OS Market Shares

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by Krysis, Jan 2, 2013.

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  1. Krysis

    Krysis Registered Member

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  2. Bodhitree

    Bodhitree Registered Member

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    There are only 2 reasons MS has such a huge share;

    1) OEM
    2) Games

    There are far far better operating systems, but most cannot penetrate the OEM market due to Microsofts tactics and incentives. Linux Mint for example can entirely replace Windows, except for high end gaming, there is no reason Mint or Ubuntu haven't taken over OEM other than corruption in the industry.

    Another important factor, Linux can run on much less hardware, which means less hardware sales and upgrades - these industries are in bed together. Gabe Newell is porting Steam and all of the Steam Library over to Linux. They discovered that on average, Linux runs their games 30-100% better without any major tweaking on equivelent hardware. What does this mean? It means a guy with old hardware, can suddenly play newer games - on Linux - which opens up a lot of potential additional customers.

    If someone doesn't play high end games, there is literally no excuse to not be running a linux Distro like Mint, Mageia, or Lubuntu. No excuse. It's faster, requires less hardware, and is much more secure. Repositories mean almost guaranteed security. I hate Windows, I despise everyday I am forced to use it. I would much rather run a linux distro, but I play a LOT of games, and I am forced to suffer under Windows to enjoy my games. The day this changes is the day I uninstall MS and never look back.
     
  3. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    MS truly has a monopoly on the OS market. It's a shame really, especially now, when they're taking this new (IMO ridiculous) direction with Win 8. Would really be nice if there were some true competition in the market, from Google, or anyone else with the resources to do it. But there isn't.

    I am running Linux Mint 14 Xfce x64 right now, and really like it. But in all honesty, I think linux in general is still somewhat of a bugfest, and I think that's the main reason it hasn't caught on with the general public... But Mint meets all my needs at the moment, so I'm using it.

    Macs are nice, but I won't spend that much money for a computer...
     
  4. Wild Hunter

    Wild Hunter Former Poster

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    Windows continues to be the best OS overall, as it provides the most complete experience.
     
  5. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    I have to agree. Here I am, just an hour or so later, and am having video issues in Mint already. Sigh........ Looks like it's back to 7....
     
  6. Krysis

    Krysis Registered Member

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    I would have to agree! I recently installed Ubuntu12.10 and Windows 8 Pro 64 bit in Virtualbox - and while using Virtualbox brings it's own peculiar problems - it took 6 attempts to install a 'workable' Ubuntu12.10 - Windows 8 Pro, up and running one go! How many newbies to Linux would go past the first few install attempts? Not to mention the different terminolgy - I think most would toss in the towel, and go straight back to Windows.
     
  7. Bodhitree

    Bodhitree Registered Member

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    Depends on the distro. Mint-Maya I've never had a single issue with on multiple machines. Ubuntu can be buggy, some of the other mint builds can be buggy (Cinnamon comes to mind). I'd actually recomend Maegia for security and stability.

    The problem is, there isn't a unified Distro with a large funding base. Maegia came close when it was almost entirely funded by the Spanish and Italian Govt's to create a safe, reliable, secure OS for their systems. Which might help explain why it is so stable, and easy.
     
  8. Dark Shadow

    Dark Shadow Registered Member

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    IMO there no such thing as best OS.its all about preferences.Windows is a balance of everything but as far as gaming I give it to windows. As far as security,photography and graphics and resale value Mac OS X. I give linux the edge on security. customization and beauty.
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2013
  9. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    Linux and OSX are both viable contenders, but OSX moreso - the issue is it's only sold on custom (and expensive) hardware.

    Linux isn't ready. The drivers for GPUs are improving a lot, but not enough. Maybe in 6 months they'll be as fast and stable but for now, even with the significant improvements made, they're not there.

    Ubuntu has been focusing on the wrong things. I think 13.04 might change that, as they're finally focusing on trimming the OS, getting the memory usage down, improving performance for low end devices. I think it might bring the much needed changes to an OS that has, for the last 5 releases, gotten clunky under the hood.
     
  10. merisi

    merisi Registered Member

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    I find it very sad that Linux hasn't really taken off on desktop computers yet it's a massive success on phones and with servers. I think the idea that distros of Linux are very secure is something that you have to be careful about because there are lots of vulnerabilities in the OS and people have to take a lot of precautions that doesn't involve relying on an anti-virus. Many of my favourite security programs don't exist in Linux such as Sandboxie and Shadow Defender. I have also found in the past that Ubuntu runs my pc very hot. For all this I really enjoy the interface in Ubuntu, the speed in loading, shutting down and that Firefox seems to work with much more efficiency.

    There was a time I was seduced by the hype around Apple but I'd rather have Windows at half the price and be able to play games. I also think that Apple are in denial about how secure their OS is.
     
  11. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    Agree, but not totally:


    True for average user. But if you wish to configure personally the system, especially for security ( IDS, FW...) but not only, you need to know use command-line interface and study a lot. This is again the problem of Linux.
     
  12. Fuzzfas

    Fuzzfas Registered Member

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    I 've been hearing for 10 years the question "is Linux ready for the desktop"? And the answer is always, "sure, for the geek's desktop!".

    The truth is, Linux is far too fragmented to penetrate the mass consumer market. People get confused passing from WinXP to Win7 or from Win7 to Win8. What about having distros, each with different enviroment, which keep increasing in number (KDE, Gnome, XFCE, whatever)?

    Last time i tried Linux, it was in all distros the same story:

    1) At some point you need to use command line. Oh, i forgot to learn my commands. In Windows, 99% of cases, you can click your way out of the trouble.

    2) At some point, you find an application which isn't in the "repository". But then something goes bad while you install. "Oh, that was rpm, it wasn't deb". Or "You need to compile it yourself". "Sure i will! I will compile my Windows back!"

    3) The fonts look weird.

    4) "You want to run games? Sure, there is WINE!" And a 10 page guide of how you will make it run your game.

    5) You do an update and oh the horror, some applications break! Now what... Command line, i suppose? "Yeah, but, that application is really made for Gnome, that's why it doesn't work well for you. You 'd better get the one compiled for KDE". "Eeeer, thanks for tip! Now where did i put my Windows CD?".


    Conclusion: Linux is made from geeks for geeks, who are insanely happy to have this "toy" or "hobby" of "distro-hopping", endlessely seeking the "perfect distro". Unfortunately, most people want an OS to keep, not a toy. And the Linux geeks are so proud and happy with their command lines, compiling etc, the big differences between distros ("it's a gift, more from which to choose!") , where even some commands you learnt won't work anymore, that never crosses their minds that they could actually make something to unify Linux and make it more "average Joe"-friendly, instead of inventing yet another desktop enviroment and cheer about it. Of course, then, after another 10 years, the same question will be asked "why can't Linux penetrate the desktop market". Yes, it is a mystery... :rolleyes: :D


    Windows got success, because it tried to make an OS that even a computer illiterate could find his way in. Linux answer to that was "here's a beginner's guide to the command line, Linux is so easy and is really ready for the desktop, trully, i say!".
     
  13. Krysis

    Krysis Registered Member

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    Yep! - insightful comments! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
     
  14. Brandonn2010

    Brandonn2010 Registered Member

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    Dead on. If Linux was made so the average Windows user would never have to touch the command line, applications worked cross-interface and cross-distro, and games worked on it (being worked on because of Steam), then Linux would take off.
     
  15. Steam wont do anything for Linux, big whoop if you ask me. The problem is that there are too many distro's, cut it down to about 10 and you will see growth.

    And Linux isn't more secure than Windows, it's just got as much bugs and vulnerabilities as Windows but the problem is they can't patch them as quick.
     
  16. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    i was kinda hoping Linux would have had a better year.

    hopefully this year will be better.
    Steam for Linux might help, we'll have to wait and see i guess.
     
  17. AlexC

    AlexC Registered Member

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    Dual boot Windows and Linux is great, the user can get the best of both worlds :thumb:
     
  18. Mman79

    Mman79 Registered Member

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    Linux for home use got damned lucky that Steam came over to their side. Is it going to make a huge difference? I doubt it. For one thing gamers still have Steam for Windows and other games that have always been Windows, plus they are just used to Windows and won't likely see a need to change. Another issue was already mentioned, graphics drivers and support. I have no idea how long it will take before they get to the performance level of Windows, but they've had a long time to do it and still haven't.

    A lot of us have thought "Well, maybe this year", and many stories pop up yearly saying "The Year of Linux". Each year though passes by with little change. Sure, governments/city institutions adopt it slowly. But let's face the fact that most things are never considered a success unless it's successful with the public masses. I don't at all think it'll never see that success, but each year that passes brings less and less hope. I feel quite comfortable saying that the Linux I used in 2009 is pretty much the same Linux I've booted up in the last few months. The same issues are there, slightly easier to deal with now, but still there. One thing is certain though and Linux should be grateful for it, the success of the tablet/smartphone market will bump up numbers.
     
  19. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    for what it's worth, i have 2 games that i play in both Windows 8 and Linux Mint; Starsector (formerly Starfarer) and Faster Than Light.

    they play equally well in either Linux or Windows.

    of course, we're not talking super high-end games here, but i think gaming on Linux is getting there quite nicely.
     
  20. Mman79

    Mman79 Registered Member

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    Yes, but the high end games are what most gamers go for, and they're going to go where they'll get every frame per second they can and where they can tweak every last ounce of juice out of their GPU. Things are better than they were in 2006, but it's just not quite there yet and there's a lot of blame to go around for it.
     
  21. Tomwa

    Tomwa Registered Member

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    and the fact that linux for the average user has a learning curve somewhat resembling a backwards facing L (Literally directly up).

    Yes because everything is great about encouraging even further outdated hardware!
    What's that? Still running a single core processor? Hop on over to linux and
    use that old Pentium III copermine processor that won't hold back progress for gaming at all gaming companies surrender to the bottom line of their user base!


    Porting an ever growing library...? Furthermore I read no reference to the entire steam library just the games that run on Valve's Source Engine:
    http://techland.time.com/2012/04/25/steam-native-linux-client-near-gabe-newell-trashes-windows-8/

    Me: Here grandma use this!
    Grandma: What's this?
    Me: It's linux
    Grandma: The loonux keeps telling me I don't have permission! I should give it a firm talking too.
    Me: No grandma you have to use sudo.
    Grandma: I'm too old to sumo sonny.

    It get's even worse with children.

    Don't get me wrong I love linux, I have portable versions of TAILS, Backtrack, Ubuntu, and even Qimo for the youngest children in the house.

    All that said Windows 8 may make your wish come true so don't forget to blow out the candles on your birthday cake!
     
  22. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    Maybe I need to give Linux another go - I haven't used it for many years.

    I really like the vast amount of software available for Windows. Also, I can't run my DJ software on Linux. But I may install Linux on one of my other laptops. Windows hardware requirements are not an issue for me, as even Windows 8 run really fast on 6 year old hardware.

    Personally I love Windows, and really hate OS X, but will give Linux another try so I can reach an opinion on it.
     
  23. arsenaloyal

    arsenaloyal Registered Member

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    Ubuntu could have been huge, but they made the single biggest mistake with unity! I know it can be replaced.. but it was huge mistake, pre unity linux distros were excllent to use. Now i prefer PC OS Linux Full Monty, it has all the softwares i can ever think of and is excellent to use.
     
  24. NGRhodes

    NGRhodes Registered Member

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    Simple reason Linux does not stand a chance is gaining market share on desktop/laptops is lack of OEM preinstalls.
    IMHO its nothing to do with Windows/Linux being better/worse. If the nolonger-Metro UI tile UI is so good why have Windows Phones been such a flop for example ?
     
  25. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    I think linux doesn't stand a chance in the desktop market because it simply isn't a quality, bug free (or as close as possible) effort with enough polish. I think if you took the top 2 or 3 distros, and put as much money and effort into them as Apple put into the Mac OS, then linux would have the appropriate market share. OEM's aren't interested because it's not a quality offering that will stand up in public use. Bottom line, it takes lots of money and top notch people to produce a quality OS. That's how I see it anyhow. I'm sure some will disagree.. :)
     
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