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Update: This data has not yet actually been verified by Netmarketshare. When I first took the shot, it wasn't noted, but it's been pointed out in our comments they do now have a link at the top to say so. I fully expect this to be revised down to the current level.

Take this with a rather large bag of suspicion! Netmarketshare is reporting that Linux had 6.91% market share, which is higher than Mac for the first time.

Not only that, but it seems even FreeBSD actually registered on it this time too.

Honestly, it seems far too good to be true. Hold the partying and champagne popping for now. Other sites like StatCounter separate Chrome OS (which uses the Linux kernel), but I believe Netmarketshare does not. StatCounter also shows Linux overall at far less than what Netmarketshare shows.

With that said, both websites have reported Linux growth over the past year. It may not be as large as we want it to be, but it seems multiple sites statistics do report Linux market share is growing and that's the important thing here.

What do you think? A nonsense blip, or Linux really making gains?

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Misc
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rkfg Oct 3, 2017
Quoting: ertuquequeAaand Netmarketshare revised ALL the history of Linux data... now we barely pass the 1% marketshare. Ouch!
Hmm, where do you see it? They put September data back and it's down to 3%, but the QA notice is still there so it may change later. Other records seem to be intact.
Alm888 Oct 3, 2017
Quoting: ertuquequeAaand Netmarketshare revised ALL the history of Linux data... now we barely pass the 1% marketshare. Ouch!
Nice try!
But no, now it is 3.04%. And the "…has NOT been reviewed…" notice is still there.

This all looks like someone is editing "uncomfortable" (for certain "someone" ) numbers in order to please him/her. This all means we can pretty safely drop Netmarketshare from the reliable sources list.

I can imagine someone at NetMarketshare just has lost his/her job (either due to unacceptable and unforgivable accounting algorithm error or due to sudden truth leakage :D ).
Quoting: rkfg
Ninja'd :D


Last edited by Alm888 on 3 October 2017 at 4:11 pm UTC
doomiebaby Oct 3, 2017
Quoting: Alm888...This all means we can pretty safely drop Netmarketshare from the reliable sources list...

yeeeah....kinda.

"ok, there are definitely 500k people using linux...or maybe 100k...or none. Wait, no; everyone is, er... let me just manipulate these numbers a bit... does 600k sound about right?"

if all linux desktop usage is within their margin of error, that's one hell of a margin for error. i'm really curious to see their theory now, because it sounds like it could be an entertaining read bahahaha


Last edited by doomiebaby on 3 October 2017 at 4:31 pm UTC
ertuqueque Oct 3, 2017
Ohhh... What a stupid mistake I made... Sorry, for some weird reason when I refreshed the page, it showed me information about 2010 stats!... I didn't notice that until now. Sorry for the stupid mistake, I wasn't trying to create controversy or anything. I should be (much) more careful before posting comments here. Again, sorry.
slaapliedje Oct 4, 2017
Quoting: doomiebaby
Quoting: qptain Nemo
Quoting: slaapliedjeAnd why is that? Because I point out that people who sit in a coffee shop just to use their wifi (why don't they use the one in their office, dorm room? They can afford that shiny macbook and overly expensive coffee, why couldn't they also afford Wifi or work in a place that has it?) A coffee shop used to be a place where you'd sit down and meet someone, and have a nice light chat.

Instead it's filled with people sitting on their laptops only because they may want to be around other humans for a while.
How dare they spend their own money on what they like and want to be around other humans! Such twisted villainy!

i took it as a personal opinion, and thought it was funny....while he also calls out a phenomenon as sort of peculiar at least, the way a comedian does; but i realize a lot of folks don't like comedy either. also people sometimes go out of their way to be a stereotype...it's an attempted identity thing, and that human behavior is only one of many factors that make his comment that it's not a very good poll 100% legitimate. demographics matter. i don't think anyone would be surprised to see macs in a coffee shop, which is why it's funny. "lighten up" would be understated advice. cmon guys...

i mean if i were one of those people i'd respond with something like curly's "hey" >:\ "i resemble that!"

Thank you!!! You took my comment exactly how it was meant!
slaapliedje Oct 4, 2017
Quoting: doomiebaby
Quoting: Alm888...This all means we can pretty safely drop Netmarketshare from the reliable sources list...

yeeeah....kinda.

"ok, there are definitely 500k people using linux...or maybe 100k...or none. Wait, no; everyone is, er... let me just manipulate these numbers a bit... does 600k sound about right?"

if all linux desktop usage is within their margin of error, that's one hell of a margin for error. i'm really curious to see their theory now, because it sounds like it could be an entertaining read bahahaha

That's just crazy, even 1% of people who use computers on a daily basis is a HUGE margin. I agree, someone was told that the Linux numbers can't possibly be higher than Mac numbers. Adjusting it that much is nonsense. And the fact they seem to still not be satisfied by the numbers...
slaapliedje Oct 4, 2017
Quoting: Jmsnz
Quoting: slaapliedje
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: BerenNetmarketshare removed their September figures altogether.

Wow...

wtf? Apple complain?

And as science has proven, most people who buy macs are douche bags. :)

This is the ‘reflecting poorly’ I was talking about.

Completely tongue-in-cheek. It's the modern yuppie.
qptain Nemo Oct 4, 2017
Quoting: doomiebabyif all linux desktop usage is within their margin of error, that's one hell of a margin for error.
Yeeaaah, that's not ideal.

And I have to say, going from significant growth to losing ~0.30% to Mac is a really odd correction. And if you look at the trends from this period from Novermber 2016 to September 2017 that we are all looking at, "Apple complained" seems like a plausible theory. Windows is on a slow but steady decline, Linux lingers at 2% with a slight decline that rights into a pretty steady-looking incline, Mac is balancing around 6% but nonetheless is noticeably declining. Except according to current data in September it's suddenly fixed. Windows continues to decline, Linux loses some of its recent gain, but Mac is back to its 6+%. This could be reality but it's undeniably a very convenient scenario for Apple. "Macs are totally still popular, all is well for Mac, nothing to worry about"


Last edited by qptain Nemo on 4 October 2017 at 10:09 am UTC
slaapliedje Oct 4, 2017
Amusing story: Co-worker was asking me for a copy of something, I stuck it on a USB stick, then laughed as he pulled out a USB-C to USB-A hub just so he could try to copy the file, which then overheated the whole thing. Not sure what the deal is with the heat those cause. It didnt' lock the laptop up or anything, but he did say larger file transfers will lock up the USB bus due to it overheating and shutting down (or something like that, or at least causing enough errors he has to wait for it to cool off again.)

Welcome to the future?
Jmsnz Oct 4, 2017
Quoting: qptain Nemo
Quoting: doomiebabyif all linux desktop usage is within their margin of error, that's one hell of a margin for error.
Yeeaaah, that's not ideal.

And I have to say, going from significant growth to losing ~0.30% to Mac is a really odd correction. And if you look at the trends from this period from Novermber 2016 to September 2017 that we are all looking at, "Apple complained" seems like a plausible theory. Windows is on a slow but steady decline, Linux lingers at 2% with a slight decline that rights into a pretty steady-looking incline, Mac is balancing around 6% but nonetheless is noticeably declining. Except according to current data in September it's suddenly fixed. Windows continues to decline, Linux loses some of its recent gain, but Mac is back to its 6+%. This could be reality but it's undeniably a very convenient scenario for Apple. "Macs are totally still popular, all is well for Mac, nothing to worry about"

The conspiracy theories are stretching it.

Apple report how many macs they sell per quarter. You don’t need to guess from net marketshare. Why didn’t Apple have it corrected to 7%? Why not 20%? Please.

Linux almost doubling in markshare in one month was never going to plausible. Especially with only one data point.
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