Linux reaches 4% on desktop

[Daktyl198]

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.

I think you’re on drugs or are just too used to tinkering with your system if you don’t think you can’t set up a stable Linux environment for the “average user”. What part of opening a browser is going to brick the system? They’re never going to update their bios, so as long as it works it’s fine. GPU drivers are fine, and part of regular system updates. Printers use the same exact software stack as macOS, and are well known to be better than the printer situation on Windows. Do you think people on Debian Stable are constantly having to fix random issues like it’s a second job?

As for gamers, they aren’t “the average pc user”. That being said, even they are fairly well off these days. Obviously I’m not delusional enough to suggest any gamer switch to Linux unless they just hate Windows that much, but unless they play a few specific multiplayer games, proton works damn well.

[Panix]

I think you’re on drugs or are just too used to tinkering with your system if you don’t think you can’t set up a stable Linux environment for the “average user”. What part of opening a browser is going to brick the system? They’re never going to update their bios, so as long as it works it’s fine. GPU drivers are fine, and part of regular system updates. Printers use the same exact software stack as macOS, and are well known to be better than the printer situation on Windows. Do you think people on Debian Stable are constantly having to fix random issues like it’s a second job?

As for gamers, they aren’t “the average pc user”. That being said, even they are fairly well off these days. Obviously I’m not delusional enough to suggest any gamer switch to Linux unless they just hate Windows that much, but unless they play a few specific multiplayer games, proton works damn well.

All your acquaintances and buddies are computer science majors, it sounds like. Impressive.....

[Daktyl198]

All your acquaintances and buddies are computer science majors, it sounds like. Impressive.....

More like the vast majority of people I know are severely tech illiterate. Some can't even operate the GPS on their phone. I've set up stable systems for these users, that's how I know just how easy it really is.

[Panix]

More like the vast majority of people I know are severely tech illiterate. Some can't even operate the GPS on their phone. I've set up stable systems for these users, that's how I know just how easy it really is.

There's one thing of setting up their PC - and another for them to use it day in, day out - and then you're omitting how much they ask for tech support. There's still a bit of a learning curve to using Linux - unless all they do is use a browser and watch videos and look at pictures. But, you're obviously stubborn and only going to reply with the same spiel so, "good day" to ya.

[Daktyl198]

There's one thing of setting up their PC - and another for them to use it day in, day out - and then you're omitting how much they ask for tech support. There's still a bit of a learning curve to using Linux - unless all they do is use a browser and watch videos and look at pictures. But, you're obviously stubborn and only going to reply with the same spiel so, "good day" to ya.

Some people I set up with Chromebooks, others with a stable Linux desktop. None of them ask for tech support now that they’re off windows and clicking random stuff doesn’t give them viruses anymore. Well, until Facebook changes their UI again and they think it’s something wrong with the computer lol. Other than that, it’s been about 5 years since I moved them all to Linux and it’s been smooth sailing.

As for “opening a web browser, watching videos, and looking at pictures”, that’s literally what “the average user” does 99% of the time. Tech literate people always forget just how little most people actually interact with their computers. There is a reason the vast majority of “average users” have simply moved on to using their phone for everything. Mobile vs desktop analytics for top websites don’t lie.

[tenchrio]

There's one thing of setting up their PC - and another for them to use it day in, day out - and then you're omitting how much they ask for tech support. There's still a bit of a learning curve to using Linux - unless all they do is use a browser and watch videos and look at pictures. But, you're obviously stubborn and only going to reply with the same spiel so, "good day" to ya.

The only time people with Linux ask me for support is for two reasons, install a third party game on the Steamdeck or to help them set up some form of a server on a raspberry pi (does that even count?). I know people with Chromebooks but never had them knocking at my door (even though apparently they do play games on it nowadays). The first case is so rare it only happened twice (both for Overwatch 2 before it came to Steam).

Windows however it is almost always Blue screens or devices that won't work even when installing official drivers, the vast majority of the time the simplest and best solution is just to wipe the system and start from scratch, recently I had to deal with it in regards to a high speed camera used in sports competitions. I uninstalled all the relevant drivers, deleted anything related I could find in Appdata, User Folder or Program Files (another fantastic Windows feature, the lack of a purge option) and reinstalled the program and drivers 3 times. After doing a full system wipe and going through the tedious process of setting up Windows (why is "NO" not the default for all those dumb prompts on first setup), reinstalled the program and drivers it just worked, no idea what was wrong with it before, don't care, over half a day wasted (probably more due to the setup and breakdown of the camera).

And then the Blue screens, the fact I already know "Page Fault in Non-Paged Area" is a useless error and looking up fixes will not fix anything is a testament to the ridiculousness of Windows requiring 64GB of disk space now. One time it was fixed by installing the Windows 7 driver on a Windows 10 machine (the Windows 10 driver kept giving the BSOD the second we plugged in the device, a Focusrite Scarlet audio Interface) on a laptop sporting a Ryzen 5000 chip and RTX 3060.
Another time I had to remove the second set of RAM sticks in the PC (which I was allowed to take home and has been sitting in my NAS sporting Linux as the second set of RAM without issue).

But in 3 other cases the error made no sense (single stick machines, relatively untouched driver situation then again Windows now auto installs drivers) and the only option was, you guessed it: wipe that sucker clean and suddenly it is solved. Of all the OSes I have to deal with Windows takes the cake when it comes to wasting time, I don't even bother with the Event Viewer, it is just as cryptic and nonsensical as the error code for BSODs.

Haven't even gotten to Windows Rot (because a clean uninstall relies on the programmer) or the countless Windows updates that either break drivers entirely (you'd think breaking the network driver can only happen twice at best) or as recently shown, severely reduce performance to unplayable levels or straight up introduces Blue screens like last week, take your pick.

Finally there is MacOS/iOS, where the common problem is just Safari preventing cross-site tracking by default resulting in some sites (which are actually multiple sites connected) not working properly. Common enough I think I dealt with it 6 times last year but easy enough to fix that it takes about 10 minutes top to walk anyone through it. Here I have more issues on the developer side thanks to iOS just having every browser be Safari (SVG rendering issues that work fine on any other browser, Javascript libraries not working specifically on Safari etc etc), but now that the EU forced Apple to allow other browser engines on it I can just say "Be on iOS 17.4+ and install Firefox or Chrome" (well when Firefox and Chrome added Gecko and Blink respectively).

[Markelov69]

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...-202302-202402web

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)

Many systems running Windows 10 are now seeing notifications that the system doesn't support Windows 11. Consumers may consider Linux (or ChromeOS if their kids' schools use it) before investing in a new Windows 11 system. With large enterprises phasing out Windows 10 systems, there's now an ample supply of used systems available at prices affordable for people on budgets.