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I am not at all surprised that this worked. The biggest problem for mainstream linux is poor advertising. People with limited computer knowledge are just scared

I am not at all surprised that this worked. The biggest problem for mainstream linux is poor advertising. People with limited computer knowledge are just scared of change, and honestly, if no one knows how to pronounce Ubuntu then they are probably not going to pick a computer based on it. I mostly use Windows 7 and OS X, but I have worked with Debian/Ubuntu as a casual user. Linux was much easier to work with than Windows 8.1, but 90% of the population doesn't know that. Most people would be as happy, or happier with Linux if there was just one big advertising campaign.

Alupis 12y ago
Well, Linux is now the most commonly used general purpose OS/kernel in the world. Every Android device, every Chromebook device (plus all the regular desktops and servers). I can't help but feel that part of Android and Chromebook's success is in part due to the users not understanding/having-to-know they're running Linux. Android and Chromebook don't even mention Linux anywhere, and users are content. I think regular Joe's have a stigma about Linux, and just abstracting that aspect away has helped adoption.
- chrisBob 12y ago
  Android may technically be Linux, but I am not sure I would count it as a step towards changing the desktop computer people get for their home. Chromebook is similar- as far as I can tell it just runs one browser window. This makes it more like a video game system than a PC.
  - Alupis 12y ago
    In industrializing parts of the world, mobile devices are often the only access to the internet and software (and sometimes the first experience with a computing device). Chromebook/ChromeOS is much more capable now than it used to be, with multi-tasking and multiple "apps" can be on-screen at the same time.