Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Linux, Windows x64
StatCounter data shows Windows 7 pre-release use closing in on Linux
by Lee Mathews Jul 3rd 2009 at 3:00PM
With the release of Ubuntu 9.04 and developments like Moblin and HP's MIE creating quite stir, plenty of people were saying that 2009 would be 'the year of Linux on the desktop.' Not that the statement hasn't been made before, but there appeared to be some real momentum this time around.
Enter the Windows 7 RC. A quick look at StatCounter's most recent data shows Linux use at .71% and Microsoft's soon-to-be released OS right behind at .68%. StatCounter's chart only shows the top 5 OSes, so you'll need to take a look at the raw CSV data to get the numbers.
Things certainly look good for Windows 7, but let's keep in mind that it's still competitive with Linux on price at this point (read: free). Once people have to shell out their hard-earned money for the new OS, will things change or will Linux still struggle to make gains on Windows?
What are your thoughts?
Enter the Windows 7 RC. A quick look at StatCounter's most recent data shows Linux use at .71% and Microsoft's soon-to-be released OS right behind at .68%. StatCounter's chart only shows the top 5 OSes, so you'll need to take a look at the raw CSV data to get the numbers.
Things certainly look good for Windows 7, but let's keep in mind that it's still competitive with Linux on price at this point (read: free). Once people have to shell out their hard-earned money for the new OS, will things change or will Linux still struggle to make gains on Windows?
What are your thoughts?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Devon Meunier said 3:46PM on 7-03-2009
People just pirate Windows anyways. Windows 7 is actually, good, whereas while people at large view Vista as a turd, it's got 20%? It'll be coming with OEM models anyways. People shouldn't talk about the year of the Linux desktop until after it fucking happens, so they don't consistently look like twats every single year.
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Todd said 3:49PM on 7-03-2009
Nice RSS click bait ...Linux is running on 200 million+ servers worldwide vs. the 1,000 or so, Microsoft apologists who have downloaded Window 7.
I assume editorial review for posts has been suspended for the holiday week-end.
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Lee Mathews said 3:51PM on 7-03-2009
Easy there, cowboy..I pretty clearly used 'desktop' in the post. Apologies for not wanting to cram a third line into the title.
Also, since Windows 7 is a desktop-only OS I kind of hoped people would assume that was the comparison.
Devon Meunier said 3:52PM on 7-03-2009
Servers are fine and dandy, and you're right about them, but we're talking about the -desktop-.
kojo87 said 5:55PM on 7-03-2009
why do i think you pulled the 200 million + statistic out of your ass...
Molly said 4:57PM on 7-03-2009
you know very well, once 7 hits the OEM sales, Linux' market shares (which have to be divided by a gazillion of various distros anyway) will look just as miserable as they always do. no offense, but it's the sad truth.
Linux is no match for Windows 7, the true enemy of 7 is the in-house competition, namely Windows XP.
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jameslentini1 said 5:10PM on 7-03-2009
The most recent market share for Mac is 9.63%.
So I don't understand how only 3.92%, according to this survey, are using the Mac OS. Are they trying to tell me that 60% of those 9.63% of computer users with Mac's are primarily running Windows on their machines and not OS X. Doesn't sound right to me.
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obo said 8:15PM on 7-03-2009
"Are they trying to tell me that 60% of those 9.63% of computer users with Mac's are primarily running Windows on their machines and not OS X."
If OS X was driving market share, Apple's market share growth wouldn't have sped up so much after Boot Camp came out. Running Windows natively is a selling point, especially in enterprise. Why is that a problem?
Taras said 8:50PM on 7-03-2009
3.92% is worldwide market share for Apple computers. 9.63% is for USA only.
Dave Forster said 5:36PM on 7-03-2009
Linux (and any other os) will fair about as well against Win7 that Firefox et al fair againts IE (any version).
Every month we see stats stating how the Microsoft share of the market (OS & browsers) has been chipped away but their share is still overwhelming and for me always will be.
The fact is that most computer users are more than a little bit thick when it comes to .... erm... computers. Generally speaking, they don't have a Scooby Doo what an operating system is or that there's a multitude of ways to browse the internet... they just buy the computer, loaded with crapware, and use whatever it comes with... mainly IE and XP/Vista. Can't see that changing.
PS. I quite like MS stuff anyway... although as a developer I just wish they'd outlaw IE6 !
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kojo87 said 5:51PM on 7-03-2009
very true. my friend asked me for computer help and when i asked if it was Windows or Mac she said Dell.
most people who use computers don't do anything other than email, Facebook and if they are really advanced, word processing. then it makes no difference what OS you use. if Steam ran natively on Linux i would use Linux as my primary OS.
very excited for Windows 7 though. pre-ordered my Professional copy already. first time i've ever payed for an OS!
Danny Boy said 8:29PM on 7-03-2009
I don't think the comparison with FF vs IE works. FF has gone mainstream and in some regions of the world, has overtaken IE in market share. FF will eventually overtake IE, the trend is going in that direction.
Contrast that with Linux, which has never been more than a blip in worldwide desktop market. It may never become mainstream (sorry, just because it was bundled with Dell PCs doesn't make it one) for a variety of usability and convenience failings. It will always be a niche OS.
kojo87 said 9:17PM on 7-03-2009
i agree Firefox is a far different situation. it will take over eventually. even its current marketshare is a great accomplishment considering you have to go out of your way and make a point to install Firefox while IE is still preinstalled on every Windows machine. its still on all my computers and i never ever use it. but it still counts on their stats
Dave Forster said 2:43AM on 7-04-2009
Not sure I can agree with you about the browsers...
I just think IE will continue to dominate because of the sheer amount of users who "don't know any better" and the number of business users that are forced to use it because it's easier to manage/lockdown using corporate security policies etc.
What may make a small dent however is MS decision to unbundle IE in Europe (if it ever actually goes ahead). I also expect Chrome to eat away at the FF share once they eventually get the act together and release an extensions api !
Saint Seminole said 7:26PM on 7-03-2009
So far, all Win7 users got it from downloads, right?
I wouldn't think downloads have much to do with the actual market for Operating Systems, considering that a huge proportion of users obtain their OS by purchasing a computer. When Win7 is installed on the computers at the stores, that's when its usage will pick up. Plain and simple.
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Taras said 9:25PM on 7-03-2009
Dave, IE6 is here to stay. There are tens of millions Windows 98 computers still around. It is the same with XP - XP is also here to stay. You as developer knows how stable XP platform is. Take a netbooks for example, even Linux and Hackintosh people are buying netbooks preloaded with XP and then installing on them Linux of their choice, or OSX. So, when you start on your new program, DO NOT leave IE6 out or W98 fans will have your head. Good luck, Taras.
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Dave Forster said 2:47AM on 7-04-2009
@Taras...
I know... i have nightmares about IE6. Your point actually confirms my belief that the are just too many people out there who "don't know any better" which ultimately feeds MS dominance.... a point I make above.
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mike said 12:48PM on 7-04-2009
Kinda reminds me of ME, remember that, the year of Y2K. Very much happy with the mac os and when I was a windows fan, 98 wasn't to shabby either.
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Marco said 1:03PM on 7-04-2009
Most of the users use Windows as their operating system. Why? Because they want only one thing: a easy-to-use, compatible system. That was 10 years ago and will be same in 50 years.
Jane buys a computer. She doesn’t have any idea about how computers work. Now imagine Jane sitting in front of some Linux OS computer. No automatic installation, no plug and play (printer, web cams, etc.)
Unix-based systems will only be for the professional users who love to play around and modify this and that. Unix-based systems are be more flexible, but the "normal" end-user doesn’t want to configure hours or days... just that the OS is working.
We were using some Unix-based system in our company and always when something was wrong, third party tech "specialists" had to come. That was not just darn expensive... finally it didn’t make any sense. Windows might be more cost intensive (license costs) - but then even Karen from the marketing desk was able to set up her printer or install her web camera.
When I read the Linux-Windows comparison, I always have to laugh. Why do all (most?) Unix users say or write:
"Unix is cheaper. No license costs and cheap Administration costs."
This is not just ridiculous.. but plain wrong. The Windows OS license is a time-time fee (that is very cheap in my opinion!). Then what else you need? A small business company doesn’t need a CTO specialist. That’s why Windows is called Windows and is made by Microsoft. It is easy to set up, easy to configure and easy to use. Even Jane Idiot is able to install her web camera, install her Outlook and set up an Exchange server. (No kidding, some "Jane" tried it on a test computer and she made it work!)
For the end-user Windows will remain for the next 50 years the main OS... no matter what. Apple could have gained market share if they would have put down their prices... but until Apples prices are not made for the John’s or Jayne’s...
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Wrinkliez said 6:18PM on 7-04-2009
As far as I am concerned, Linux will always be a niche kind of thing. It will always be for the bigger geeks or open-source advocates. However, I do feel like Linux will be increasing in percentage as time goes on. One thing that its got going for it is that it always has room for innovation.
I certainly think that Windows has pretty much reached the point where it has stopped innovating (a superbar? I mean... I guess that's cool. Far from mind-blowing), and Mac OSX is just reaching it. Linux always has room to try new things. Yay.
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