Most of those sites that report usage are not well versed at tracking it sufficiently. The numbers are always skewed.

Often this is done by virtue of having insufficient information about the platforms and what they are used for. For instance, linux users probably won't be visiting Windows sites. It's like saying that there are only a few Harley motorcycles out there because we only saw a couple at the Honda bike rally.

Canonical and Red Hat both reported that their unique installed bases "that they could track" were 12 million and 24 million respectively. Those are just two distros and only by virtue of those that are demonstrating unique IP addresses. The actual number could be 20-30% more, as many people will have more than one Linux box at their location. My address might show a single IP but I have over 13 Linux boxes--all desktop related. I also have a single Cent OS (for my phone system).

Here's an example of how easily it is to play on words and skew the numbers. Apple recently announced that the iPod was the top gaming platform. Those were Steve Jobs words. The reality of it is that it isn't even remotely close. Nintendo vastly outsells iPods and they are dedicated gaming handhelds. The question is does Steve Jobs play on words? Yes, because we all know this isn't true, so what does he mean? The top gaming platform for iOS? You can easily see the deception behind that. So, any statistic funded or sponsored by Apple would be highly questionable.

Linux itself when visits are tracked on 20 to 30 thousand servers over a period of 5 years shows that Linux actually has 4% of the market. When you consider that many countries outside the US are not English speaking you would also realize that a tracking site not sufficiently set up properly would not track those foreign language installs as they would never visit those servers. The Windows market covers about 1 billion installs. 4% of 1 billion is around 40 million. If you take all the other distributions of Linux and add the Red Hat and Canonical numbers you would come to about 40 million.

No matter how you look at it, 40 million of anything is sizable. It's a solid market to focus on, to target.

Linux has a greater enemy to it than OS X does as Microsoft has been working hard on their Embrace, Extend, Extinguish tactic when it comes to Open Source, REGARDLESS of what you have heard recently about their alleged love of Open Source. Microsoft has consistently been working hard to kill Linux by using FUD in business which trickles down to every aspect of computer use. Microsoft sells software for OS X where they make a tidy profit. They hardly would desire to lose that.

Linux doesn't have viruses. Even if there was one or two they wouldn't get off the ground or last long if they did, because a virus needs a cesspool, so to speak, in order to multiply and it needs to have a purpose. For instance, Windows viruses have a the registry as it's primary vehicle. Why do I say the registry? Because it is a central location where everything is configured. If it were just a file system where the virus could live it wouldn't last long because it couldn't readily multiply--you could just scan the system with a basic scanner and be clean. It could do very little to damage or modify the configuration of the machine--as they do with Windows. The registry is so ill conceived that it allows so many types of changes and so many methods of running an application and so few people know about how this all works, coupled with the ability to lock the registry or portions of it, that you have a ripe cesspool for propagation, not just to other machines but on the machine itself. And that provides it a mechanism to fulfill it's intended purpose (massive spamming from the infected computer, frauding old ladies out of their money by holding their computer hostage--pay up for this antivirus product or you will remain at risk--which they remain at no matter what, even if they do pay). That registry provides a fertile field for every kind of attack, and a good hiding ground for viruses and other malware.

Linux on the other hand is far more secure, and it is compartmentalized. It is extremely difficult to infect something and even if it did infect the user's account it wouldn't be able to get further. If it did get further it wouldn't really be able to propagate because it would be impossible to hide to the degree that it can on a windows machine.

Linux is wonderful on the desktop. It is noteworthy for its stability. It is superb for the desktop managers. The file systems are the best in the world, yes, well beyond Microsoft and Apple's file systems.

It's the IT panacea of the moment, so it can turn into an operating system if you need one.

I am just happy that we have 1% of the desktop!!!

I am discouraged by the attitude of some people around me, and definitely not an evangelist anymore. I will just enjoy my Linux with like-minded people.

Linux has achieved the goal of being interesting for new-comers to long time enthusiasts.

Some people will just never leave their stock OS unless you force them to physically.

A typical example: At work, we are 7 employees, all stuck on XP, apart from my shiny machine, no-one bothers to run anti-viruses, their mouses are all clogged up, OS is slow as hell, 5 of them are on IE6!!!, just because they can't be bothered to learn a new one such as Firefox / Chrome, or IE8, at the very least, they have never defragmented. The list goes on, and on and on. TYhey don't even update their computers, I do it for them sometimes, but kid me not it is really frustrating.
They don't even complain that their computers are slow.

Telling a user Linux has no viruses is in my opinion completely dangerous. They had a virus ridden computer to begin with, it just allows their mindless clicking to keep them safe through their obscure operating system choice, and if Linux ever takes off on desktops.

I like Linux, in fact, I work with it daily and currently rebuilding two Ubuntu servers, but I still haven't found the need to install it at home. I reckon in twelve months Android will have surpassed Linux.

Android is counted separately in that chart, incidentally.

Also, I believe those charts are built on browser detection, Linux usage is likely much higher than 0.87%. I mean, for every desktop Linux user I know, I know of a server!

I have competed a study that clearly shows oranges (the fruit) outselling all Apple (the Co) products. What does one product have to do with the other? I don't know. PS. IOS is a Cisco OS. Apple have a restrictive and fairly useless outside of kindergarden OS called iOS.

Hey, somebody's got to do it to those who don't know any better. And of those who don't know any better, who better than those who don't know any better, who have lots and lots of money.

No one really knows how many people use Linux because there isn't a license fee. The only number you can go by is downloads which don't mean much. I can burn as many disks as I want from one iso download and install on an unlimited number of computers with each one.

I can't believe Linux is falling back. Since the past year I've become a brand new user and installed it on two laptops and two desktops.

The main problem with Linux is a lack of commonality in branding amongst the various Distributions. Many (Android for Instance) never tout the fact that they are Linux based.

It's GPL license needs to be ammended to force Distributions to put the logo and single function of commonality on Every distribution, something that the user can confide it: "This is Linux!!"

In other words, all those french fries need to be in a Linux box with a Penguin fixing to give them a great big hug!

simply saying the truth. A wonderfull dreamy Apple operating system, For those that don't know any better.

Its like saying the facts without necessary flaming.

Nothing but the truth.

Dont worry chaps! just like free speech, emancipation, and human rights, android is coming to liberate our lands even further!!

Many home devices including routers, TV's etc... have Linux installed on them.

I've only started reading articles on this site recently, however I wish I had done so a lot sooner! It's so good to finally find a site that sees Apple for what it really is! Keep up the Job-Slaying I LOVE it!

but Linux geeks are rabid tweakers. I have near zero problems with PCLinuxOS 2007 Final for all ordinary uses. BUT I've had to continue using it because all versions since have fatal flaws: 2009 has awful UI changes, and wouldn't reliably make DVDs or CDs on the same hardware, and 2010 got worse for UI without improvements elsewhere, besides the annoying later versions of Firefox.

Similarly, other distros make changes, mostly unnecessary, for the sake of change and trying out new ways of doing the same old things. Constant change is the biggest problem with Linux; geeks just *cannot* be *content* with what works, they have to take it apart and play with the pieces. (While The Problem with Windows is that besides constant cosmetic changes they've yet to get the fundamentals right.)

So, I'm disillusioned with recent versions, yet PCLinux 2007 keeps doing all that I need. Don't see any resolution of the inherent geek mentality that drives Linux, so it may well remain for enthusiasts only, who just don't wish to see the same thing every day, as I'm assured of with OS/2.

Even stranger, IMHO, is that the same report shows Java ME overtaking Linux.

I didn't even know that was an Operating System.

Last 2 people who asked me to look at their virus infected machines were more than happy when I loaded linux. They loved the idea of "no more viruses". I'm glad apple is doing well with their iphone and wish microsoft the best of luck. There is a market out there for headache free web browsing and maybe apple is filling that need for some people now though without decent flash support, I still don't understand how their's is ready for primetime while linux isn't.