[PCWorld] Why Linux on the Desktop Is Dead - Page 7  

I'd say your blue screens are an isolated incident. Mine doesn't do this, been using it for months. Keep in mind, it's a beta that you're using. Also, you do click the mouse for the start menu. Down in the lower right hand corner like always.

The problem is, market share statistics are incredibly skewed. A lot of Linux users are also counted in the Windows statistics, and aren't counted in the Linux statistics at all because market statistics only include purchases.

For example:

User A: I built my PC, and put Linux on it that I obtained for free.
User B: I built my PC, and bought a copy of RHEL to use on it.
User C: I bought a prebuilt with Windows 7 and replaced the operating system with Linux.

Users A and C are NOT included in market statistics as using Linux. Furthermore, user C is considered a Windows 7 user according to market statistics, and user B is the only user considered to be using Linux as far as the market is concerned.

This is the problem with staring at numbers and not paying attention to what is actually happening in the world. Linux on the desktop isn't as big as I could hope for it be, but it certainly isn't dead. This article is from a sensationalist journalist point of view...and it irritates me.

This article is based off of bad data

They claim browser market-share is source
IE 54%
Fire Fox 20%
Chrome 19%


and for Mobile/Tablet OS source
IOS 63%
Android 19 %
Java 12%

So I tried to look into the numbers. Their data collections is based on usage from "over 40,000 websites" and the actual methodology is hidden. I will make the assumption that most people who install and use Firefox and Chrome take additional steps to further secure the browser (noscript, Do Not Track Plus) Both which would prevent the data collection. Now, Linux users are generally either on the high end of computer experience and are much more likely to have additional security features or are non experienced users on systems set up by the high end users specifically to provide security.

So if you are seeing 1% market share for Linux. How many more computers go untracked?

IMO Mint or Lubuntu should be the default desktop on most of the home PCs out there. I have converted plenty of my non-technical friends and relatives to Lubuntu. The interface is similar to windows. Most of the configuration settings they use are GUI driven and easy to use. As far as the author saying Linux was more difficult, most of the issues he complains about are easily resolved through a Google search and honestly have much easier to understand solutions than Windows. Those who have a lower computing knowledge would be better server being on Linux because they will end up with more secure systems that will be less venerable to user error. Plus teaching someone "If it asks you for your password and you don't know exactly what its doing, don't type it in" is a lot easier then teaching safe computing on a windows machine.

Don't forget User D! ( for the short time it was around ), Dell, Asus, eeePC offered Ubuntu on prebuilts. But it went mostly unnoticed by a lot of people.

MIT Athena Clusters Source

I know its a isolated incident its to do with the grpahics card, and errrm you dont havnt you seen the new interface design? there is no start button and has been no "start button" since vista but serioulsy its now gone for good XD


And dell still offer Ubuntu they just dont like it

1. I first used Ubuntu to save time (Windows XP service pack 3 takes forever to get installed), and it did everything I needed it to do.

2. I've had to delve into forums and the Microsoft Knowledge base plenty of times to get things working on Windows, IMO the only reason the author thinks that Linux is so much extra work is that he hasn't been using it for decades already.

3. No one has ever been able to get a truly accurate picture of Linux usage, I'm sure the author of the article picket the most pessimistic survey he could find.

Touche... I stand corrected.


You have to go to the premier technological institute on the planet before you can start using linux campus wide.


Also the pakistan comment? Does anyone know why engineer graduates in the U.S. are primarily from South and South East Asia? Its not because there are no universities in those parts of the world. It is because we have the best University system in the world. If linux was the end all be all. Everyone would be using it.

Yeah... No. sometimes I get pissed off with my phone and just get off the sofa to use the PC.

Linux will never be a mainstream desktop OS..... until a major corporation pushes it. If a major corporation is supporting it, they have an ulterior motive.

You != Everyone.


People are using their smartphones/tablets more and more as their primary computing device.