Linux reaches 4% on desktop

[theuserbl]

As the german newside Golem.de have written, Linux reached the milestone of 4% on desktop.

https://www.golem.de/news/betriebssysteme-linux-ueberspringt-vier-prozent-huerde-auf-dem-desktop-2403-182883.html

Mentioned are the Statcounter statistics of February 2024:

https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202302-202402

Linux have 4,03% usage
the Linux based ChromeOS have 2,26% (on the top) / 2,27% in the graphic
FreeBSD have reached 0,01% (on the top)

[CochainComplex]

year of the linux desktop.

[tildearrow]

year of the linux desktop.

Whenever everything comes together. Gotcha-free Wayland, bug-free PipeWire, broad hardware compatibility, ease of use (probably optional as I honestly have a feeling Linux should naturally be hard), great API compatibility, and so on...

[gnwiii]

There are lots of systems running Windows 10 and seeing notifications that the system doesn't support Windows 11. Consumers may look at Linux (or ChromeOS if kid's schools us it) before shelling out for a new Windows 11 system. With large enterprises dumping Windows 10 systems, those used systems are in ample supply at prices affordable by people on budgets.

[Panix]

There are lots of systems running Windows 10 and seeing notifications that the system doesn't support Windows 11. Consumers may look at Linux (or ChromeOS if kid's schools us it) before shelling out for a new Windows 11 system. With large enterprises dumping Windows 10 systems, those used systems are in ample supply at prices affordable by people on budgets.

Good luck with that - bugs and issues that are never fixed or take years before they're fixed. Multiple display servers, a million desktop environments - many of these ppl are pretty computer illiterate. Even if they aren't - they are familiar with or accustomed to certain software - um...unfortnately, Microsoft-based software - Linux still has ways to go.
The ppl who dabble with it already are more likely to switch to it if there's continual obstacles by Microsoft by forcing ppl or businesses to switch.

[Daktyl198]

Good luck with that - bugs and issues that are never fixed or take years before they're fixed. Multiple display servers, a million desktop environments - many of these ppl are pretty computer illiterate. Even if they aren't - they are familiar with or accustomed to certain software - um...unfortnately, Microsoft-based software - Linux still has ways to go.
The ppl who dabble with it already are more likely to switch to it if there's continual obstacles by Microsoft by forcing ppl or businesses to switch.

Meh. In reality to most users none of that matters. The display server "war" is basically over. Wayland is entirely usable at this point, and xwayland compatibility is better than ever especially on KDE. Which brings me to the second part: Only 2 desktop environments really matter to new users, Gnome and KDE. And most "new user friendly" distros are going to go with KDE just like Valve did, simply due to it being familiar to Windows users. COSMIC is a potential 3rd option within the next couple years.

Basic software works on Linux just as well as on Windows (browsers, basic text editors) and file explorers work pretty much the exact same way. For the "average" user, who is not tech literate at all, Linux will work just fine. ChromeOS has proven that, I feel. Hell, they can install ChromeOS if they want, as it's still a Linux base and Valve has a version of Steam made for it.

It's only business and power user that would have a hard time transitioning. Some of them would be fine (developers and flexible offices using mainly online suites like gdocs or 365 Online) but most would suffer by transitioning right now.

Still, business and power users are actually the minority of PC owners. If Linux can get it's shit together and work on fixing the "minor" but irritating bugs, I don't think it will be this year or next, but maybe the year after can see some real Linux growth.

[david-nk]

That's actually kind of interesting. I thought this was due to China or Russia who do not want or cannot use closed-source Western products, but while the market share is at 5.79% in Asia, the market share is still fairly high in the US (3.85%) or Germany (3.25%).

Are people actually getting tired of Windows 11?
I mean, using Windows is slowly becoming unbearable, it nags you every 3 days that you should "finish the configuration of your PC" (that means to create and connect a Microsoft account) or that you should upload all your data into the cloud (and it conveniently ignores that you select "remind me in 1 year").
But I'm still surprised that even this would cause the average user to switch.

[Panix]

Meh. In reality to most users none of that matters. The display server "war" is basically over. Wayland is entirely usable at this point, and xwayland compatibility is better than ever especially on KDE. Which brings me to the second part: Only 2 desktop environments really matter to new users, Gnome and KDE. And most "new user friendly" distros are going to go with KDE just like Valve did, simply due to it being familiar to Windows users. COSMIC is a potential 3rd option within the next couple years.

Basic software works on Linux just as well as on Windows (browsers, basic text editors) and file explorers work pretty much the exact same way. For the "average" user, who is not tech literate at all, Linux will work just fine. ChromeOS has proven that, I feel. Hell, they can install ChromeOS if they want, as it's still a Linux base and Valve has a version of Chrome made for it.

It's only business and power user that would have a hard time transitioning. Some of them would be fine (developers and flexible offices using mainly online suites like gdocs or 365 Online) but most would suffer by transitioning right now.

Still, business and power users are actually the minority of PC owners. If Linux can get it's shit together and work on fixing the "minor" but irritating bugs, I don't think it will be this year or next, but maybe the year after can see some real Linux growth.

A typical Linux user will think that - not the general illiterate PC user - who will still have no clue how to use Linux.

[Daktyl198]

A typical Linux user will think that - not the general illiterate PC user - who will still have no clue how to use Linux.

That's the thing, they don't need to "know how to use Linux" because they don't even know how to use Windows. The average PC user is far less tech literate than you think, which is why Edge is the dominant browser after Chrome by a wide margin and was even before it was Chromium based.

Just pin Chrome and the "app store" (software center for updates) to their taskbar, and a very large number of PC users are perfectly good. Again: see ChromeOS and it's popularity. I personally gave my mom and aunt ChromeOS computers and it's the best decision I ever made.

[Panix]

That's the thing, they don't need to "know how to use Linux" because they don't even know how to use Windows. The average PC user is far less tech literate than you think, which is why Edge is the dominant browser after Chrome by a wide margin and was even before it was Chromium based.

Just pin Chrome and the "app store" (software center for updates) to their taskbar, and a very large number of PC users are perfectly good. Again: see ChromeOS and it's popularity. I personally gave my mom and aunt ChromeOS computers and it's the best decision I ever made.

You're on drugs or viewing Linux with rosy colored goggles. Most PC users just want things to work - they don't have FOSS values or even if they are preferring them - their primary focus is stuff that works and don't want to troubleshoot or deal with problems all the time. It happens in the Windows world - but, with things go wrong - The OS developers and related software developers are pressured to get it to work. Or at least, put out an impression that they are doing so. This is not the case in the Linux world. Printers, hdmi (2.1), video cards/drivers, gamers, etc. etc. - there's some sort of obstacle or issue in all of these areas. Plus, MS has paid gazillions to companies to support their software. Even the BIOS systems are impacted now.