The number of people using Linux on their home computers reached 5% for the first time this year, according to numbers tracked by StatCounter. And that's not including ChromeOS and other tailored cuts. The threshold, marking a certain level of success for free software advocates and users, was so long in coming that even the old jokes don't make sense anymore: are even 5% of computers sold to consumers desktops nowadays?
While the 5.03% is exciting, I believe the actual number of Linux users could be much higher. Here's why:
Tracking Limitations: These statistics are gathered using website trackers. Many Linux users, being privacy-focused, use tools that can obscure their operating system or switch their user agent. This means some Linux users might be misidentified.
The "Unknown" Factor: The "Unknown" category currently accounts for 4.76% of the desktop market in the USA. It's highly probable that a significant portion of this "Unknown" share consists of Linux systems operating discreetly. Some of it could also be bots or crawlers.
Chrome OS
Windows is way out ahead, but sharply declining in this measure, with 63.2% of users. OS X/MacOS has 24.29%. ChromeOS is on 2.71%. All this represents less than half of modern browsing, now that everyone has a supercomputer in their pocket.
Sk at OSTechnix puts Linux's growing share down to the infested condition of Windows 11, Microsoft's pushy treatment of users, the rise of Linux (i.e. SteamOS) as an alternative platform for games, and Linux distributions passing vague but important usability thresholds for nontechnical users. I might suggest the further simplification of "my computer came with Linux and nothing has gone wrong with it."
Previously:
• Relive the sublime perfection of Windows 95 in your Linux desktop environment
• MacOs, Windows and Linux running simultaneously on an old PC
• Hot Dog Linux, for people who really do love their vintage desktops
