Exponential growth!
this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2025
604 points (98.6% liked)
Linux
56483 readers
1227 users here now
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
- No misinformation
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
Related Communities
Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0
founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
It makes perfect sense, the resistance of having Windows legacy software etc becomes smaller the more of that goes out of use, the resistance of everyone only knowing Windows becomes smaller with nobody even knowing Windows, and the resistance of corporate interests becomes smaller because it's all in the Web, and the Web has been corrupted and Chrome works on Linux.
So. Listen to me carefully. If Linux domination happens without FreeBSD and Haiku normalization, then things are bad.
OK, so now it's important to create collegial democratic project government for Linux, and freeze Linus in carbonite as a memorial. Before Linux has become too important, and before Linus lost his marbles to become a geriatric dictator.
Actually in the age of Android I think it's already too late, but this should be done regardless.
Literally switched to Linux on my desktop yesterday.
KDE Plasma is genuinely good
Kubuntu is a drop-in replacement for Windows 10
I wonder what percentage of people given a Kubuntu laptop, when asked what OS they're using, would say "Windows?". I'm going to guess 20%
Does it count that I have four computers running Linux because I can't help myself?
These stats are actually just tracking the number of linux desktops you have
At a few work computers I once changed the user agent to say Firefox and Linux some years ago.
That's good, I don't care much about the OS people use but yeah as long as they use something that they like and that doesn't exploit them that's great.
I use Guix System as my distro and it's great, just goes to show the power of free software, you won't get something like that anywhere else.
I don’t care much about the OS people use
On a surface level, same. On the other hand, I do believe that more users, if combined with certain design and documentation choices, can enable more contributions and fixes and software support, and I believe this has already been a huge factor in recent improvements to the Linux experience like Proton.
Chaotic Good Billionaire does a solid for Linux, Windows users devastated
Gabe Marx
Statcounter considers me a Win user due to the Win user agent I'm using, this is not a rare behavior in the Linux space..
load more comments
(7 replies)
A king once summoned a wise man who had done him a great service and said, “Name your reward.” The wise man replied, “Your Majesty, I ask for a simple thing. Give me one percent Linux desktop market share for the first square of the chessboard, two percent for the second square, four percent for the third square, and so on, doubling the amount for each of the 64 squares.” The king, thinking this was a modest request, said, “Surely you jest! Such a small reward for such a great service? Ask for gold, land, or jewels instead.” But the wise man insisted, and the king agreed. The king ordered his treasurer to calculate the total. Starting with 1% for the first square, 2% for the second, 4% for the third, 8% for the fourth… by the time they reached the tenth square, they needed 512% of the desktop market. The treasurer, pale with realization, informed the king that by the 64th square, they would need more market share than could possibly exist in the entire universe of computing devices. The king then understood that what seemed like a humble request was actually impossible to fulfill, and he gained a new respect for the power of exponential growth.
It already goes over 100% market share after only 8 squares. 512% seems like a weird place to stop? How can you have more than 100% market share?
Better start populating some more planets. See you on Manjaro Delta Prime.
In the original it also supposedly amounts to more grain then there is in the kingdom.
Not supposedly, but mathematically. Even if the grateful king ruled the entire planet and the great warrior willing to settle for grains the size of a single atom, the king would be unable to pay in full; the total of grains on the whole chessboard would be 2^64 grains, but there are only 2^50 atoms on Earth.
Ooh, so I am thinking we make a black hole seeded with nothing but rice.
Theoretically you could make a black hole with a single grain of rice. You just have to figure out how to crush it down enough.
Yeah, I appreciate the reference, it's just that my brain got stuck on the comparison breaking due to using percentage instead of some absolute count.
Wow it was 5% yesterday
They used a different data source for this one and mentioned why they preferred this one over the one from the day before.
So what you're saying is that if we just keep switching to different data sources, we could get above 50% in less than two months!
And even at 50%, Nvidia still won't release Linux drivers.
Invest now!
at this point linux will have more than 100% market share by next week!!!!!!!!
load more comments
(7 replies)
view more: next ›