Windows Is Not The Only Competition
As pointed out by a Desktop Linux article, Windows is in a bad position. On one side, the Mac is eating its market share and, on the opposite side, Linux is gaining traction and starting to take market share too. While this is, of course, great news for Linux, the Mac’s increasing market share is something for Linux distros to pay close attention to.
Right now a lot is done to promote Linux to Windows users, but very little attention is put into encouraging Mac users to make the switch (to Linux.) Although this made sense in the past when the Mac had a very small market share, Mac users can no longer be ignored for two reasons:
First, although it may be a long time until Windows disappears, in the next few years the Mac will almost certainly become a major competitor (if it has not already.) Suppose the Mac reaches 20% - 25% market share in a couple of years (which seems possible.) There is 20% - 25% of computer users Linux is not directly targeting.
Second, the portion of computer users who are already using the Mac are an important group of users to capture in terms of promoting Linux. Most Mac users are much more tech-savvy than Windows users without being hardcore geeks. Plus, it seems like all the tech reporters use Macs. These people, tech reporter or not, are likely to spread their OS of choice to many more people. True there are people like this already using Linux or still using Windows, but that is not an excuse to ignore a bunch more of them.
For these two reasons, it is important that Linux distros target not just Windows users, but Mac users too.
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:36 am
The latest w3 stats put linux at 3.8% and mac at 4.3% with a combined total that equals vista’s 7%
March 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
Consider your sources. DesktopLinux is hardly an unbiased news source. They are going to put a negative spin on anything relating to Microsoft. Just look at a quote from the article:
“While no one does a good job of tracking the still-new, pre-installed Linux desktop market, it’s also clear that Linux is finally making impressive inroads into Windows’ once unchallenged market share.”
Beg your pardon? How is it clear when no one does a good job by giving us clear data? Oh, it’s clear because the author says it is.
“…empirical evidence makes it clear that Linux desktops are moving into customers’ hands at a quick pace.”
Therein lies the problem. Empirical evidence relies on the observations of the person collecting the data. In this case the author, who’s own bias will impact those observations.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
matthews - Could you give a link to that data? Net Applications shows Linux market share at around 0.65%.
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=8
Although I am sure different places get different numbers, 3.8% and less than 1% are very different.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:10 am
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp
I have looked at dozens of stats sites they all vary wildly I would not put too much stock in them. Plus internet access does not equal OS usage. Tons of third world people use Linux but have no internet. Many offices use windows but don’t surf.
March 29th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I’ve read somewhere (not too long ago actually) that Linux is at around 6%. I am obviously not particularly sure if this is true or how close to correct it is as I cannot say they are right or wrong.
What I have found is that in comparison to my older sites I had the amount of Linux visitors I would receive (on the webstads logs) would really be minimal whereas lately I have really seen Mac rising incredibly and Linux also seems as if it is much more well known.