Linux is a commercial failure

If you buy a Dell computer with Linux preinstalled, you get two benefits:

• The computer is about $50 cheaper than the equivalent Windows computer
• The computer's hardware is known to work with Linux

Despite this, for every Dell computer with Linux preinstalled sold, there are some 150 Windows computers sold. Yes, guys, less than 1 percent of people who purchase Dell computers chose to use Linux instead of Windows. [1]

What does this mean? It means no one wants to use Linux on the desktop.

Now, I am aware how Linux fanboys think. Before you try and post the usual "But those statistics are wrong" spiel, other statistics say pretty much the same thing; browser stats at web sites; Loki's failure; etc. If you want to question these statistics, do so with solid evidence showing that more than, oh, 5 percent of desktop users using Linux. And don't waste my time with "Me and my three buddies all use Linux" antecedents. [2]

So, in my next articles, I will talk about why it is, some 14 years after Linux 1.0 was released it has made no headway on the desktop.

- Sam

[1] The volume of Linux computers purchased is still some 40,000 computers purchased per month.

[2] Comments are moderated and regurgitations of these spiels will not be approved. Come up with something original, guys.