Linux Breaks 3% PC Desktop Market Share After 30 Years

[gurusmi]

Windows doesn't normally BSOD unless something really bad happens. I can't even remember the last time that I even saw a BSOD, that's how long I've not seen one.

I haven't seen that much BlueScreens since years. When i coded my Amiga in Assembler sometimes i got that much Guru Meditation Messages. My systems runs fine and smooth when using Linux. I tested the Drives (SSD) for Errors with GPartEd and Linux Mint Live. No errors. I wrote new Bootblocks etc. Nothing was better. booting with a Windows-10-USBStick diskpart told me that the drive is "raw". But it was fully accessible by Linux. This were two weeks full of Horror. I use to use my rig for moneymaking. 3D work, developing, Excel,... and i don't use to play on it. Except that special MS Sudoku. That is really addictive. Since i changed to linux the system boots still fine.

But nevertheless i think that the mainboard is broken a bit. I don't know where from. Just a feeling. Especially since my system doesn't recognize my second (Backup-Data) drive. a PCIe 3.0 Intel 660P SSD anymore. But i'm already building my new rig. It should be finished within this year.

 

[trparky]

I'm going to say that there was something definitely wrong with your hardware in that case.

 

[Squared]

What?? Some of this post was right 10 years ago, the rest was meh or wrong. But no GUI settings for network is where I couldn’t read this crap anymore.

My specific examples may be outdated but the problem remains. Windows has a lot of settings (buried deep in the control panel), more than any Linux distro. As a lot of 3rd party hardware (like my AMD graphics card or Logitech keyboard) has its own settings software that isn't available on Linux. Today my Pop_OS! laptop lost internet connection for a minute; on Windows I could've pressed "diagnose" and (likely) been told why, but I didn't have that option.

 

[Solaris17]

but the problem remains.

No it really doesnt. Go load any current OS, most of your points are outdated. If you can only cite examples from your limited use case or outdated information that cite it as such.

Pop_OS!

For everyone else.

Pop!_OS by System76

Imagine an OS for the software developer, maker and computer science professional who uses their computer as a tool to discover and create. Welcome to Pop!_OS.

pop.system76.com

System76 specilized in being a linux centric OEM that utilizes there own custom baked OS.

Welcome to Pop!_OS​

Pop!_OS is an operating system for STEM and creative professionals who use their computer as a tool to discover and create. Unleash your potential on secure, reliable open source software. Based on your exceptional curiosity, we sense you have a lot of it.

Is is not backed by any large provider in a meaningful way like cononical, or SUSE, or redhat.

Yeah, if I used some beta fisherprice shit I would be mad too.

You can read more about usage case and growing pains for pop on https://www.phoronix.com/

but dont pretend its some mainstream replacement attempt by the linux community. You wanted to "test" linux, and thats exactly what you got.

 

[Deleted member 232534]

I haven't seen that much BlueScreens since years. When i coded my Amiga in Assembler sometimes i got that much Guru Meditation Messages. My systems runs fine and smooth when using Linux. I tested the Drives (SSD) for Errors with GPartEd and Linux Mint Live. No errors. I wrote new Bootblocks etc. Nothing was better. booting with a Windows-10-USBStick diskpart told me that the drive is "raw". But it was fully accessible by Linux. This were two weeks full of Horror. I use to use my rig for moneymaking. 3D work, developing, Excel,... and i don't use to play on it. Except that special MS Sudoku. That is really addictive. Since i changed to linux the system boots still fine.

But nevertheless i think that the mainboard is broken a bit. I don't know where from. Just a feeling. Especially since my system doesn't recognize my second (Backup-Data) drive. a PCIe 3.0 Intel 660P SSD anymore. But i'm already building my new rig. It should be finished within this year.

Maybe it's a motherboard slot? you can check the second nvme drive in the adapter in the pcie slot.

Last year sat ssd started failing and it was all kind of crazy things happening. It started with bsod-s. At first i blamed the motherboard/psu, because I didn't even considered a ssd can fail. I expected it to have more longevity than hdd. No mechanical parts, million hours more expected work time, and so on. I was able to make the system image and boot it in virtual machine, since the reads were working and the writes were becoming harder for him . At first I was possible to write new partition table and write some files, but the writes were becoming worse and ultimately writing even a new partition table became unpossible.

Recently other sata ssd failed which was in an older laptop, which was stored unused for months. I took it out and i see its started lagging and failing - soon the writes will start to give up completely. One was crucial the other adata.

 

[Squared]

I think Linux is still equivalent to searching for problems and spending more time trying to fix things with your PC than just running your PC. And what @Squared posted above I translate it as a "it's still a challenge", not as a "it's fine now".

It's a lot better than it used to be, but it is still a challenge at least in many cases.

 

[Deleted member 232534]

Windows has a lot of settings (buried deep in the control panel)

windows 11 has a lot of settings, the power saving options are in 3 places and you need extra apps to enable more

what i don't like is that i don't have control over even ms windows taskbar, menus and overall behavior. why not leave it to users? I have 2 monitors and 1,5 meter of taskabar, i don't need anything grouped

 

[eidairaman1]

Speak for yourself dude. I have no problems Windows and much like @R0H1T said, if you're tired of being spied on... disconnect from the Internet and go live off the grid. Go build yourself a nice cabin in the woods or find a cave (just make sure there's no bear in it first).

Killing WUD fixed my problems, then i vette updates

 

[Easo]

It will likely never be year of Linux desktop. Server side, though? Yeah, it's good there.
P.S.
News such as these always draw out the Windows vs Linux holywars. Oh people...

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

No it really doesnt. Go load any current OS, most of your points are outdated. If you can only cite examples from your limited use case or outdated information that cite it as such.


For everyone else.

Pop!_OS by System76

Imagine an OS for the software developer, maker and computer science professional who uses their computer as a tool to discover and create. Welcome to Pop!_OS.

pop.system76.com

System76 specilized in being a linux centric OEM that utilizes there own custom baked OS.



Is is not backed by any large provider in a meaningful way like cononical, or SUSE, or redhat.

Yeah, if I used some beta fisherprice shit I would be mad too.

You can read more about usage case and growing pains for pop on https://www.phoronix.com/

but dont pretend its some mainstream replacement attempt by the linux community. You wanted to "test" linux, and thats exactly what you got.

Gosh, I never found popOS all that hard to get going, even on laptops. The biggest snag is that it uses Ubuntu at the core, and stuff looking for Ubuntu (like AMD pro drivers) won’t load until you hack the installer.

 

[unwind-protect]

Personally speaking, if I were a hardware company that wants to make money, there's no way in hell that I'd put my drivers in the kernel. Why? So others, including my competitors, can find out what's in my secret sauce? Nope.

Then don't change things, or if you do, provide a compatibility layer so that binary-only blob drivers can interface with the kernel. They shouldn't be changing things for the sake of changing things. And no, if I were a hardware company there's no way I'd want some shmuck from BFE messing with my code.

Open source is nice and all but a part of me says that open source is incompatible with a Capitalist economy.

Nah, my opinion is the opposite. Hardware that needs closed-sourced drivers can go to hell. I hardly tolerate NVidia because I need CUDA, but some lesser vendor - not a chance.

Anyway, the Linux kernel's drivers interface will not stabilize anytime soon. So your binary driver is obsolete soon and your hardware would be bricked in no time because vendors have the attention span of a caffeinated gnat.

Drivers directly in the Linux kernel are also insurance that you can keep using the hardware for a while.

 

[johnspack]

A lot of the complaints I see about linux are non-issues. Newest kernels work just fine with nvidia and amd drivers. Cuda works just fine. Stick with ubuntu or mxlinux if you want it easy.
DNS changes, yes it's in the darn gui, easy to change:

 

[Squared]

One issue is that a good OS needs strong funding. RHEL and Ubuntu Server get that funding from Red Hat and Canonical, but Fedora and Ubuntu Desktop deliver very little revenue so they get very little funding. Pop_OS! is funded by System76 and starts from Ubuntu Desktop which is a strong foundation, but too much of Pop_OS! funding is spent on customizing the OS. I haven't used SteamOS 3 (except for a few minutes), but it has solid funding and that funding has been spent on making it a solid handheld gaming OS, and I hear it delivers.

 

[Minus Infinity]

If Windows 12 goes subscription based AI cloud garbage nonsense, then Linux and MacOS will surge IMO.

 

[trparky]

Anyway, the Linux kernel's drivers interface will not stabilize anytime soon.

But why?

 

[gurusmi]

Maybe it's a motherboard slot? you can check the second nvme drive in the adapter in the pcie slot.

Last year sat ssd started failing and it was all kind of crazy things happening. It started with bsod-s. At first i blamed the motherboard/psu, because I didn't even considered a ssd can fail. I expected it to have more longevity than hdd. No mechanical parts, million hours more expected work time, and so on. I was able to make the system image and boot it in virtual machine, since the reads were working and the writes were becoming harder for him . At first I was possible to write new partition table and write some files, but the writes were becoming worse and ultimately writing even a new partition table became unpossible.

Recently other sata ssd failed which was in an older laptop, which was stored unused for months. I took it out and i see its started lagging and failing - soon the writes will start to give up completely. One was crucial the other adata.

I also tried the second slot. No other result. As i'm right now building a new rig i decided to migrate to Linux. I do not have any issue with that. I decided to switch over to Mint Linux. As i get a new rig within the next month why should i invest that hell of time and money? No need for. Till the new rig is ready the old one runs on Linux. I will copy the data from my old rig and that's it for the old one.

All my needed Programs are available. 3D Printing? Slicing? CAD? Calculating? Everything possible. There are only 2 topics i had to manage. First i had to migrate my mails/Contacts/Meetings etc. No Problem with evolution as one can import that PST Files directly without Windows/Outlook. The second task was a bit more tricky. My calculations with a hell of Macrocode. The small file already has 1800 Lines of code. But also there was a solution possible. Export the code in Excel/Win and save the table data as a NonMacro-Workbook. Save them on a pendrive or whatever. Take it over to Linux. And there open the plain workbook save it in ODS and add the Makros in the external file.

A long long time ago i owned an Amiga 2000. Then i had to download different packages to run Linux. GPP, Linux,... I did that all the time from Nic.Funet.FI. A FTP Server Linus used to populate his OS. Since then i know about Linux and also use it. In my Company all the clients and servers will run on Linux. I don't sh*t ducats. They can play their game. I play mine. I never liked MS neither Windows or MS-Dos. It's nearby forgotten. But MS started by stealing Code by disassembling CP/M. They have stolen all around to get code and ideas. The only thing they do real well is charging money. Just my 5 cents.

 

[john_]

If Windows 12 goes subscription based AI cloud garbage nonsense, then Linux and MacOS will surge IMO.

I would have totally agreed with you if I haven't heard the same when Vista, Windows 8 and Window 10 came out.

In the end two things happen.

First, people continue to use Windows. No matter what. People pay a good amount of money to keep their Office 365. If they don't want to use it as a service, they will use any older Microsoft product version it works for them. Office 2010? Yeah, why not! The same with Windows. Windows 10, 11, instead of a subscription service Windows in... 2040? As long as those versions keep working and have functional web browsers, yeah, why not?

Secondly, Microsoft will keep it's eyes shut while users pirate it's software, either that is Windows or Office. So even if it offers Windows as a service, we can be absolutely certain that, if needed, Microsoft itself will leak patches to keep those Windows running without paying a single cent to Microsoft. Especially today that Windows is just another digital data collection machine about it's user, Microsoft is probably making some money anyway, out of the OS's usage. Not to mention that you don't have to pay full price if you want to feel legit. Keys for Windows 10/11 are sold for a single digit price. Few individuals pay full price Windows today. And I bet many laptops could be coming with a lifetime key installed, if Windows becomes a service, instead of a one year period key that needs to be renew every year.

 

[AusWolf]

Looking at the abysmal state of Windows development lately, and public perception, I voted yes. Heck, I would switch myself if there was native DX12 support in Linux.

 

[Concealed Sentinel]

Waiting Valve to release SteamOS 3.0 for public use.

Meanwhile you can download unofficial releases here:

Spoiler

Old unofficial builds

Spoiler

New unofficial builds

Spoiler

Alternative FTP server with new unofficial builds

 

[bearClaw5]

If you look at the historic chart, every dip for windows is followed by a mirrored spike for "other".

Also no way macs are at 21%. Their largest segment was K-12 and they all moved to chromebooks.

 

[Aleksandar_038]

One Linux distro intended to be competition to Windows is desperately needed. Because otherwise Microsoft without competition will continue to do whatever they hell want. Linux must have one distro with long-term support and account management fit for corporate environment... Otherwise, Windows will always be better choice even with all garbage MS builts in.

Despite Vista and Windows 8 failures, these days are unique opportunities for Linux. Because Microsoft does not even develop Windows anymore - they just keep it alive, and invest everything into Cloud, Bing and AI. Within two or three years we will basically have Edge skin over whole desktop, with leftovers of Windows beneath, kept only for compatibility purposes.

Here's how it goes for me. I can't move my taskbar where I want it anymore, the new default mail application is worse than their own unmaintained application from 2012, they continually add useless bloat to the operating system like Teams, web content in the task bar. Windows 7 search is still better. The context menu requires more clicks to access commonly used applications e.g. 7zip.
Then after an update they reinstall all sorts of ads for applications no one uses because some spyware company (Meta, etc) paid Microsoft to put it there. At least I can disable seeing the out-of-box experience multiple times a year.

It's getting worse with time which is unfortunate because the core of Windows - the hardware and backward compatibility - hasn't been ruined but the idiotic Bing managers running the user experience is ruining Windows as a whole.

Lack of option for moving taskbar is stupid, but not so big problem, except it shows where WIndows development is heading
Defualt Mail application was terrible in 2015, now it is great little app with some features better than Outlook. For light usage, it is great app. But it is dead - and once we have abmnomination of PWA Outlook app, Mail will be sorely missed.
As for 7Zip, use NanaZip (you have it online and in MS Store) - it is based on 7Zip, just more regularly updated and present in new context menu.

But I agree it will be only worse... Direction is obvious.

 

[trparky]

One Linux distro intended to be competition to Windows is desperately needed. Because otherwise Microsoft without competition will continue to do whatever they hell want. Linux must have one distro with long-term support and account management fit for corporate environment... Otherwise, Windows will always be better choice even with all garbage MS builts in.

Exactly. If the Linux community could do that, I can guarantee they'd be able to kill Windows stone dead in less than five years.

 

[Squared]

Also no way macs are at 21%. Their largest segment was K-12 and they all moved to chromebooks.

That was a long time ago. Circa 2013, easily 21% of laptops brought by students into a college classroom were Macs. Today I very frequently run into people who use them for very ordinary (not video editing) personal laptop use.

 

[bearClaw5]

That was a long time ago. Circa 2013, easily 21% of laptops brought by students into a college classroom were Macs. Today I very frequently run into people who use them for very ordinary (not video editing) personal laptop use.

Yeah, apple products have become a fashion item. Still, 20%? Globally? Doesn't seem right.

 

[trparky]

Yeah, apple products have become a fashion item. Still, 20%? Globally? Doesn't seem right.

I think that there's far more iDevices (iPads and iPhones) out there in the wild than actual Apple computers.