I'm sometimes annoyed when I read some ignorant people's comment that Linux doesn't matter anymore and that it is slowly dying. Like, a comment from a blog said, "Linux? Do people still use it?" Another one, a hermit probably, wrote, "I think Linus Torvalds is the only person in the world right now who's using Linux". These people must have been living in a cave for the past 10 years.Cavemen, read this timeline for goodness sake and realize how big Linux has become:
* 1983 (September): GNU project was announced publicly
* 1991 (September): first version of the Linux kernel was released to the Internet
* 2001 (second quarter): Linux server unit shipments at 15% annual growth rate
* 2004: Linux shipped on approximately 50% of the worldwide server blade units, and 20% of all rack-optimized servers
* 2005: Microsoft representatives accuse Brazilian college using Famelix of pirating Microsoft Windows
* 2007: Dell announces it will ship select models with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed
* 2007: Lenovo announces it will ship select models with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 pre-installed
* 2007: HP announces that it will begin shipping computers preinstalled with Red Hat Linux in Australia
* 2007: ASUS launches the linux-based ASUS Eee PC
* 2008: Dell announces it will begin shipping Ubuntu based computers to Canada and Latin America
* 2008: Dell is shipping systems with Ubuntu pre-installed in China
* 2008: Acer launches the Linux-based Acer Aspire One
Source: Wikipedia* 1991 (September): first version of the Linux kernel was released to the Internet
* 2001 (second quarter): Linux server unit shipments at 15% annual growth rate
* 2004: Linux shipped on approximately 50% of the worldwide server blade units, and 20% of all rack-optimized servers
* 2005: Microsoft representatives accuse Brazilian college using Famelix of pirating Microsoft Windows
* 2007: Dell announces it will ship select models with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed
* 2007: Lenovo announces it will ship select models with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 pre-installed
* 2007: HP announces that it will begin shipping computers preinstalled with Red Hat Linux in Australia
* 2007: ASUS launches the linux-based ASUS Eee PC
* 2008: Dell announces it will begin shipping Ubuntu based computers to Canada and Latin America
* 2008: Dell is shipping systems with Ubuntu pre-installed in China
* 2008: Acer launches the Linux-based Acer Aspire One
Not only giant computer makers are adopting Linux, but also government institutions, schools, and businesses from different countries. Indeed Linux has gone mainstream, and it's not finished yet. However, I don't want to predict right now that it's going to kick Microsoft Windows' fat ass and go beyond its market share in the near future. One thing is for sure though, Linux is here to stay, and it's here to rule.
how big linux has become?
ReplyDeleteSo you're telling me that its been around for 17 years and it still is hovering around 1 percent market share?
Thats great! What progress
2 percent :|
ReplyDeleteAnd that's only the desktop market. Server and mobile (well maybe not mobile yet, but Android's coming out in Q4) and different stories.
First of all, their is no definitive data on how many users there are, but its definitely closer to 1 percent than 2.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it doesn't matter what servers use. For linux to take off, it needs to be used on the desktop, not on the server or mobile. Who cares what sites are using to serve up there stuff? They could be using GNU Hurd and it wouldn't make a difference to end users.
First, let's actually use some facts:
ReplyDeletehttp://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=9
Well, Linux was lower than half a percent a year ago, but, the July stats is 0.82%, which is some very impressive growth. Might as well be 2% within a year and a half!
Second, fine, servers are not incredibly important for the prolification of Linux. But surely you must have heard stories about more people are using mobiles, whose sales far outstrip desktops, to do basic tasks like web browsing, document writing (gesture-based), etc. Next year, a majority of phones will Android-based, and thus Linux will slice into the mobile market rapidly. It's hardly irrelevant.
just a reminder, a product's progress is not limited to market shares alone.
ReplyDeleteit includes stability, performance and how much acceptance a product is getting from consumers and manufacturers.
can't help but say that penguins live on =D
1-2% marketshare for something that is free? So there is a sucker born every minute, but I imagine the percentage of free users is much much higher.
ReplyDeleteand oh yes, it's free, but earning =D
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the comments.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Linux' market share today is still 1%. --With all those popular Linux-powered ultra-portable laptops, I would say it should be at around 3-4%.
cool, i'm a one percenter. it's nice to part of something that 99 percent just can't fathom, hahaha.
ReplyDeleteLinux have reached 4% now :) and grown around 100% the last year.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see all these low estimates on the number of users of Linux. I suppose I see it differently, as (I mean this literally) nearly everyone I know uses Linux, at least in some capacity. The ones that don't are on OpenSolaris or FreeBSD (and the odd Mac, but those are UNIX). I don't mean just "computer people" or members of the local LUG, but my friends and family. My grandmother and girlfriend both use Linux.
ReplyDelete@Brendon: "it doesn't matter what servers use" -- Yeah, I suppose people who actually use computers to do useful work don't matter... as long as everybody can get on youtube or facebook! That's what really counts (I hope your sarcasm detector went off). As an aside, and not to be too snide, you should consider reading up on their/there/they're. It emaciates your point to look somewhat less literate than the average fifth grader.
@Brendon : I think you are missing something.
ReplyDeleteLinux has never intended to be a commercial project, and thus, never did any kind of advertising.
1991 was the year of the first version of the kernel was released, that doesn't mean it was then usable by anyone.
Linux really started poking around in the last 5 years, in a world where people only know Windows and Mac OSX.