On the GNU/Linux 'Popularity Contest'

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2023-07-14 01:00:46 UTC
Modified: 2023-07-14 01:00:46 UTC

Follow the STALL MAN, follow freedom

Summary: After nearly 40 years we're seeing GNU/Linux flourishing on the client side (not just mobile phones, servers, supercomputers etc.); it's important to remind ourselves what the actual goal is

The goal of GNU/Linux (at its origin at least, back in the 1980s) was to enable a freedom- or user-respecting computing experience for those who need/want/desire it. The concept of "world domination" wasn't talked about until the "Linux" days (1990s), at least from what I can gather...

GNU is about freedom, Linux is about Linux, and for some people it's all about brands, e.g. replacing "Microsoft" with "Apple" or with "Linux", rather than replacing evil, malicious, spying-centric proprietary software with the ideological opposite, shifting control from vendors to communities/users.

Lately there have been many articles about GNU/Linux market share (not including ChromeOS, which isn't user-respecting). All of them cite statCounter, saying that "[GNU/]Linux Finally Hits 3% Market Share" or something to that effect. It should be noted that ChromeOS is at 3.3%, same as other GNU/Linux distros, so those less strict about the word "Linux" can say that GNU/Linux is measured at around 7% globally and in India it's about 15%. Yes, India, the world's largest populaton.

"The goal isn't replacing one brand with another but changing the relationship between humans and computers."And speaking of India, in Asia GNU/Linux is measured at over 5%, based on statCounter. If one counts PRC ("one China") as a single nation, then in Asia Windows has majority market share in only 3 countries (Asia has 48 countries) and Windows is down to only 21% of the market in Asia.

There have been plenty of negative stories about Microsoft this past week, not even counting the layoffs. Let's ensure that whatever we replace Microsoft and Windows with... respects users' freedom. The goal isn't replacing one brand with another but changing the relationship between humans and computers. A lot of discussion has been framed in terms of buzzwords (like "Hey Hi"), but we should reject that and speak in terms like freedom and workers' rights. Chatbots aren't even "Hey Hi". ⬆

You Should Probably Self-Host Your E-mail and Never Use a Web Browser for Mail: Does anyone still believe Gmail is "free"?
StatCounter Shows the Market Share of Vista 11 is Decreasing in Ukraine This Year: Microsoft abandoning Vista 10 users would be a victory for Vladimir Putin
The "Gold" Rule: Taking Money for Reputation Laundering and Openwashing Under the "Linux" Banner: Seller of expensive toilet paper, Jim Zemlin
LLM Slop Says Slop is "coming for white-collar jobs. Microsoft’s layoffs are just the start": Look what the Web has become
Reporting Facts About Violence Against Women Deserves Awards, Not Frivolous Lawsuits and Threats: What is Microsoft's stance on women's safety?
Linux.com as Spamfarm of the Linux Foundation, Partner of the Gates Foundation: They no longer publish articles
Slopwatch: The Typical Slopfarms and the 'Brian Fagioli Dilemma': To the Web and to society (exposed to the Web) LLMs are a net negative
Trump Authority (CA) With a Trump NSA is All About Security, But Whose?: A "turnkey tyranny", as the NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake loved to call it
Confirming IBM Shutdowns and Layoffs Today: It's not over yet
Gemini Links 16/04/2025: The 2010s Are Calling and Why "Tools Will Not Liberate Us": Links for the day
Links 16/04/2025: Cliff Lynch RIP, More Attacks on Science (NASA): Links for the day
Google Promotes Fake Articles (LLM Slop) Instead of Originals, Relaying Microsoft's Linux FUD Emanating From Microsoft LLMs: Shame on Google for participating in the slopfest
In Some Countries the Largest OEMs Already Dump Microsoft Windows: Windows at 18.9%, Android 60.2%
Microsoft Down From 100% to 10% in Myanmar/Burma: only about 4% of Web requests in Myanmar/Burma come from Vista 11, soon to be the only "supported" version of Windows
When Fedora Said It Was Looking to Integrate "AI" It Meant Promoting Microsoft's Proprietary Spyware and GPL-Violating Slop: When they say "AI" they mean Microsoft
It Used to be IBM, Now It's Microsoft (Why You Need to Fire Microsofters or CIOs Working for Microsoft): Typically the only effective solution is to identity and remove Microsofters from one's project/organisation (before they can bring more Microsofters in)
IBM Closes Offices and Labs in the United States to Open New Ones in India: It's not layoffs per se; they're substituting/swapping veteran employees for lesser-paid ones
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, April 15, 2025: IRC logs for Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Gemini Links 16/04/2025: IndieWeb Carnival, Tinylog RFC, "Focus, the Web and Gemini": Links for the day
Links 15/04/2025: Touchable Volumetric Display and Resistance to American Spying Firms: Links for the day
Links 15/04/2025: Some People Cannot Read and Re-discovering of 'Web 1.0': Links for the day
Links 15/04/2025: China Admits Targetting Critical Infrastructure Using CALEA Back Doors, NASCAR Cracked by Windows Usage: Links for the day
Why We Support Carole Cadwalladr (Even If We Don't Agree With Everything She Said): I first became aware of Cadwalladr's work a long time ago
Microsoft's Serial Strangler Chose to Attack Techrights With SLAPP When Over 400 Victims of Mohamed Al Fayed Complained About Media's Role in Enabling Him: There is a strong element of "free press" here
A Coalition or a Coup of Sexism: In the Free software community it's hard to avoid this issue
statCounter Sees GNU/Linux at New High of 6% in Bosnia and Herzegovina: GNU/Linux is measured at all-time high
To Celebrate Git Turning 20 Linus Torvalds is 'Selling Out' to Microsoft and Proprietary Software Which Attacks Git (E.E.E.): He makes it seem like he's endorsing his attackers
Gemini Protocol Milestone (3,000 Active Capsules): and a total of nearly 4,500
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, April 14, 2025: IRC logs for Monday, April 14, 2025
Gemini Links 14/04/2025: Silver Pigs and more Foundation, Disliking Computers: Links for the day
Hundreds of Microsoft Layoffs (Net Headcount Decrease) in the United Kingdom: headcount decreased
Links 14/04/2025: Russian Attack on Sumy Shows No Intention of Peace, Virgin Australia Admits Overcharging People: Links for the day
The Dilemma of Web Browsers Lying About What They Are (in Order to Bypass Discriminatory Gateways Like Clownflare) Worsens Due to LLM Slop: LLM crawlers/scrapers have made sites more restrictive and hostile towards browsers that are potent but not "famous"
What Really Matters to Companies is Net Income or Profit (Bankruptcy is Possible Even With High Revenue): We ought to stop talking about revenue without focusing on actual profit
Carole Cadwalladr Talks About How Big Business Tried to Silence Her (and Why You Might be Next): Our story is very different from Cadwalladr's for many reasons
Companies Conspiring to Keep Salaries Down and Undermine Competition: People who do all the practical work are being paid less and made to work for much longer
Links 14/04/2025: Disinformation, Public Disdain for LLMs, and "Lessons on Tyranny": Links for the day
LLM Slop and SEO SPAM Take Us Further Away From Facts (the Case of IBM Layoffs): Some of these can impact Red Hat as well
Gemini Links 14/04/2025: Ween and Historic Ada Project Management: Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, April 13, 2025: IRC logs for Sunday, April 13, 2025
Influencers: Red Hat, Inc's IPO, 1999, post-mortem on the directed share offer to open source developer community: Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock

On the GNU/Linux 'Popularity Contest'

Recent Techrights' Posts