Here is the latest instalment of Steam's Hardware Survey, as usual we do our monthly thing and compare it and talk about it and make sure you know not to use it as a hard figure.
Linux results for March 2014
Ubuntu 13.10 64 bit 0.36% -0.01%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 64 bit 0.15% 0.00%
Linux Mint 16 Petra 64 bit 0.10% 0.00%
Linux 3.10 64 bit 0.09% +0.02%
Ubuntu 13.10 0.07% -0.01%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 0.05% -0.01%
Total: Linux 1.20% -0.10%
Last Month: 1.30%
My thoughts on it
So, it looks like for the distros represented they lost 0.10% which is basically nothing. We are still holding steady and hopefully it will increase in future thanks to SteamOS.
It will be very interesting to see SteamOS as a distribution in the list and to see how popular it is against the other distros.
Things to note
The Other category has gone and that contained a few of the lesser represented Linux distro's like Fedora, Gentoo and Arch for example. It has been reported by a few that Arch may show up in Linux 64bit. Ideally we need Steam to let us see more of them.
Distro-hoppers will mess up the statistics as well, Linux users are far more likely to switch between different distributions than say a Windows user due to how many we have.
Just be aware these results will probably not be that accurate as we don't know how they do their percentage results, they could be rounding up, rounding down or truncating the percentages. So a 0.5% could actually be nearly 0.6% as it could be 0.59% but they could do no rounding and simply truncate it.
Also it won't be every Steam user (it's a survey not a full statistic), so it can be as simple as not actually showing the survey to many Linux people.
Let's face it we know they don't survey 100% of their user base, only a small fraction of it, so bear that in mind as well. Personally I am still yet to see it under Linux so it's not counting me that's for sure and I am logged in every day!
Lastly Linux users typically shy away from any form of DRM, so you can bet there is a large bunch of Linux users who just simply refuse to use Steam.
Final Note: Look at it this way, Steam has around 75 million active users, 1% of 75 million is about 750,000 people. What developer wouldn't want to hook into a market that big? We are still under-represented in my eyes. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Linux results for March 2014
Ubuntu 13.10 64 bit 0.36% -0.01%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 64 bit 0.15% 0.00%
Linux Mint 16 Petra 64 bit 0.10% 0.00%
Linux 3.10 64 bit 0.09% +0.02%
Ubuntu 13.10 0.07% -0.01%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 0.05% -0.01%
Total: Linux 1.20% -0.10%
Last Month: 1.30%
My thoughts on it
So, it looks like for the distros represented they lost 0.10% which is basically nothing. We are still holding steady and hopefully it will increase in future thanks to SteamOS.
It will be very interesting to see SteamOS as a distribution in the list and to see how popular it is against the other distros.
Things to note
The Other category has gone and that contained a few of the lesser represented Linux distro's like Fedora, Gentoo and Arch for example. It has been reported by a few that Arch may show up in Linux 64bit. Ideally we need Steam to let us see more of them.
Distro-hoppers will mess up the statistics as well, Linux users are far more likely to switch between different distributions than say a Windows user due to how many we have.
Just be aware these results will probably not be that accurate as we don't know how they do their percentage results, they could be rounding up, rounding down or truncating the percentages. So a 0.5% could actually be nearly 0.6% as it could be 0.59% but they could do no rounding and simply truncate it.
Also it won't be every Steam user (it's a survey not a full statistic), so it can be as simple as not actually showing the survey to many Linux people.
Let's face it we know they don't survey 100% of their user base, only a small fraction of it, so bear that in mind as well. Personally I am still yet to see it under Linux so it's not counting me that's for sure and I am logged in every day!
Lastly Linux users typically shy away from any form of DRM, so you can bet there is a large bunch of Linux users who just simply refuse to use Steam.
Final Note: Look at it this way, Steam has around 75 million active users, 1% of 75 million is about 750,000 people. What developer wouldn't want to hook into a market that big? We are still under-represented in my eyes. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Once Steam machines are out I think that figure will insta-jump to 5% at least... and it will keep growing steadily from there.
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Another metric might be to look at Linux Steam users as a whole number over time versus a percentage. The factors that drive total Steam usage changes might not be the same factors that drive Linux usage changes.
For example the rise in popularity of a steam exclusive like DOTA2 in Asian countries where WinXP is extremely popular (and Linux is not) would tilt things one way. On the other hand, something like the TF2 Linux release (with the Tux drops) pushed Linux usage waaaaay up, and that wasn't really an accurate representation of long term usage (or, people were cheating).
That said, I wouldn't bother trying to read to much into those numbers. Linux has been trending down for a while now, but who knows why. I can't explain the trend, but I have a theory for this month.
Now that Spring has arrived in the Northern hemisphere, Linux users (well known for their love of the outdoors) have switched off their PCs, and are out enjoying the warmer weather, the sunshine on their faces and the pollen in their paranasal sinuses.
For example the rise in popularity of a steam exclusive like DOTA2 in Asian countries where WinXP is extremely popular (and Linux is not) would tilt things one way. On the other hand, something like the TF2 Linux release (with the Tux drops) pushed Linux usage waaaaay up, and that wasn't really an accurate representation of long term usage (or, people were cheating).
That said, I wouldn't bother trying to read to much into those numbers. Linux has been trending down for a while now, but who knows why. I can't explain the trend, but I have a theory for this month.
Now that Spring has arrived in the Northern hemisphere, Linux users (well known for their love of the outdoors) have switched off their PCs, and are out enjoying the warmer weather, the sunshine on their faces and the pollen in their paranasal sinuses.
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Quoting: TeodosioOnce Steam machines are out I think that figure will insta-jump to 5% at least... and it will keep growing steadily from there.Or it falls down to 2-3% because many people are going to install windows on their machines?
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Quoting: AnonymousOr it falls down to 2-3% because many people are going to install windows on their machines?The legendary average user will take his steambox as a console and won't bother/know to ditch OSes. More important factor will be the steamboxes that will come preinstalled with windows.
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Lordpkappa Apr 7, 2014
I never see a single survey in Linux, 2-3 times in Windows.
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Linux Version
Ubuntu 13.10 64 bit 27.45% +0.27%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 64 bit 11.12% -0.05%
Linux Mint 16 Petra 64 bit 7.60% +0.12%
Linux 3.10 64 bit 7.15% +1.76%
Ubuntu 13.10 5.44% -0.09%
Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS 3.99% -0.08%
Other 37.25% -1.93%From the Linux breakdown:
Total sum of those not listed as other = 62.75%
62.75% out of the total steam Linux users 1.2% = 0.753%
Total sum of those not listed as other but without breakdown = 0.82%
0.753% != 0.82%
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Quoting: TeodosioOnce Steam machines are out I think that figure will insta-jump to 5% at least... and it will keep growing steadily from there.
3 million Steam Machines is terribly ambitious.
Quoting: GuestI've been using Steam for Linux since the beginning, and only got the survey on Linux for the first time... While I regularly get it when using Wine to run Steam.
Wine is recorded as Linux (and the Wine version is also recorded). I'd speculate that the reason you see it more is likely due to the fact that people running under Wine decline it more often than those in native Linux.
Quoting: LordpkappaI never see a single survey in Linux, 2-3 times in Windows.
Same thing here. Linux users have a reason to answer the survey, Windows users don't.
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Quoting: neffoQuoting: GuestI've been using Steam for Linux since the beginning, and only got the survey on Linux for the first time... While I regularly get it when using Wine to run Steam.Wine is recorded as Linux (and the Wine version is also recorded). I'd speculate that the reason you see it more is likely due to the fact that people running under Wine decline it more often than those in native Linux.
I'd like to see a citation for that. It's been argued the other way before - I didn't think Valve had published anything to the effect that "wine is recorded as Linux".
Quoting: neffoQuoting: LordpkappaI never see a single survey in Linux, 2-3 times in Windows.Same thing here. Linux users have a reason to answer the survey, Windows users don't.
So you think Windows users will actually cancel the survey? That's debatable - I reckon they'd just click "submit" to get rid of the annoying dialog box on their screens. Plus, there's a lot of Windows fan boys there.
I wonder if there's another reason us Linux boys and girls don't seem to get the survey as much. Maybe Valve are happy to milk the 1% mark until the Steam Machines go live, THEN give it an equal footing. That would massively boost the SteamOS/Linux figures, citing the devices as a "success".
As conspiracy theories go, I'm happy with this explanation. No, no, don't go picking holes in it... just accept it. Move along now.
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And again, the totals are off:
Windows: 95.12
Mac: 3.54
Linux: 1.20
Total: 99.86
As ever, I don't hold these numbers in very high regard. Just like the adverts that claim that "95% of people would recommend us!" out of a total of 134 people.
The only thing you should take from a survey like this is trends; and the trend of Linux is much the same as it was for the last year, unsurprisingly, as there is absolutely no compelling reason for people to switch yet.
Windows: 95.12
Mac: 3.54
Linux: 1.20
Total: 99.86
As ever, I don't hold these numbers in very high regard. Just like the adverts that claim that "95% of people would recommend us!" out of a total of 134 people.
The only thing you should take from a survey like this is trends; and the trend of Linux is much the same as it was for the last year, unsurprisingly, as there is absolutely no compelling reason for people to switch yet.
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Valve should really just have the Steam client auto-send this info at sign-in, with an option to opt out. Then the data would be more complete and have a larger base, and all the conspiracy theories could stop.
For what it's worth, I've seen the survey only one time. It was under Linux, too. I've never seen the survey in the Windows or Mac clients, since I stopped using Windows and Wine before Steam even existed and never owned a Mac.
For what it's worth, I've seen the survey only one time. It was under Linux, too. I've never seen the survey in the Windows or Mac clients, since I stopped using Windows and Wine before Steam even existed and never owned a Mac.
Quoting: TeodosioOnce Steam machines are out I think that figure will insta-jump to 5% at least... and it will keep growing steadily from there.Does the survey even pop up in Big Picture / SteamOS mode? If not, that figure won't budge much at all.
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