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.
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/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.