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Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

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Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#241

Post by Johnny555 »

fsflover wrote: post #208
Johnny555 wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I chose the opposite, I run OSX as my primary os and Linux in a VM for when I want Linux (which is pretty much just for developing stuff that will run on a Linux server). I used to run Linux as my primary desktop OS, but got tired of things almost, but not completely working. Things like not always waking from sleep, sound, fingerprint reader, etc.

Looks like your problems come from unsupported hardware, not Linux.

Yes, the hard part about Linux is finding well supported hardware, I chose a Lenovo laptop that supposedly worked well with Linux, and it mostly did.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#242

Post by DeathArrow »

nomilk wrote: post #70
DiabloD3 wrote: post #49

I wonder why they keep making these articles. Linux is on more computers both today and all of the computers ever made put together than any other OS. It is on virtually all servers on the Internet, the majority OS on phones, its in many TVs and STBs and streaming sticks, its one of the few OSes ever in space, its one of the few OSes ever on Mars, and it is also the OS behind ChromeOS (which that article mistakenly b…

> its one of the few OSes ever on Mars When explaining linux to skeptical non-techies, I tell them it's the OS running the nuclear submarines right now. Suddenly they're more confident it can handle their ecommerce dashboard.

That's like trying to advertise tractors to people that want a sport car.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#243

Post by MattPalmer1086 »

EGreg wrote: post #109

Meanwhile Wordpress powers 40% of all websites Basically the difference is that open source needs experts to maintain it, so it works really well for server side stuff and predefined environments. Not as much for desktop.

I'd argue it is more inertia and lock in, and the fact that the vast majority of desktop PCs come pre-installed with Windows.

Honestly, I spend less time maintaining my Linux desktops than I do fixing the Windows boxes in my house. Had to reinstall Windows completely several times to fix issues with updates not applying and other things that just don't work properly. And don't get me started on the endlessly nested configuration UI in Windows, some bits are modern, some bits seem to date back to XP, nothing is in one place.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#244

Post by Bancakes »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #49

I wonder why they keep making these articles. Linux is on more computers both today and all of the computers ever made put together than any other OS. It is on virtually all servers on the Internet, the majority OS on phones, its in many TVs and STBs and streaming sticks, its one of the few OSes ever in space, its one of the few OSes ever on Mars, and it is also the OS behind ChromeOS (which that article mistakenly b…

So literally everything other than normal users having a polished out PC OS.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#245

Post by zirgs »

76SlashDolphin wrote: post #123
haunter wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By that logic these articles should be about FreeBSD/NetBSD not Linux cause they have more presence by running on every PS3/PS4/PS5. Roughly ~250m compared to the 3m

But other than through unofficial modding how many of those expose an open BSD environment? The Steam Deck has a desktop mode as a selling point which functions exactly like a Linux desktop.

That desktop mode is very inconvenient to use in handheld mode so the vast majority of users use it only to apply fixes to specific games, install emulators and the like and then switch back to the Steam GUI asap.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#246

Post by DeathArrow »

fsflover wrote: post #200
deaddodo wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That’s not to be minimized. Sounds like very much on the critical path, and definitely not some shitty infotainment sidecar. If that crashed, you couldn’t control core functions of the sub? Are there overrides? Sure, it's an important component of the entire system. Much as a steering wheel is an important component of a car, it still doesn't "run" the car. You need to interface, yes obviously; but if the machine c…

If the goal of such parallel is to show how Linux is more reliable than Windows, then being the steering wheel is sufficient, compared to Windows not being a part of the car at all.

Well, a desktop OS like Windows is not meant to run industrial processes. It's better to not try to hammer nails with the torque wrench.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#247

Post by robbyking »

grive wrote: post #240
p0w3n3d wrote: post #197

I would say that Linux is the second desktop for development (behind MacOS, in front of Windows), however... I wonder if any of you tried to develop C/C++ on MacOS. It seems that it's impossible to find leaks and misbehavior, while on Linux there is this valgrind that does everything for you. MacOS have some `leaks` tool but it does not really do half of the things valgrind does. So probably I would say "Linux is in…

I mean yes that's a weird take, why would MacOS be considered first? I have a Mac provided by my company. None of my development tools are available there, profiling, debugging is a hassle. The only way I can work on it is by booting up linux VM, or connecting to my servers to compile there. Mac is just terrible for development. It's barely better than Windows.

What is your primary language? I’ve worked at some pretty well known tech companies over the last couple of decades, and it’s been nothing but Macs for at least the last 15 or so years.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#248

Post by jacknews »

jamil7 wrote: post #52
jacknews wrote: post #45

The problem is the desktop situation is such a mess. Do you go with a gtk or qt desktop and which one? And then X11 which is ancient and creaky, or wayland which is fatally nerfed in design (if not it's entire development philosophy) even when it does do what you need which is far from always? OTOH windows is becoming adware/spyware and macos is becoming big brother lockdown-wear, so maybe it is time for linux to shi…

What new limitations has macos added?

It's not all necessarily new, but for example on every update I seem to get 'Operation not permitted' somewhere new.

Then why can't I change the spaces animation (turn it off)? Windows snapping without leaving a gap on the edge of the screen? Etc, etc.

And are they now doing scans for copyright-infringing media and so on - I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm an adult. It's my computer. Let me do what I want with it.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#249

Post by mrweasel »

stingraycharles wrote: post #82
bruce511 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet not having a presence on the desktop stings a bit doesn't it :). You can conquer the world, dominate every space and yet there's thus little voice inside saying "but you're not good enough. See over there, in that one space, you're a weakling. " Welcome to the human condition.

I'm sure it stings Microsoft a lot more that Windows isn't the dominant server OS.

They still have the dominant desktop OS and they barely care about that. Microsoft in it's current form wants to sell you subscriptions and in that context the operating system is less relevant.

What stings me a bit is that Microsoft is the dominant player on the desktop and then they are so little about making the making it a good and consistent experience. Windows 95 was never amazing, but they put the work in and gave us the impression that they at least tried. Now it's 2023 and my desktop has ads, tracking and UI elements that are 30 years old, because they could never be arsed to update them.

Re: Linux has achieved a 3% desktop market share

#250

Post by EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK »

ben0x539 wrote: post #145
self_awareness wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly my thoughts. I think Linux is in a good sweet spot; popular enough so that applications advertise support for Linux, but not popular enough to be spoiled and optimized for the "casual" user.

It also helps that there have been very few important (big, complicated) applications in the past decade or two. Firefox is there? My development environment is there? I'm probably good.

All work and no game ...
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