After 30 Years, Linux Finally Hits 3% Market Share
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Linux enthusiasts rejoice! After a long journey, according to StatCounter's data, by June 2023, Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share.
  • Akari@lemmy.ml
    1091·
    1 year ago

    The true year of linux is not any specific year or a userbase percentage but when linux is widely preinstalled on consumer hardware without nerds needing to recommend to people to install it themselves

    The steamdeck is the first step to that future

    • ForbiddenRoot@lemmy.ml
      22·
      1 year ago

      In my region (India), for a while, there seemed to be plenty of laptops available with Linux installed as an option. Then again in the last few years that seems to have withered down to almost none, sometimes even if the same model is available with Linux in some other regions. I am not sure what changed. Perhaps some deal with Microsoft. The good part is that the fact that they do support Linux elsewhere on the same laptop configuration generally means its easy to get it up and running yourself even if it does not come pre-installed.

      In any case, as an old-timer, it’s very impressive to me how much hardware Linux supports nowadays without any drama at all. Not to mention all the progress made in software especially in supporting Windows-only games, which is truly magical work by the Wine / Proton teams. As far as I am concerned the “Year of Linux Desktop” is here already since I can use it daily without missing absolutely anything at all from Windows.

      • Anarch157a@lemmy.worldOP
        9·
        1 year ago

        That was the same in Brazil, where I live. This scared the beejesus out of Microsoft, so they created special, cheaper version for developing countries to counter it.

    • Botree@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      Steam Deck is the first taste I get of Linux. I’ve always had this fear of not being able to fully utilize a Linux OS due to my lack of skills in coding, but I find myself looking into it more ever since I got a Steam Deck. It may just be the right excuse I need to git gud in coding.

    • BaumGeist@lemmy.ml
      31·
      1 year ago

      The steamdeck is the first step to that future

      I’m sure people said the same about android

      I get that SteamOS is an actual desktop distro, and that’s closer to a daily driver than any android or bespoke *nix compatible SOC OS, but I doubt we’ll see this spread from steamdeck to daily drivers, unless…

      Unless linux can offer some feature windows/mac/ios do not, or at least market itself as doing so the way that Apple does, and get the overwhelming majority of tech consumers—who want nothing more than to keep up with the joneses and see the hardware specs numbers get bigger—to FOMO into it

      Unfortunately that would conflict with the most enticing features it does have that no one else does: a code of ethics that are inherently anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian. And honestly, who wants every Linux community, online or off, flooded with consumers who only care about the newest Feature™ and have no care about maintaining software freedom?

      • vd1n@lemmy.ml
        4·
        1 year ago

        The only thing I see holding people back is software availability. If it could run adobe and games natively I don’t see why anyone would want to pay for windows.

        • BaumGeist@lemmy.ml
          1·
          1 year ago

          run adobe and games natively

          1. adobe sucks for the same reasons I alluded to in my last paragraph. Money-grubbing corporation company hurts developers by patenting, trademarking, and copyrighting every minor feature in their programs to the point where FOSS alternatives have to bend over backwards to find ways to implement some of the same functionality. The problem isn’t linux, the problem is adobe, the problem is profit-motive, the problem is capitalism.

          2. IDK what distro you use, but I’m using Debian, and it does run games natively–nearly half of the ones I own on steam. Not all of them, but that’s not Linux’s fault, that’s not Gnu’s fault, that’s not Debian’s fault: they already offer compatibility layers and yet that’s not good enough for everyone, and there’s not much they can do beyond that outside of building a windows clone (or at least a partial clone) that would probably get them sued. To run natively, the devs would have to compile it to run on Linux and the ones that don’t are making the choice to not do so–consciously or not, because of profits or not; it’s hard to say why, even indie devs who make free games as a hobby sometimes choose not to, so it’s not as easily dismissed with “because capitalism”

          That all being said, the “software availability” criticism can cut both ways. I’ve found so many tools and utilities and apps and FOSS programs that are only made available for linux (unless one is willing to port them oneself), and there isn’t an app or program I use everyday that I haven’t found a linux-compatible alternative for. The glaring exception being games; to me that wasn’t a huge deal, I’ll bite that bullet because I’d rather go without kernel-privileged spyware for an OS–and the same for an anti-cheat engine–than play a triple-A on maximum graphics, play online multiplayers that require microsecond reaction time, or other such use cases where Proton actively hinders UX. Like I said, I’d rather have anti-authoritarian computers than worry about keeping up with the performance spec joneses

        • moon_matter@kbin.social
          11·
          1 year ago

          Software is definitely at the top of the list in terms of reasons. But the UX/UI definitely leaves something to be desired. I sigh heavily every time an application asks me to edit a text-based config file instead of giving me a GUI. It’s an unnecessary, error-prone process and most importantly I have better things to do than read yet another page of documentation. That doesn’t mean I want the config file to go away, it’s still very useful for a variety of reasons. But I shouldn’t have to mess around with it just to remap keys or other common tasks. Editing a config file should be a last resort for an end user.

          You see similar problems when relying on the terminal. I don’t like this idea of the end user being allowed to mess around without a safety net or some sort of guidance.

        • BaumGeist@lemmy.ml
          1·
          1 year ago

          True, but Apple has already pivoted to being the “privacy-friendly” OS/devices. Whether or not that’s true–I don’t know for certain (I have a hunch, though)–they have much more visibility and influence and marketing, and therefore will cement themselves in people’s minds that way.

          Besides, I like the idea of Linux existing outside the capitalist paradigm; instead of competing with the big names in the market, it’s on the outskirts playing its own game and absolutely crushing it. It has survived decades based almost entirely on word of mouth between computer nerds instead of vying for attention in the mainstream. As a technology it has achieved the platonic ideal: it is so good at what it does that it doesn’t need marketing, it survives solely on reputation and quality and user upkeep.

  • wiggles@programming.dev
    36·
    1 year ago

    The reddit API debacle sent me down a Lemmy, FOSS, Linux, privacy, hacker rabbit hole that I will hopefully and happily never have to leave. My eyes are opened to a better future. I’ll probably be duel booting windows for awhile still to keep up for my job, but I have been able to start transitioning away pretty easily thanks to the hard work of linux desktop devs. I am so grateful for the FOSS community and hope to contribute myself someday.

  • Ziro@lemmy.world
    23·
    1 year ago

    I know it’s not a very Linuxy distro, but Linux Mint (Cinnamon) is so easy to use, especially for Windows users. I’ve completely replaced Windows (and with better software), aside from using Windows for a few games that require it. I used Ubuntu, Suse, and Fedora long ago, but for me, Mint takes the proverbial cake.

    • Cevedale@feddit.de
      3·
      1 year ago

      The nice thing is that you can test out what you like about linux on mint cinnamon.

      I installed it to get to know Linux “the soft way” and now love to use the terminal and got to know a buch of underlying concepts and whatnot. And I still use and love mint cinnamon.

      A friend installed it and hasn’t configured anything, just uses its GUI and is very happy that way.

      So I think the creators really hit the balance of ease of use and possibility to tinker, while ensuring great stability (“it just works”). Big props btw.

    • vd1n@lemmy.ml
      2·
      1 year ago

      My favorite is fedora. Ubuntu second. It’s alright but it’s bloated. I have a thing for gnome.

      Kde plasma and other kde stuff seems promising too.

      Eventually id like to use arch.

    • PurpleGreen@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 year ago

      I’m a linux user in the past 20years, and used to work with high maintenance / cutting edge distros like arch but grew tired and now use exclusively mint. Very stable, quiet, beautiful ux (tho cinnamon can look more modern).

      • Gork@lemmy.ml
        1·
        1 year ago

        Perhaps. But by then it certainly would be the year of the Linux desktop by then. What other operating system can handle years that long, starting from Jan 1, 1970 to Jan 1, 6.460263446E+5814. Linux, that’s what.

    • bump@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 year ago

      Well what if I install Linux on my “free school Chromebook/Windows laptop/MacBook”?

  • ShustOne@lemmy.one
    15·
    1 year ago

    I love Linux but I’ve been hearing this song since 2002. I’d love for it to grow bigger but we should stop framing it as the year of Linux.

    • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 year ago

      Android sits on top of linux so linux is already by far the most widely used operating system in the world in consumer devices.

  • puffy@lemmy.ml
    177·
    1 year ago

    I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

    Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

    There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!

    • DarkenLM@kbin.social
      34·
      1 year ago

      “I use Linux as my operating system,” I state proudly to the unkempt, bearded man. He swivels around in his desk chair with a devilish gleam in his eyes, ready to mansplain with extreme precision. “Actually”, he says with a grin, "Linux is just the kernel. You use GNU+Linux!’ I don’t miss a beat and reply with a smirk, “I use Alpine, a distro that doesn’t include the GNU Coreutils, or any other GNU code. It’s Linux, but it’s not GNU+Linux.”

      ​

      The smile quickly drops from the man’s face. His body begins convulsing and he foams at the mouth and drops to the floor with a sickly thud. As he writhes around he screams “I-IT WAS COMPILED WITH GCC! THAT MEANS IT’S STILL GNU!” Coolly, I reply “If windows were compiled with GCC, would that make it GNU?” I interrupt his response with “-and work is being made on the kernel to make it more compiler-agnostic. Even if you were correct, you won’t be for long.”

      ​

      With a sickly wheeze, the last of the man’s life is ejected from his body. He lies on the floor, cold and limp. I’ve womansplained him to death.

    • huojtkeg@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      There are some OS like Alipine Linux that relay on the Linux kernel but don’t use GNU userland.

  • Lemmchen@feddit.deEnglish
    4·
    1 year ago

    Year of the Linux desktop (as my daily driver) has been 2017 for me. Nowadays I dread having to work with Windows.

    • slimsalm@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      I like your thinking, I have a dual boot on laptop with windows 11 and LMDE installed, and its been a while since I booted to windows for personal use. Unfortunately for me I am still dependant of windows until Autodesk decides they will create the software I use for the linux environment as well. Until then, I’ll rock on with personal “freedom” of linux, while I’m a slave to the corporate / microsoft

      • Lemmchen@feddit.deEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        I still have a Windows 10 gaming machine that gets fired up occasionally to be honest. Originally it was a VM on my Linux system, but I had some issues with cache latency and anti-cheat, so I’d figured I need a dedicated system. Nowadays I game as much as possible on my Steam Deck, though. But I think in a year or two I will switch that Windows system over to Linux as well. Gaming on Linux has gotten that good.

    • Dubious_Fart@lemmy.ml
      6·
      1 year ago

      Check out protondb.

      Pretty much the only thing you cant play are games with really nasty AntiCheat/DRM.

      Everything else, if its not good now? It’ll probably be good in a update or two from proton/GE

    • SirFredman@lemmy.ml
      2·
      1 year ago

      I’ve been playing most of my games on Linux since, well, years. When Valve introduced Proton it made things even easier, and currently I just enable Proton Experimental on Windows games and it just, works…really impressive when you think about it :)

      • Madnessx9@lemmy.world
        1·
        1 year ago

        How is the experience with online multiplayer?

        I’ve enjoyed using my steamdeck and that OS. Would happily install a desktop variant of SteamOS when available but I mainly play single player games on the deck, I worry I won’t be able to enjoy a number of multiplayer games.

        • Kes@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          1·
          1 year ago

          Depends on the game’s anticheat. ProtonDB is a site that tracks Steam Deck (and Linux in general) support for games. You can check what you play to see if it would run on Linux with Proton, the tool Steam uses to run Windows games on Linux. If you want a desktop similar to SteamOS, any distro that supports KDE Plasma will have the same desktop as SteamOS’ desktop mode, with the new Big Picture Mode on Steam being the Steam Deck’s game mode

    • Andrenikous@lemm.ee
      1·
      1 year ago

      I’ve dabbled in linux for years but could never break my reliance on windows. I got a Steam deck and realized there was enough compatibility to justify moving to linux. So I just recently gave a flavor of linux called Nobara a shot. It’s by a Red Hat engineer that contributes heavily to getting games working in linux through Proton. My experience has been way better but I wouldn’t say perfect. I think it’s worth checking out to see if it works for you.

  • wheeldawg@sh.itjust.works
    2·
    1 year ago

    I decided years ago to switch next time I change OS. I’m not ever getting Windows 11, but I’m still too much of a lazy bastard to move off Windows 10 til it stops getting support.

    Maybe a wild hair up my ass to do it early will hit, but at the latest I’ll switch when 10 is dead. Or if I decide to finally build a new machine to update my poor dinosaur it’ll have Linux day 1.

    In the meantime I’ll have to do some homework on proton and such to learn what I’m getting into with games so I can hit the ground running.

    • Anarch157a@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      1 year ago

      You a want a suggestion on how to make the dive easier ? Install Linux on a USB stick.

      Any old 32GB USB thumb drive will do. Linux is way smarter in how it handles storage devices, so you can boot it from a USB stick and it will be just as happy as if you installed it on an SSD or HDD. All you have to do is tell the installer to use the stick as the destination when installing. Then you can boot from it whenever you want and try out Steam and Proton.

      Heck, you can even take it with you and use it to boot other computers into you own pre-configured Linux.