this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Hmm is this really happening so fast? It's a little hard to believe.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I suspect it's a bump due to Windows Recall. I know I fully switched because of it after 25 years of off and on the Linux Desktop. And I will not be going back.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago (5 children)

I suspect it's a bump due to Windows Recall.

I don't believe it that much. It may just be the Steam Deck's financial success. But everything is possible.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago

100% switched because of Recall. Been a Linux user on and off for 20 years, windows was my daily driver for the past 5 or so (windows 10 was OK in my mind). Once Recall was announced, I bounced back to Linux. Having Steam popularize gaming on Linux has helped a ton

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Maybe not, but, anecdotally, I know of a number of people who have made the switch because of Recall. Steam Deck surely adds to it, but people who have the choice to stop using Windows seem to be doing so.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Maybe not, but, anecdotally, I know of a number of people who have made the switch because of Recall.

Tbh I don't get it. Wasn't this feature only on Copilot+ PCs that almost nobody had? Why did so many switch if it wasn't even confirmed that it's coming to regular x86 machines? I always find it extremely weird.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Microsoft showed their hand and for some it was the last straw. It might not come to non-copilot pcs (for now) but they showed users they are OK with turning the OS into spyware.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Imo Windows is not even an OS anymore.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

Agreed. It’s mostly an ad delivery platform these days. Can be somewhat OK if you have a DNS based blocker but hard to block built in spyware.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Why did so many switch if it wasn’t even confirmed that it’s coming to regular x86 machines?

Panic.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

Or they see the writing on the wall

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Considering this is browser stats I doubt the steam deck has much to do with it, the steam deck is all about never opening anything other than steam.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

Are you sure Steam is not one of the data suppliers for it though?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I wasnt thrilled about upgrading to win11 - it adds an irritating layer of stuff that I didnt want or need. The ads and telemetry bugged me too. I was probably going to reluctantly upgrade at some point though.

But then recall was announced and I realised how much worse it could get. Been really happy with the switch to Linux.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Mint cinnamon 21, then upgraded to 22.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Steam deck alone isn't much. It's not even popular in a lot of places in the world. But there are a lot of things happening in the market, and each small factor adds up to a general trend. So, there's no single factor that we can point that will explain the linux growth in marketshare.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Yes, although it's not evenly distributed. Much of this rise is due to India doing some heavy lifting - they're on like 16%, and they're not exactly a small population.

Most places are in the 1.5-3.5% range.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Even 3.5% is quite a lot imo.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Indeed it is. But this is also calculated based on monthly page views, so it only really covers devices that are used in that month.

There's a non-trivial amount of Windows users that have a dusty laptop that they only pull out when they need to write a document or fill in a form that they got emailed, and will otherwise do all their computing on their phone.

My guess would be that Mac and Linux have fewer of these types of users? But who knows. I have a couple of Linux devices that I almost never use πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I've seen many people having Linux on such devices so idk either.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

You should go to your local university or knowledge center. The percentage is like 10%-20%

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

That's what she said

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

There's some kind of network effect associated to it, so the greater the numbers, the more likely to grow even more, and faster. For example, when linux was used only by a very few people in IT, most people were unlikely to even give it a try, but now that every class or working group are likely to have one or two linux users, more people will be likely to try it, and so on.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yes, things move very fast if you haven't noticed sugar pie