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Is Linux losing popularity?!

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  • #41
    I've looked and looked and this is what I found.

    The term "linux server" is showing the exact same decline as "linux". I can't imagine servers are all switching to windows.

    "ubuntu server" however is increasing well.

    "ubuntu broadcom" is relatively stable (a minor dip in 2009) so, ignoring variations in broadcom popularity, this may indicate a stable flow of new people trying linux.

    "osx" is declining at a rate much much faster than "ubuntu"

    Other weak conclusions discovered by google trends include....
    "Windows crashes" seem to have increased since the release of windows7
    as have "alien abduction". Whiles windows7 seems to have also virtually cured us of "recession".
    Also lets not overlook the massive reduction of people who think "linux sucks".
    "Kittens" may be steadily losing their appeal but perhaps they're cheered up by the sudden lake of interest in the arch rivals the "puppys" starting from late 2008, a tread sadly followed closely by "puppy linux".

    In the end its as I always predicted... We "love" more, "hate" about the same and "murder" less and less of our ever decreasing number of "friends".

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    • #42
      Originally posted by Svartalf View Post
      Heh...

      This is more along the lines of knowing what's good and bad hardware-wise, and in at least some of the times it overlaps on Windows and Linux and the Windows crowd doesn't realize it and accepts the problems.

      Many of the printers that are an "issue" under Linux were printers that you just simply didn't want, even on Windows. Same goes for webcams, scanners, WiFi, Ethernet, etc.

      As always, many need to do their homework on this stuff- and "Windows" doesn't really remove it, even though many believe it does and it's "easier".
      IT IS EASIER BECAUSE THE HARDWARE IS *DESIGNED* with Windows in mind. That's the whole problem. Trying to get a basic multi-function printer working in Linux is a continuous headache.

      Even the HP printers don't work unless they're laser printers and all you need is print-outs.

      I'm not even going to discuss wireless, video cards, or any other hardware that causes problems. That's a long list and another ball game. Basically, saying 'it's not a problem in Linux' is either ignoring the problem or lying. The issue is these companies and their hardware are designed to operate in Windows, period. Money talks and people are greedy.

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      • #43
        Originally posted by Panix View Post
        IT IS EASIER BECAUSE THE HARDWARE IS *DESIGNED* with Windows in mind. That's the whole problem. Trying to get a basic multi-function printer working in Linux is a continuous headache.
        I've actually had really good luck with Epson and believe it or not Brother MFC's in linux.

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        • #44
          Originally posted by Panix View Post
          IT IS EASIER BECAUSE THE HARDWARE IS *DESIGNED* with Windows in mind. That's the whole problem. Trying to get a basic multi-function printer working in Linux is a continuous headache.
          Keep believing that. Having done quite a few device driver projects in my day, there's no "designed with Windows in mind" save for things like WinModems, WinPrinters, etc. Most of the devices are just designed- and they ameliorate the problems in their silicon with device driver jiggery-pokery. Seriously.

          As for getting multi-function printers to work...I believe that Epson's do a pretty good job on Linux (I happen to HAVE one that works well on the scanner and the printer...) and Brother's got some decent support. At the enterprise level, pretty much all of the multi-function stuff plays nicely with Linux (I'm doing it right now at my shiny new day-job...).

          Even the HP printers don't work unless they're laser printers and all you need is print-outs.
          REALLY? I guess that HP PhotoSmart 1218 I've had and have been using on Linux for YEARS is a figment of my imagination then. Not a Laer Printer. Not just print-outs. Try again, please.

          I'm not even going to discuss wireless, video cards, or any other hardware that causes problems. That's a long list and another ball game. Basically, saying 'it's not a problem in Linux' is either ignoring the problem or lying. The issue is these companies and their hardware are designed to operate in Windows, period. Money talks and people are greedy.
          Broadcom devices are a problem in WINDOWS- even the wireline devices.

          Video card issues tend to be from the proprietary drivers and a lack of understanding on some aspect of how Linux ticks. Seriously.

          Most of the other "problem" hardware for Linux is that under Windows as well from personal and professional experience- and if you had an issue with it on Linux at this point in time it's probably a questionable piece of hardware, and in some cases not even supported under Windows in this day and age or if it is, it won't be in a few years in the future.

          Now, before you remark, you should be well aware I've been in the industry developing software for both Windows AND Linux, from the device driver level all the way to end-user applications- for over two and a half decades now. I've got friends and former business associates that include people like Benjamin Lipchak and Nick Haemel (Two of the authors of the OpenGL SuperBible- and my boss and the team lead for when I worked at AMD...) and have done things ranging from industrial I/O device drivers, to scanners, to ethernet drivers, to OpenGL driver work- even on AMD's proprietary driver on the Windows side of things. Some of it on Windows. Much of it on Linux. Some of it free like Utah-GLX. Some of it for-pay like NetEffect's 10Gbit iWarp Ethernet channel adapters or the Windows OpenGL work I was doing to maybe get a shot at helping the Linux side of things at AMD.

          Yes, there are still issues. But NOTHING of your remarks actually talks to the current reality of things in the large.

          Driver support's more an issue of companies either realizing that they need to properly support us fully (Broadcom, AMD, etc...) or at least make drivers available for people out of their own driver efforts (NVidia, Imagination Technologies(yes...), etc...)- and the stuff that doesn't work is because the companies that make the stuff haven't figured it out yet.

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          • #45
            How many driver Microsoft did produce?

            Anyone experienced the "quality" of microsoft's video driver before install the official one?
            The only thing Microsoft does.. is bring work made by other companies (the .dll+.inf they impose) and pack in the OS. In the Microsoft's OS there's much less usable stuff than you find in Linux Ubuntu.

            Linux can handle a much larger database driver can handle it better, and allow you to use your hardware with your favorite software (windows instead often forces you to use the program on the CD driver).

            So, why Linux can't handle well the latest driver?

            Microsoft has nothing to do with this, the problem is the hardware manufacturer who do not respect the wishes of their clients: Linux users. Taking money form Linux community of user and spend it in .dll.


            Windows and Linux community should stop to feed such companies: there's no gain to support those who don't give you choices.

            Global market share is 50% with Windows XP. And Microsoft did choose to not give them DX10+ (latest multimedia technologies) or html5 (they need chrome/opera/firefox for this).
            is the right of these people to upgrade their (paid) PC with the latest innovations possible. Free to charge (since they already paid their pc)

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            • #46
              Originally posted by Svartalf View Post

              Now, before you remark, you should be well aware I've been in the industry developing software for both Windows AND Linux, from the device driver level all the way to end-user applications- for over two and a half decades now. I've got friends and former business associates that include people like Benjamin Lipchak and Nick Haemel (Two of the authors of the OpenGL SuperBible- and my boss and the team lead for when I worked at AMD...) and have done things ranging from industrial I/O device drivers, to scanners, to ethernet drivers, to OpenGL driver work- even on AMD's proprietary driver on the Windows side of things. Some of it on Windows. Much of it on Linux. Some of it free like Utah-GLX. Some of it for-pay like NetEffect's 10Gbit iWarp Ethernet channel adapters or the Windows OpenGL work I was doing to maybe get a shot at helping the Linux side of things at AMD.

              Yes, there are still issues. But NOTHING of your remarks actually talks to the current reality of things in the large.

              Driver support's more an issue of companies either realizing that they need to properly support us fully (Broadcom, AMD, etc...) or at least make drivers available for people out of their own driver efforts (NVidia, Imagination Technologies(yes...), etc...)- and the stuff that doesn't work is because the companies that make the stuff haven't figured it out yet.
              That's impressive what you've done but that doesn't apply here. I only go by EXPERIENCE. Also, whatever you've done is fine but the experience of others suggests something contrary. Do people not read forums?!? Go to any forum, Ubuntu or any Linux-based ones, and you read of hardware not working. Some people know what they're doing, too, and have tried several tasks trying to get hardware to work.

              But, regardless of that, I think HP has the worst hardware even in Windows. This is my third HP printer trying to use specifically for the scanner and I have had failure even in Windows. So, I really don't care about opensource anymore because it's only the most pathetic companies entertaining it. Their products are so horrible, they are trying to get an edge, I guess. HP products are among the worst and their laptops also have a reputation for being garbage. The HP software has remained awful. So, you are right in the respect that some of these companies even have ridiculous software and general operation in Windows.

              But, as far as drivers go, you must not install drivers often because drivers installs in Windows is often horrible. The Linux install is usually better but only if you have experience. The noob will be lost. Fortunately, there's a free support group for that - forums.

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              • #47
                I hope you know I was just being sarcastic in the last paragraph. I totally disregarded your comment about your HP printer, btw, because I will overlook anyone claiming they got their HP printer 'to work.' I can't comprehend why anyone would buy such garbage. The software is bad enough and they haven't improved it for years. The Scanner function failed on all three I tried. Alignment failure and constant paper jams with the Photosmart series. I'm wondering how they're still in business. No wonder Compaq went down the drain after HP acquired them!

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                • #48
                  Originally posted by Panix View Post
                  Do people not read forums?!? Go to any forum, Ubuntu or any Linux-based ones, and you read of hardware not working. Some people know what they're doing, too, and have tried several tasks trying to get hardware to work.
                  Using forums to gauge if a product works or not is a poor barometer. People that have issues go to forums, people that don't have little to no reason to visit such threads. Then there is also the fact that HP products are the most popular printing solutions out there. Of course you are going to see more support issues in forums with their products, that is easily accounted for by the sheer number of those devices out there.

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                  • #49
                    Originally posted by deanjo View Post
                    Using forums to gauge if a product works or not is a poor barometer. People that have issues go to forums, people that don't have little to no reason to visit such threads. Then there is also the fact that HP products are the most popular printing solutions out there. Of course you are going to see more support issues in forums with their products, that is easily accounted for by the sheer number of those devices out there.
                    You're wrong. It is a barometer. Maybe not the best. But, when a product is flawed, there will be issues and then people who don't take it back or give up, will visit forums because that's their only avenue. So, when the Broadcom 'problem' which was mentioned here was brought up, it was a very popular topic on forums. Every Linux forum would have threads on Broadcom wifi cards.

                    You are right that people who don't have trouble are less likely to post on forums but when a product is poor or troublesome, people often post. At least, the general computer user who doesn't pay for support.

                    HP products are popular because of marketing and availability. They're everywhere especially at the big box stores and Walmart-type places. It doesn't mean they're any good. Many computer users don't research or know what they're buying. They just get suckered into these products because of the sales teams that promote whatever's on the floor.

                    HP software is abysmal. The hardware is just as bad. That's a sign of a poor product and bad company. The Compaq line didn't die for no reason.

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                    • #50
                      Out of interest why should we even care about people switching to Linux? Market volume forHardware drivers, ok fair one, its important to be able to have. Other than that whats to gain? Even if Linux was to get more market share than Mac people would still write in .NET and DirectX etc. On the flip side the community is also diluted with people who dont care about freedom, community or any of the principles, have no interest in learning to help themselves, and just want people to help them.

                      Largly playing devils advocate here but i personally think that we're where we should be at the moment, and i really couldnt care if another linspire rip off was able to kill off Microsoft

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