GNU/Linux Popularity Surging, So Why Did MakeUseOf Quit Covering It About 10 Days Ago?
Welcome back to Windows and Microsoft webspam
THE sad news is, MakeUseOf is no longer covering GNU/Linux. Why? We don't know. But this change was abrupt, not gradual.
It's particularly sad because some of the best articles about GNU/Linux came from that site, both technical articles and advocacy-centric pieces (not provocateurs, saboteurs and concern trolls).
Why did that stop? We can only make guesses.
That's not to say no other site covers the subject matter and, either way, MakeUseOf was not perfect (habitual .NET, WSL or other Microsoftism*). The site used to cover "Linux" EVERY DAY. After less than a week before Thanksgiving it just stopped quite suddenly. The site itself is not dead just the Linux area/section/category.
So it seems like a policy change, as there are many writers involved in that section/"domain", it's not a case of one person leaving, rendering this "domain" vacant all of a sudden.
Just days ago they covered Traceroute like it's a Windows thing (see screenshot at the top) and they still publish Microsoft stuff, including promotional Microsoft spam like "5 Microsoft Student Discounts You Shouldn’t Miss" (it doesn't even sound like a real article).
Who's paying and what for?
Notice in the above how they hide the articles. I didn't see that overlay/paywall before, which leads to suspicions of tactical overhaul and maybe management/strategy changes. No?
They just quickly moved from lots of GNU/Linux average (frequency of once per day, on average) to absolutely nothing. It hasn't reversed or reverted back to the previous rhythm in about 10 days already. The closest one gets to "Linux" is this:
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2023-11-24 [Older] How to Back Up Google Photos to Your Computer
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2023-11-24 [Older] How to Upload Digicam Photos to a Chromebook (And Manage Them)
This is about proprietary stuff remotely controlled by a spying company. It's hardly "Linux".
Notice in the above screenshot the menu bar. Microsoft is dominant there, Linux isn't even named.
That's a real shame. If it's anything like Softpedia used to be, the Linux articles got them the most traffic. In the case of Softpedia, Microsofters just put an end to that. It was intentional. It was sabotage.
Maybe there's fear of the growth of GNU/Linux. Suffocating brand awareness would help Microsoft (Windows) the most.
Referencing our article about GNU/Linux growth, one reader said: "Small numbers but good news anyway. However, more important than the numbers themselves is the fact that the market share has been gained without any OEM pre-installed systems being available to the general public. Yes, Tuxedo, System76, EmperorLinux, and so on do exist, but it is exclusively Vista on the hardware sold off the shelf at the stores. So that small percentage is both knowledgeable and initiative-taking, and growing." The sister site has just mentioned trends in India.
If people aren't told (or reminded) about GNU/Linux, then they might simply not explore it. Awareness is very important.
Don't let MakeUseOf become the next Softpedia. █
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* WSL is an attack on GNU/Linux. Do not use it or mention it. It's a distraction from VMs, dual boot, or proper GNU/Linux installations that aren't beholden to Microsoft's whims.