My situation is that of being a retired senior (supposedly) now.
Several years ago I wanted to change to Linux based because I had a great laptop that was still good but it’s OS had become dodgy.
But the shear number of Linux distros was overwhelming.

In the end I ditched the lot and bought a small windows 10 laptop.
Not my preference but far simpler than trying to sort through the miriad of Linux offerings. I was still earning a living (well trying to on a farm) working long hours and didn’t have time to fluff around.
So for me whether my preference was MS or Linux, in the end there was no alternative. I just ran with what worked out of the box.

And I know you were mainly discussing desktops, but I think laptops fit in there too and I’m sure I would be just one of the vast majority who think similarly about that overwhelming choice in Linux.

They need to refine and make some hard decisions about their best work and focus on those.

Good to hear Daniel.

The term “failed”, in the context of this article, was not meant as a slur against Linux as an operating system. I’ve run Linux and Windows side-by-side for many years and like them both. What I meant was that Linux has generally failed to grab desktop users’ attention/imagination, as clearly indicated by its dismal market share. Success or failure of any product is usually assessed based on popularity, and a 2.42% market share does not exactly scream success.

Hi James,

You make a good point regarding drivers. However, to a large extent, that is generally no longer a major issue with the modern Linux distros. Unless, of course, there is a rare piece of hardware or uncommon peripheral involved.

I remember many years ago, when I was running Ubuntu, I downloaded and installed the latest Ubuntu version and it would not connect to the internet. I popped over to a leading Ubuntu forum seeking advice and was told that I needed to download a patch and apply same from within the operating system. I pointed out the obvious; if I was unable to connect to the internet from within the operating system how the heck was I supposed to download and apply a patch? Mission impossible!

Eventually, a senior member of the Ubuntu team came onto the forum and admitted that they’d stuffed up and should have immediately released a fresh ISO which included the much needed patch.

I do hope you can locate the necessary drivers and enjoy your Linux to its fullest.

Cheers… Jim

By that reasoning, any early adopters of new technology should still be dominating the market place today – regardless of what superior alternatives might have come along in the interim. Clearly, that is definitely not the case.

I do see your point Tracy and could probably accept it to a degree if Linux was say batting 30%, 20%, or even 10% of the desktop operating system market. But 2.42%, c’mon!

BTW: I thought we were talking about advertising in regards to Windows, not Microsoft. I too have seen ads for Microsoft, but they have mainly been ads for the Surface Pro, which is hardware, not an operating system.

I tried to install several Linux bundled software over the years only to find errors, which prevented the install process. Too long ago to remember the exact errors. But I was able to download and use several Linux systems. Not knowing what to download was a problem by itself. Went on to several boards, reading along, to see if I could get the assist I wanted. Found some of the products not to my liking, so as time went by, so did my love for Linux.

Growing up in the prompt age, I did not find it difficult adjusting to the older Linux systems and programs. It’s been several years now since I last gave Linux a try, and with more free time thought it would be the ideal time. It might happen. Each try in the past was not a pleasant memory.

On the point of teaching seniors, I find it odd that the instructors use actual Microsoft products as learning tools. These programs cost. Find using free software like OpenOffice just as good, for my limited use, Mindblower!

Most of my lifetime learning of Windows has been job related, meaning I learned Windows during the work day. I’ve been wanting to switch to Linux for years, but my current full time job keeps me busy, and I’m finding I have no free time available (turning 20 acres into a homestead, with bees) to sit down and do what I want with Linux.

My next PC will be Linux based, but I’m sure, based on past experiences, that I won’t be able to fully migrate to Linux until all I verify that drivers for my hardware is available (and compatible).

The point was that MS took over at the start & only they & Apple were around & advertising for years. By the time Linux was to the point of end-user GUI, it was a done deal. Just because something is free doesn’t = people leaving what they know for an unknown– even a free (& in many cases, superior) unknown. They’ll stick to their familiar, even if it’s not so good.

That’s why the shops like Hardly Normal get given free AV by the big guys– then they “sell” it for a tidy profit– because the AV guys, like Norton, KNOW humans are creatures of habit. Once they have they have their AV installed, these folks’ll pony-up the renewal just because it’s too much trouble to change. I see it day after day…

And, I actually see plenty of MS advertising– in fact, a whole lot of it comes through the computer itself. There’s more when you go into the shops– stickers/placards/banners– just depends on the shop (likewise, w/Apple).

Hi Tom,

I’ve actually installed Linux on quite a few of our senior’s PC’s & it’s been all good, so far. One fella was so happy he went online and signed up to beginners class to learn more- lol.

Sure, you can blame lack of advertising. You could also blame the alignment of the stars, or maybe the Chinese. 🙂 However, in my experience, if something is superior, word of mouth will more often than not take care of the rest. And if 26 years is not enough time for word of mouth to take effect…..

I don’t know about in the US but here in Oz, I cannot remember when or where I last saw an ad for Windows, or even if I ever have.

As a full-time Linux user for years now, I can’t say that I miss any of the MS world. Just the other day, my son was working and needed to go to work. He shutdown his MS laptop & it began updating- “do not turn off your computer”. He didn’t want to chance it, so he missed his bus & was late to work. He said that when he finally got there & started the laptop, it continued to update for another 10 minutes. How wonderful (not!). I get my system updates when I want, what I want, & I never have to shut down or restart– I can just keep working. Thank you very much!

I personally find the available & all-free software to be excellent. Pretty great to just open the software manager & have a browse>one-click install. You mention Shutter, and I use that every day & love it! I especially appreciate the snip/screenshot>export to online image host– all from within the Shutter program. Nifty.

The only gaming done by me is on Steam- so that’s all good. Second Life also runs great- though I don’t have as much time in there as I’d like. We have consoles for the rest.

I have MS VM’s loaded in Virtualbox so that I can “see” an OS whenever I get a “help” phone call from a MS user– so VM’s work well, too.

I agree w/Bob C: MS snagged DOS at the inception of things and bought out or ran out the smaller competitors as quickly as possible. Apple had their video/Photoshop/audio niche and Linux wasn’t really around then as a desktop OS.

🙂

Hey Clayto,

I cannot speak for the mobile app market, having had practically zero experience in that department. However, as far as desktop software goes, I can imagine developers pondering their potential market and, as part of the process, taking into consideration the comparative sizes of each consumer base. The outcome has to be a forgone conclusion, does is not. Windows really is a no brainer.

Hey Rich,

Interesting! Thanks for the enlightenment, appreciated.

I have a question. How is it we can get so many genuinely free apps for Windows? In other words what is their business model? I have one which is very upfront about asking for donations, displaying a list of what it receives from different countries. It makes real money, more than a hundred thousand GB pounds each year. I expect this is very much the exception. I am sure you are right about the flow of good free (or cheap) software being a key element in the success of Windows.

While I can’t speak to the Australian market, here in the U.S. I was around thru the inception and battle between Beta and VHS. It was a lot longer than 18 months here, and I owned quite a few Beta machines over the years. Software availability (ie, meaning commercial tapes) was close to equal, as rental stores were divided about 50-50 with each format.

The deciding factor here was Sony’s licensing requirements for HARDWARE and that they could not come to agreement with RCA who was the big “home entertainment” player at the time in the States — they ended up going with the VHS format when things were very much up in the air. If they (and Zenith) had backed Beta instead we wouldn’t be having this discussion, for as you hinted at, Beta was clearly the superior format. VHS won because of the much looser licensing and the preponderance of inexpensive VHS hardware, which then in turn, drove the software.

Hey Bob, Grandkids are all fine, thanks mate.

I take your points but, quite frankly, I fail to see what on earth “server” and “mobile” have to do with desktop market share. I am well aware of Linux’s penetration in the server and mobile areas, however, in the context of this article, that’s totally irrelevant.

In the end, the fact remains that after 26 years and goodness knows how many distros later (and despite the fact that the vast majority are totally free) Linux has still only managed to snare an insignificant 2.42% share of the total desktop market. To me, regardless of debate and/or allegiances, that pretty much says it all.

I would also dispute the assertion that Mac and Linux provide “better security”. It’s been proven beyond doubt, through many instances of those hackfests involving experienced hackers, that both Mac and Linux are equally vulnerable to attack as Windows. They may give the illusion of better security but that is is only because, with their extremely limited target base, most cyber criminals tend to ignore them and concentrate exclusively on Windows where they can reap the greatest rewards.

BTW: According to the reputable and trustworthy Net Market Share, browsing by device currently sits as follows: Desktop/laptop: 50.79%. Mobile/tablet: 49.19%.

If it’s any consolation MB, I don’t believe that the poor numbers for Windows 8.1 necessarily reflects on the operating system per se, more that Windows 10 was a FREE upgrade – and you know how people tend to flock to anything FREE. 🙂

I tend to agree Daniel that Linux is generally not a replacement for Windows. However, in cases where a user only wants/needs to send and receive emails and do the odd bit of surfing the net, it is more than adequate.

That said, many users have a specific interest/pursuit/hobby which often requires a specific software and it’s in this area where Linux tends to fall down.