this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2025
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Up to 2.7% in May 2025 from 1.5% in May 2023. Almost x2 in 2 years is very impressive.

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[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 31 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

It just goes to show you. The only way to get the Linux desktop market share up is not building. Something better than Windows we have been there for a while. It's make hardware, put Linux on that hardware and sell it in a store. Avg people don't change operating systems. They change computers. Now if we could just get steam decks in retail stores. It would be a huge.

[–] meldrik@lemmy.wtf 22 points 15 hours ago

Exactly. Linux will never become the majority OS as long as it’s not the default OS on retail PCs.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 8 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

my country has had a law forcing manufacturers to provide alternatives to windows. many computers come with linux here, and we have a weirdly high market share for linux because of it.

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Which country is that it sounds amazing

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 8 points 10 hours ago (1 children)
[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Ah that makes sense i know Brazil has laws to keep imports low. That's why Brazil kept the saga mega drive active for so long. So having Linux on machines makes sense. Since it's both an import and not an import at the same time.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

thats not really the reason brazil does this. our restrictions on imports come because our ruling class makes pretty much nothing and rely on having a cornered retail market they can profit off of. just capitalism things, kind of unique but nothing really new.

back then, the argument was about "venda casada" (no idea how to translate this). its when you buy something and you are forced to buy something else on their terms to make it work. they ruled that manufacturers can't force you to buy a windows license from them when you are already paying for a computer from them.

instead of selling it without an os, many of them offered linux as an option and passed the savings on to the customer, not unlike some manufacturers are doing in the us nowadays. most people got it with the intention of reformatting the machines with pirated windows for free, but many tried it and stuck with linux. we got a lot of adoption for a while there.

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

Very interesting I learned something new thanks

[–] bimbimboy@lemmy.world 11 points 16 hours ago

Avg people don’t change operating systems

This is a huge argument, even Linus Torvalds said that many years ago. The average person just wants to buy a computer and use it normally for work, casual stuff or gaming. They won't make the effort to change the operating system.

Now if we could just get steam decks in retail stores

We can also get the Steam OS on different hardwares, just like the Lenovo Legion Go S