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Ubuntu is still the most popular Linux distro[1] (and, although I don't have an authorative source, the popularity of Linux is increasing[2]). Touchscreen, net

Ubuntu is still the most popular Linux distro[1] (and, although I don't have an authorative source, the popularity of Linux is increasing[2]). Touchscreen, netbook, ARM, tablet... These edge-case platforms aren't what Ubuntu targets. Neither do they target "geeks". Ubuntu targets the average user: just install it on your box and have a look at the software it comes with. It truly is "Linux, for human beings". It's never been easier to try and install a different OS: not ten years ago you could only get an OS by buying a physical copy. Have a look at the growth of Google searches for "Ubuntu" alongside other OS[3]. I don't see why Ubuntu won't continue to grow in popularity and users. It has a large and growing community. [1] http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity [2] http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp [3] http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu%2C+%22windows+xp%22%2C+%22windows+7%22%2C+%22os+x%22%2Clinux http://www.google.com/trends?q=ubuntu%2C+%22windows+xp%22%2C...

Unseelie 15y ago
> Have a look at the growth of Google searches for "Ubuntu" alongside other OS[3]. That's actually a slight decline since its apex in 2008...
bad_user 15y ago
Except I never had the pleasure of installing Ubuntu on any computer without lots of problems, either hardware-related or shitty-beta-quality related ... my current Ubuntu installation (10.10) displays my head up-side-down in Skype-video, and there's no way to fix it other than to recompile the kernel with this special-fix mentioned on some obscure forum (no kidding, I'm still perplex about what it's taking so long for them to fix it). Also, Unity? Are you freaking kidding me? I'm all for being bold and innovative in UI/UX, but pushing alpha-quality software in a stable release to unsuspecting users? What the hell were they thinking? It isn't acceptable that the UI in Windows 3.11 (for Workgroups; yes, I still have the license) was more consistent / reliable than Ubuntu 11.04 -- the average user doesn't have the patience to understand UI absurdities, neither the skills / patience to go edit files in /etc or recompile their kernels, just to make their system behave normally. Even I, after several years of struggling on every update, I'm quickly losing my interest in doing that. So I'm sorry, but 200 millions of users won't be dumb enough to switch -- at this point I consider projects like Android/Meego as the only choice for desktop-Linux (simply because tables/mobiles will merge with desktops in the future).

Unseelie 15y ago

> Have a look at the growth of Google searches for "Ubuntu" alongside other OS[3]. That's actually a slight decline since its apex in 2008...

bad_user 15y ago

Except I never had the pleasure of installing Ubuntu on any computer without lots of problems, either hardware-related or shitty-beta-quality related ... my current Ubuntu installation (10.10) displays my head up-side-down in Skype-video, and there's no way to fix it other than to recompile the kernel with this special-fix mentioned on some obscure forum (no kidding, I'm still perplex about what it's taking so long for them to fix it). Also, Unity? Are you freaking kidding me? I'm all for being bold and innovative in UI/UX, but pushing alpha-quality software in a stable release to unsuspecting users? What the hell were they thinking? It isn't acceptable that the UI in Windows 3.11 (for Workgroups; yes, I still have the license) was more consistent / reliable than Ubuntu 11.04 -- the average user doesn't have the patience to understand UI absurdities, neither the skills / patience to go edit files in /etc or recompile their kernels, just to make their system behave normally. Even I, after several years of struggling on every update, I'm quickly losing my interest in doing that. So I'm sorry, but 200 millions of users won't be dumb enough to switch -- at this point I consider projects like Android/Meego as the only choice for desktop-Linux (simply because tables/mobiles will merge with desktops in the future).