Social proof and the year of the Linux desktop
Intuition
Linux keeps getting better, but the improvements never seem to have an effect on desktop market share. If we really want to reach unfamiliar users, maybe we need a different approach?
Given the audience of this magazine, it hardly needs to be argued how much better, more beautiful, easier, and more useful desktop Linux has become in recent years. It's not like there's nothing left on the "to-do" list for a better and friendlier Linux, but there's also no denying how many items have been ticked off the list – and how many areas where Linux is already well ahead of the competition.
Even a few years ago, a Linux user needed to have enough technical skill to occasionally convert a file, download a codec, or update a driver. All these issues have almost totally gone away. The major Linux desktops are every bit as easy to use as macOS, and they are way more intuitive than Windows 10.
So has the Linux market share improved along with these significant improvements to the Linux user experience? It should vex us all that it hasn't. No matter how much we want Linux to break through to the mainstream market, it seems eternally stuck in the geek space.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Hannah Montana Linux Is Back!
Developer Noah Cagle decided the world needed the once obscure but beloved Linux distribution and gave it a decidedly pink refresh.
-
System76 Refreshes the Lemur Laptop
If you're looking for a laptop with tons of power and battery, look no further than the latest iteration of the System76 Lemur Pro.
-
More than 43 Million Lines of Code in Linux Kernel 7.2
Using the cloc utility, Michael Larabel of Phoronix discovered that Linux kernel 7.2 has over 43 million lines of code.
-
Kubuntu Focus Goes Ultra
The Kubuntu Focus team has upped the performance ante of its M2 and Zr laptops with the latest, greatest CPUs from Intel.
-
Linux Gamers May Soon See Less Mouse Lag in KDE Plasma
Gamers using KDE’s Plasma desktop have been suffering from a slight input delay in mouse movement that could lead to getting fragged.
-
Three Lines of Code Improve Linux Storage Performance
A developer changed three lines of code, giving Linux storage performance a 5% bump.
-
AUR Hit Again with Malicious Packages
Once again the Arch User Repository is plagued by a high volume of malicious packages.
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.