Linux Usage Is on the Rise
According to NetMarketShare, Linux saw a significant bump in usage during April.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had some severe effects on the economy and consumer spending habits. Businesses have shuddered, unsure if they’d survive the months-long closure. And although it’s hard to find a silver lining in all the market data, one positive outcome is that the Linux operating system has witnessed a large surge in usage.
Before you get too excited, it’s not as though Linux all of a sudden surged past either Windows or macOS. In fact, Linux desktop usage is still in the single digits. However, in comparison, Linux actually bested both Windows and macOS for growth in April.
The numbers paint an interesting picture, one that points directly to Ubuntu. During the month of April, Ubuntu gained 1.61% (from 0.27% to 1.88%) of the market-share, while Linux as a whole gained 1.51% (from 1.36% to 2.87%). This happens to coincide with the release of Ubuntu 20.04, which has been met with rave reviews across the board.
And while Linux rose nearly 2%, Microsoft Windows dropped 2%, from 89-87%. At the same time, macOS rose 1%.
Although this does not mean Linux has taken over the market and will soon see it’s dream of World Domination finally come to fruition, any increase in market share for the open source desktop is a win.
Information gleaned from: https://netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Halcyon Creates Anti-Ransomware Protection for Linux
As more Linux systems are targeted by ransomware, Halcyon is stepping up its protection.
-
Valve and Arch Linux Announce Collaboration
Valve and Arch have come together for two projects that will have a serious impact on the Linux distribution.
-
Hacker Successfully Runs Linux on a CPU from the Early ‘70s
From the office of "Look what I can do," Dmitry Grinberg was able to get Linux running on a processor that was created in 1971.
-
OSI and LPI Form Strategic Alliance
With a goal of strengthening Linux and open source communities, this new alliance aims to nurture the growth of more highly skilled professionals.
-
Fedora 41 Beta Available with Some Interesting Additions
If you're a Fedora fan, you'll be excited to hear the beta version of the latest release is now available for testing and includes plenty of updates.
-
AlmaLinux Unveils New Hardware Certification Process
The AlmaLinux Hardware Certification Program run by the Certification Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to ensure seamless compatibility between AlmaLinux and a wide range of hardware configurations.
-
Wind River Introduces eLxr Pro Linux Solution
eLxr Pro offers an end-to-end Linux solution backed by expert commercial support.
-
Juno Tab 3 Launches with Ubuntu 24.04
Anyone looking for a full-blown Linux tablet need look no further. Juno has released the Tab 3.
-
New KDE Slimbook Plasma Available for Preorder
Powered by an AMD Ryzen CPU, the latest KDE Slimbook laptop is powerful enough for local AI tasks.
-
Rhino Linux Announces Latest "Quick Update"
If you prefer your Linux distribution to be of the rolling type, Rhino Linux delivers a beautiful and reliable experience.