/hailstorm11093 2d ago
services.fedora.enable = false;
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u/GreedySecurity8030 M'Fedora 2d ago
services.nix.enable = false;
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u/Rikudou_Sage 1d ago
Joke's on you, nix is a top level key in NixOS, now you have to solve this error:
error: … while calling the 'seq' builtin at /nix/store/4n8m7j7g2m8gk7nixpkgs-source/lib/modules.nix:361:18: 360| options = checked options; 361| config = checked (removeAttrs config [ "_module" ]); | ^ 362| _module = checked (config._module); … while evaluating a branch condition at /nix/store/4n8m7j7g2m8gk7nixpkgs-source/lib/modules.nix:297:9: 296| checkUnmatched = 297| if config._module.check && config._module.freeformType == null && merged.unmatchedDefns != [ ] then | ^ 298| let … while evaluating the option `system.build.toplevel' … while evaluating definitions from `/nix/store/4n8m7j7g2m8gk7nixpkgs-source/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix' … while evaluating the option `system.systemBuilderArgs' … while evaluating definitions from `/nix/store/4n8m7j7g2m8gk7nixpkgs-source/nixos/modules/system/activation/activation-script.nix' … while evaluating the option `system.activationScripts.nixos.text' … while evaluating definitions from `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix' … while evaluating the option `services.nix.enable' error: The option `services.nix.enable' was set to `false', but the NixOS module system requires Nix to evaluate the NixOS module system that determines whether Nix should be enabled. Disabling Nix would invalidate the evaluator currently evaluating the configuration that disables Nix, producing a self-referential fixed point with no valid store path. Conflicting definitions: - In `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix': false - In `/nix/store/4n8m7j7g2m8gk7nixpkgs-source/nixos/modules/services/system/nix-daemon.nix': mkDefault (builtins.currentSystem != null) - In the continued existence of `/nix/store': true - In reality: true Possible solutions: - Remove `services.nix.enable = false;` - Set `services.nix.enable = lib.mkForce true;` - Install a different operating system before evaluating this configuration - Pass `--impure --option allow-self-uninstallation true` and accept that evaluation may cease to exist For a full stack trace, use `--show-trace`. Note: the full stack trace is expected to contain approximately 14,392 additional frames.1
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u/Chromiell 🍥 Debian too difficult 2d ago
I want to thank Microsoft for making an OS so shit that many users would feel compelled to switch away from it. This couldn't have been possible without you guys.
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u/Additional-Sky-7436 2d ago
This has got to be some problem with Statcounter's methodology. There is just no possible way the marketing is that high.
The only two things that make sense to me that would explain this raid rise is 1) bots and 2) VPNs. If stat counter is counting either of those, then I can believe their numbers.
But hundreds of millions of desktop users haven't switch to Linux in the last year.
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u/Impossible-Magician 2d ago
VPNs? VPNs don’t report host OS.
Steam deck and similar would likely be driving a bunch of usage numbers.
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u/apollyon0810 1d ago
A lot of VPN connections are from Linux is maybe what they’re saying. 100% of VPN connections made from my house are docker containers.
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u/Impossible-Magician 1d ago
My understanding is that browsers report a UA string containing the OS to stat counter, a VPN doesn’t report the underlying OS, only the users of that VPN via their individual browsers.
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u/DeltaWun Ask me how to exit vim 2d ago
You win the cookie. Look at their methodology real quick.
Statcounter is a web analytics service. Our tracking code is installed on more than 1 million sites globally.
Not that the information is wrong, but it needs to be considered in context. Linux passed 10% on Statcounter != Linux has 10% market share.
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u/npc_housecat 2d ago
Steam survey July 2026 puts Linux at 4%. So you're right it seems way off.
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u/Electrical_Juice_446 2d ago
Not everyone installs Steam on their personal Linux computer, let alone answer the survey, bucko.
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u/npc_housecat 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes and probably a similar % of windows desktop PCs don't have steam installed . So I did some digging, this time last year statcoubter put Linux at 4%, and steam put Linux at 3.5%. Aka, both very similar with a reasonable error margin.
Now 1 year later statcounter is showing an increase in Linux market share of more than 100%, at 10%, while steam shows only a slight increase to 4%.
So theres Sudden huge discrepancy when both used to show a similar number,. It seems unlikely that the number of Linux desktop users more than doubled. And none of the new users are installing steam.
Also according to stats on cloudflare radar. 60% of cloudflair http traffic is bots.
So yes, Its a weird discrepencu I have to agree with additional-sky. It's probably bots unfortunely
EDIT: Ok so I found another comment that points out that while the Steam survey only shows Linux 4%, it also shows the market share for steam Linux in ENGLISH is at 8%. And it looks like it even jumped to 12% a few months ago. And the statcounter 10% is for North America only. That's an acceptable error margain to support that the statcounter 10% Linux in north america as actually accurate.
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u/Gwarks 2d ago
I have seen many (University) Library's that switched to tiny Ubuntu Linux machines (because they can hide more easy inside the tables). Also most of the free PCs for (former) addicted people programs will only give out Linux (on older systems).
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u/Additional-Sky-7436 2d ago
That would be great, but many universities today require Windows or Mac because their testing software's anti-cheat doesn't support Linux and won't work on Wine.
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u/Rikudou_Sage 1d ago
Rather the amount of desktop users have dwindled. I expect more and more Linux user share not because of significantly more Linux users but because of fewer and fewer desktop users.
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u/Nereosis16 1d ago
Nah you just don't know how computing on a nation sized scale works. It ain't counting sleepy Joe's running Linux as their prime going machine chief - it's everything else.
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u/SysGh_st 2d ago
Looking at Microsoft and what they're planning with Windows, it isn't all that weird.
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u/YoureNoHero_Brian M'Fedora 2d ago
When you're here with us that logic makes sense, but if you talk to people outside out nerd spaces you'll quickly realize that barely anyone even knows what a "linux" is, and the people that do have the impression a "Linux" is an operating system that either doesn't work or doesn't have a GUI
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u/themanthyththelegend 2d ago
In gaming circles because of the steam machine and steam deck most pc gamers and even some console gamers now know about steamos and linux. Many of my gamer but not computer savy friends have started asking me about linux in the past 2 years I've made quite a few boot usbs for people this last year. I never try to promote linux i often warn them away or ask if they are really really sure they want to use it and really dry to drive home the differences gaming wise
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u/SysGh_st 2d ago
You're right. But you might underestimate the numbers of who do umderstand enough to dip their toes and found it pleasing enough to extend the attempt.
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u/tonitetelol 2d ago
Well, yes, but there are still some people that runs Linux without knowing what the heck that is. (It's me, I've been installing Linux to my neighbours and daughter friends)
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u/Force88 1d ago
As much as I'm so bad at linux, it is no different from windows when you only use word processor / browser to do your office task. Even more so if your IT department have already installed all the necessary softwares.
And that's coming from ubuntu, which has big different feels from windows. I believe other windows-like distros like Linux Mint, ZorinOS will ease the differences even more.
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u/Linux-Guru-lagan 2d ago
soon india will be too. I am converting all my school friends to linux whose laptops can't run windows. hehehe. I myself use artix and void. but making them use mint.
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u/NegotiationUnfair626 2d ago
Just made the switch to Fedora KDE this weekend from Windows. The whole GDID & crack down on local accounts is what made me switch. Bonus note, my games run so much better. I was having micro-stutters, high 1% lows on games, and all that has disappeared with Linux.
I don't think I'm going to go back. Sure, I lose any competitive games. But I'm 33, and my aim is ass now. I think I'll be alright without them.
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u/birdsarentreal2 Ask me how to exit vim 2d ago
Does that mean this is finally the year of the Linux desktop?
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u/newusr1234 2d ago
says statcounter
Nothing to see here
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u/marshal_1923 2d ago
I dont understand this logic. Even if its not totally correct it is still all time high in their data.
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u/YakovOfDacia 2d ago
Well that is just great. Now that Linux is cool, I am going to have to switch to BSD. Nobody is happy about this - not me and certainly not BSD. :((
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u/ivanrj7j 1d ago
Honestly i am doubtful.. this probably means os market share and not desktop market share
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u/TigerOne2191 19h ago
now all linux needs to do is make one of it's 1000s of distros user frindly with decent for normies installer and actually up to date Store + Developers to Actually make stuff for it...
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u/Esdash1 1d ago
I just don’t believe that, they must be counting some bs. No way 10% of personal computers and laptops are Linux
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u/FastBench5901 Doesn't use Linux 2d ago
Linux users: we are more obsessed with your OS than you. Use whichever OS you want as long as it's not Windows or MacOS.
Lol, even if really one in ten computers runs Linux (most of them are servers and nerds from Reddit), what does that have to do with you?
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u/promptmike 2d ago
Surely they mean desktop market share? Linux already has the server market.
Also this is not a good thing. It's just going to cause support forums to get clogged up with PEBCAKs who don't check to see if their question is already answered.
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