this post was submitted on 13 Apr 2024
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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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doesn't Steam Hardware Survey report way higher percentage of Linux users?
wouldn't Valve's numbers be more reliable?
Their numbers from that category are from 2018, wild article in my opinion, wouldn't have to be too hard to have more up-to-date numbers.
Steam is only installed on one of my computers, I have at least four running Linux. Not to mention plenty of Linux users don't game at all, so probably not.
Steam's hardware survey reports 1.94% of their userbase is using Linux, beating Mac OS, which is at 1.38% respectively.
The Steamdeck is pushing the needle on that, creating a bunch of Linux gamers with some not even realizing it.
I'm happy to see more Linux gamers don't get me wrong. Steam is specifically gathering specs on people who game, the other stat counter (that reports 4% Linux use) is based on what people's browsers are reporting.
I think the original comment in this chain was mentioning that the stats from the statcounter website were using really outdated data for the percentage of Linux users on steam, I don't think they were relating that stat to overall Linux usage.
The problem with days old threads is I never remember the context. Looks like they were asking if Steams data would be more reliable. Tbh, I think Steam is great for gaming stats, not for general use stats. Statcounter supposedly uses what the browser reports when participating websites are visited.
The OG comment is referencing the body of this post, which are stats from the website. The website is using outdated steam stats, the comment is pointing that out.
The comment you replied to that was pointing that out was not corrolating the steam stats as general linux stats, only pointing out that the linux userbase on steam has grown since those outdated stats.