CodingExperiments.com posted an interesting article by utilizing the Google Trends system to show the trends in the Linux ecosystem. While these trends don't mean "market share", they are interesting and pretty accurate in terms of what average users care about. According to it, "Ubuntu" might even overtake the word "linux" in Google's searches.
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Member since:2006-03-21
If you think that people aren't being ripped to shreds over suggesting Ubuntu isn't the greatest thing since Linus originally released the Linux kernel, then you haven't paid attention. Talk about fanboyism... Ubuntu is hyped to death all over the internet, and if someone questions the claims of how it's great for beginners, or its security model (sudo), Ubuntu users will shout them down. It's almost as if it's a global warming debate...
I can't seem to go through a day without some review of Ubuntu somewhere talking it up like it's some religious cult, or something. There's nothing wrong with Ubuntu, and it has its strengths, but there are alternatives that are just as good, and suit others just as well. I use a smaller distro, PCLinuxOS, and I'll use it as long as it's released as my main desktop, even if only a handful of users even bother downloading it. I'm just not on someone's bandwagon. Other distros are just as viable an alternative.
Hey...it's all Linux, so it's all good!
Member since:2008-04-15
I have a tendancy to switch off when ubuntu reviews come up. they've been the same since 5.xx.
All Ubuntu reviews follow the following method.
-heap praise.
-shout about ease of install.
-say how easily it picks up hardware.
-complain that linux has so much work to do if it doesn't install drivers for your particle accellerator automatically.
-heap some more praise about just how easy it all is
-say that it might be ready for full time desktop use one day.
-conclude that this version is the best so far and that ubuntu is already the best distro around.
I think recent converts feel that linux is a battleground in itself. being so used to MS vs everyone they don't realise that as a comminuty nobody really cares why you think Ubuntu is better than Fedora. They just appreciate gaining another linux user.
Member since:2006-12-16
Bull - people have been taken apart for criticising Ubuntu, myself one of them. This has happened from the earliest days of this distributions arrival.
I dislike the Gnome desktop/philosophy, and Ubuntu concentrating on Gnome, rather than several desktop environments, instead of letting the user choose, does not impress me.
Furthermore, a recent forum issue left an even more bitter taste in my mouth. I was very reluctant to try Ubuntu, and after that incident, I wiped Ubuntu and put Debian Etch AMD64 on my new PC.
Dave
Member since:2007-08-29
So did you start a gnome-vs-kde flamewar or a why-does-cannonical-not-support-kde-4 flamewar?
Member since:2005-10-15
I dont really understand all this complaining about ubuntu.
All distributions and operating systems have huge fanboys. It dosent matter if its *BSD debian gentoo redhat or ubuntu. someone will take you down if you complain about their favorite.
If ubuntu have more fanboys it migth be becus they have more users. some points are valid about the statistics not being rigth but ubuntu still has very many users my self included.
Ofcourse ubuntu has it shares of trouble but on my hardware i have never had any problems wich is why i use ubuntu.
for other people feodora migth work better just use what works best for you.
some people complain that ubuntu just take other distrubutions projects and then polish them, well i say that maby other distrubutions should start to focus more on polish then since it does give results.
Member since:
2008-04-15
People being taken apart for badmouthing Ubuntu? I don't think the community is that zealous yet. Although there are a few "it just works" types cropping up.
Ubuntu is getting way more coverage than any other distro by far so it makes sense that google has it trending upwards.
Most people using distros other than ubuntu will be doing a lot less searching because we've already learn't how to deal with problems. While online searches trend down the userbase should by all rights be gaining knowledge to fix their own issues without Google.
Over time there will be new users who feel ubuntu talks down to them a bit too much. Everyone has to start somewhere and Ubuntu is helping bring a lot of people to open source so that can only be a good thing.
Ubuntu is a great Debian training manual.