this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2025
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Linux

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Clickbaity title on the original article, but I think this is the most important point to consider from it:

After getting to 1% in approximately 2011, it took about a decade to double that to 2%. The jump from 2% to 3% took just over two years, and 3% to 4% took less than a year.

Get the picture? The Linux desktop is growing, and it's growing fast.

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[–] galoisghost@aussie.zone 119 points 6 days ago (12 children)

Damn Linux becoming mainstream. How will I feel like a superior tech elite now?

[–] eta@feddit.org 67 points 6 days ago (5 children)
[–] galoisghost@aussie.zone 38 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

Pretty sure BSD is dying, Netcraft confirmed that like 30 years ago.

[–] Redex68@lemmy.world 45 points 6 days ago (1 children)

That's why we need to switch to TempleOS

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[–] brax@sh.itjust.works 25 points 6 days ago

Only use TTY

[–] sunoc@sh.itjust.works 24 points 6 days ago (2 children)
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[–] FundMECFS@quokk.au 15 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Delete all browsers. Only access the web using curl.

[–] Taldan@lemmy.world 14 points 6 days ago

Curl? You thunk I can't craft my own web requests??

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[–] grue@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago
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[–] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 69 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Chaotic Good Billionaire does a solid for Linux, Windows users devastated

[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 31 points 6 days ago (12 children)

A king once summoned a wise man who had done him a great service and said, “Name your reward.” The wise man replied, “Your Majesty, I ask for a simple thing. Give me one percent Linux desktop market share for the first square of the chessboard, two percent for the second square, four percent for the third square, and so on, doubling the amount for each of the 64 squares.” The king, thinking this was a modest request, said, “Surely you jest! Such a small reward for such a great service? Ask for gold, land, or jewels instead.” But the wise man insisted, and the king agreed. The king ordered his treasurer to calculate the total. Starting with 1% for the first square, 2% for the second, 4% for the third, 8% for the fourth… by the time they reached the tenth square, they needed 512% of the desktop market. The treasurer, pale with realization, informed the king that by the 64th square, they would need more market share than could possibly exist in the entire universe of computing devices. The king then understood that what seemed like a humble request was actually impossible to fulfill, and he gained a new respect for the power of exponential growth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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[–] DJDarren@sopuli.xyz 22 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Does it count that I have four computers running Linux because I can't help myself?

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[–] JOMusic@lemmy.ml 16 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] bob_lemon@feddit.org 13 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Literally switched to Linux on my desktop yesterday.

[–] Scrollone@feddit.it 6 points 5 days ago

Good job! And welcome :)

[–] Teppichbrand@feddit.org 15 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago

It makes perfect sense, the resistance of having Windows legacy software etc becomes smaller the more of that goes out of use, the resistance of everyone only knowing Windows becomes smaller with nobody even knowing Windows, and the resistance of corporate interests becomes smaller because it's all in the Web, and the Web has been corrupted and Chrome works on Linux.

So. Listen to me carefully. If Linux domination happens without FreeBSD and Haiku normalization, then things are bad.

[–] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 42 points 6 days ago (4 children)

A long time ago when Linux was around 2-3% someone said that macOS adoption by software companies happened when it got to 5% of the marketshare.

If Linux continues down the path, we might see real support from some of the holdouts.

Before anyone says to use an alternative, sometimes there are not workable alternatives.

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[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 27 points 6 days ago (11 children)
[–] BunScientist@lemmy.zip 27 points 6 days ago

at this point linux will have more than 100% market share by next week!!!!!!!!

[–] Cricket@lemmy.zip 18 points 6 days ago (1 children)

They used a different data source for this one and mentioned why they preferred this one over the one from the day before.

[–] blind3rdeye@aussie.zone 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So what you're saying is that if we just keep switching to different data sources, we could get above 50% in less than two months!

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[–] Naz@sh.itjust.works 16 points 6 days ago (4 children)

KDE Plasma is genuinely good

Kubuntu is a drop-in replacement for Windows 10

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[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 28 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The avalanche has started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 15 points 6 days ago (5 children)

Windows' market share is being nibbled to death by cats.

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 10 points 6 days ago

Nah it's just being replaced with phones.

Low tech users used to have cheap windows machines, now they have phones and tablets.

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[–] limer@lemmy.ml 34 points 6 days ago (3 children)

When it gets to 7%, is that when there is more malware designed for Linux desktop ?

[–] majster@lemmy.zip 21 points 6 days ago

There is already plenty of malware targeting devs on Linux where is it's strongest userbase.

[–] comfy@lemmy.ml 15 points 6 days ago (6 children)

Yeah, unfortunate to rain in the parade but GNU/Linux definitely needs some attention sooner rather than later. Plenty of design benefits, but also plenty of pitfalls from an OS sec POV.

Average users aren't installing SELinux or Qubes so I hope no-one was actually going to reply with what Linux can do as opposed to the everyday user experience.

A few years outdated, but relevant: https://madaidans-insecurities.github.io/linux.html

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[–] mukt@lemmy.ml 5 points 5 days ago (2 children)

The key point is that Europe's governments are ditching MS one by one. One of the state governments of India, that of Kerala, is also fostering a local chapter for open source and Linux.

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[–] Sina@beehaw.org 14 points 6 days ago (11 children)

Statcounter considers me a Win user due to the Win user agent I'm using, this is not a rare behavior in the Linux space..

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[–] Mio@feddit.nu 18 points 6 days ago (4 children)

But it is only in the US and not globally. Anyway, competition is good.

[–] MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml 25 points 6 days ago (2 children)
[–] kungen@feddit.nu 11 points 6 days ago (1 children)

wtf I love Norway now? Sweden is at like 2%.

But Norway's Linux spiked up to almost 30% in July 2024 as well. So I don't really trust these sites. My guess is that it's due to Tesla's web browser or something? Tesla is the most popular electric car brand in Norway: 77k Model Y and 50k Model 3 are registered, and the only model with higher numbers is the Nissan Leaf with 81k, but that'll be taken over very shortly (so far in 2025, there have been over 11k Model Y registrations, with the next runner-up being the Toyota BZ4X with 4,6k)

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[–] dil@lemmy.zip 4 points 5 days ago

I think ppl get terminal anxiety but thats less and less of an issue, like you don't need to ever touch it because of stuff like octopi, software/discover/bazaar,etc. I remember just getting anxious thinking id forget a command I really need to remember and I wouldn't have internet axis and id be fked (not an issue lol)

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 3 points 5 days ago

Things will really take-off if Linux hits 10%.

Actually, if it hits 10%, I think it could go all the way.

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