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it’s official: Linux distros Now 3% run on global desktops – if we’re counting devices running Chrome OS, that figure rises to 7%.
The news comes courtesy of the new StatCounterData derives its findings from the tracking code embedded in the browser. Interestingly, “desktop” also includes laptops, as they are difficult to separate given the nature of telemetry.
Windows’ overall market share has dropped from 76.33% to 68.23% in the past year, while macOS has seen a sharp increase from 14.64% to 21.32%, leaving Linux, ChromeOS and the nebulous “unknown” category with the remaining 10.5%. ,
While we can’t say we’re living through Linuxmania, or even that growth will be rapid (this author categorically denies using AI to run that simulation), it It is absolutely true that Linux is the most user friendly it has ever been in the present.
This is thanks to devices like the Raspberry Pi and Valve’s Steam Deck, which come with their own tailored Operating System (OS), Raspberry Pi OS, and SteamOS feature graphical user interfaces designed to resemble Windows every step of the way, while still offering the tools for tinkering and the intuitive open source software freedom that Linux’s early It has been a unique selling point since its inception.
practice what you preach
When the idea of writing something on the rise of Linux was pitched to me, joking that it would “test my love for Linux”, bought a Steam Deck and a Raspberry Pi for various use cases and (spoiler) enjoyed doing. Surprised everywhere. I would certainly agree with the view that a lot of work has been put into making Linux palatable not only for the average businessperson, but for the rest of us as well.
I initially turned to SteamOS with reluctance, as there is currently no official dual-boot wizard available for the Steam Deck. Software compatibility was the main problem at first, but Valve’s compatibility layer for Windows software, Proton, is constantly improving and, in my experience, some applications can even run better than Windows installed on the deck.
Other application launchers designed for gaming, such as Lutris, feature a custom implementation of the long-standing Wine compatibility layer, along with community installers for various pieces of software.
Again, Steam and Lutris aren’t explicitly designed for installing commercial software tools, but I’ve had good luck doing so, in addition to several essential Windows dependencies and redistributables, a portable working environment for use in a pinch. For making.
Sometimes all this is also wasteful. For example, Steam Deck, like Ubuntu (another popular Linux distribution), has a “Discover” application that mimics the Flathub software repository, which exclusively offers free software in an “App Store”-like interface for babies. provides.
And there’s a lot of it, necessary or otherwise: those external Wine installers, a version of Space Cadet, the Windows 95 pinball game for your lunch break. But it’s not all fun and games. You’ll find your office software, your word processor, FTP and torrent clients, and even an open-source fork of the 3D modeling software Blender.
I briefly considered making this article a “I turned my Steam Deck into a work laptop” experiential piece, but other than that being highly unrealistic, TechRadar Pro probably works entirely on the use of web applications. , so it would be remarkably bland writing.
So you might be thinking, “I have the same use case at work, so why bother?” But then again, the entry-level Steam Deck is £349, and Raspberry Pis are available for as little as £35, so these are pretty cheap options for a workstation.
The Steam Deck is very easily turned into a “third display” running Windows using an application called InputDirector. Although the Steam Deck remains a separate desktop, you can control the Steam Deck using a set of monitors on another system, as well as a set of peripherals, via WiFi.
Admittedly, there are Linux-based options here, but I don’t run Linux on my primary desktop so can’t speak to them. In this scenario, the OS you would want to use on a laptop for work purposes should probably be the one you run on your primary PC.
Perhaps as a result, I currently have Windows running on my Steam deck, but if I were going to do that experiential piece, I wouldn’t mind going back too much – certainly not from a business PC perspective. .
However, never fear, as I’ve been tinkering with the Raspberry Pi for some time now – partly for personal use, but also in pursuit of that rich, creamy content-generated affiliate revenue that my corporate paymasters crave. And, I must say, I’m really impressed with it – its size, versus what it can do, and how similar the stock OS is to Windows.
In exploring the Pi’s capabilities, the compact nature of the Pi makes it an ideal choice for an entry-level small business server connected to a powered USB hub. It’s best if you have the space to stack the drives, but it’s also an absolutely cheap and easy way to get a NAS (Network Attached Storage) box up and running.
On the Raspberry Pi OS, an SFTP server is as easy as enabling Secure Shell Protocol (SSH), either in Settings, or directly from the Raspberry Pi imager when installing the OS on the SD card. This was by far the easiest thing I’ve done in my growing Pis (more on this when I get one that actually works for more than 12 hours, but I should note that with regards to reliability Your mileage will likely be different for the better, and I’ve been very unlucky).
While I’d like to save the RPi discussion for its inevitable experiential convenience, I will say this: There’s a culture of fear, difficulty, and obscurity about Linux that upstart devices like the Pis and Steam Deck are well and truly putting down. Bed.
The bringing together of very similar device specifications under the same brand name has, in both cases, inspired strong community and third-party brand support, resulting in software specifically designed to accommodate these devices. A great deal of tools and accessories are produced. Having problems with specific flavors of Linux on these devices? Google is your friend (other search engines are available).
Handheld Windows PCs known for a similar effect, like Asus’s ROG Alli and Aya Neo (both targeted at gamers, but are business computers) aren’t getting there. Valve and the Raspberry Pi Foundation are hardware makers synonymous with quality and long-term support, and they both lower the barrier to entry by selling that hardware at a competitive price point.
Here’s what I learned recently, if partially, as a convert: If there’s an app function you want, I guarantee it will be available in some form on Linux, and that’s not the case. that you specifically have to grapple with. command line window to do anything. If you want Linux to be for you, it can be. I’m still in both camps at this point, but, honestly? I’m happy with where Linux is at and I’m optimistic about how far it can go.
via Ars Technica
