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The latest Steam Hardware Survey is out

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Another month, and another Steam Hardware Survey.

First of all, here's the overall market share:
Linux overall for March
0.85% - 0.06%

Ubuntu 15.10 64 bit 0.19% 0.00%
Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS 64 bit 0.17% +0.17%
Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 64 bit 0.09% 0.00%
Linux 64 bit 0.08% - 0.01%

Onto my usual point: At face value you might assume Linux use is just dropping. It's likely that growth in general has just outpaced Linux growth. So don't be too sad about it.

As for Distribution popularity, Ubuntu still remains top dog.
Linux by itself
Ubuntu 15.10 64 bit 20.20% +0.83%
Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS 64 bit 17.78% +17.78%
Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 64 bit 9.84% +0.12%
Linux 64 bit 8.74% -0.46%
Other 43.44% -1.13%

You know me by now. I don't think these statistics are really to be trusted. One of the main problems is that we have no idea how they are sampling the data, and we don't know how we are supposed to read it.

SteamOS and Steam Big Picture do not get the survey yet either. That's a chunk of people we already know that aren't even counted.

So basically, business as usual, we are doing fine. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. You can also follow my personal adventures on Bluesky.
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47 comments
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Samsai Apr 2, 2016
I believe you messed up the headline. Isn't it supposed to say "Linux Usage Dramatically Drops, Linux Gaming Practically Dead, All Hail Our Corporate Overlords"?


Sorry, forgot to add the </sarcasm> tag.


Last edited by Samsai on 2 April 2016 at 10:41 am UTC
Mal Apr 2, 2016
  • Supporter
I believe you messed up the headline. Isn't it supposed to say "Linux Usage Dramatically Drops, Linux Gaming Practically Dead, All Hail Our Corporate Overlords"?


Sorry, forgot to add the </sarcasm> tag.

Also: the 1st of April is long gone. Bring back the gaming on win 10 logo before Ballmer catches you.
Pecisk Apr 2, 2016
Must be spring or something, you are way too optimistic for Linux gamer.
Pozzuoli Apr 2, 2016
I think you reading this wrong. The percentages under each line heading adds up to 100%. e.g. Microphone "Yes" + "No" + "Unknown" adds up to 100%. Hence, each heading considers *all users using Linux*, and lists the proportion of users that use each of the options. Here, the distros should also add up to 100%, but they do not for some reason. Perhaps there are other distros that they didn't list properly, and presumably should have gone into Other? In any case, these percentages only reflect ratios, with the denominator being the total number of Linux users, so you can't draw any conclusions about the total number of Linux users from this.
Liam Dawe Apr 2, 2016
I am not reading it wrong, i clearly stated it could just be a bug. I was simply showing what the survey says.
or their survey had a really big bug this month.
That is the most probable reason, like not showing/counting distributions properly.
Mortensson Apr 2, 2016
I guess it is just the Ubuntu LTS users that have ugraded to 14.04.4 last month. Other is a total of many distros and will remain more or less the same with a move from 14.04.3 to 4.
Liam Dawe Apr 2, 2016
I guess it is just the Ubuntu LTS users that have ugraded to 14.04.4 last month. Other is a total of many distros and will remain more or less the same with a move from 14.04.3 to 4.
It could easily be something like that, but then "Other" should show the decrease, which it doesn't. This is why i think there's a reporting error.
Mortensson Apr 2, 2016
I guess it is just the Ubuntu LTS users that have ugraded to 14.04.4 last month. Other is a total of many distros and will remain more or less the same with a move from 14.04.3 to 4.
It could easily be something like that, but then "Other" should show the decrease, which it doesn't. This is why i think there's a reporting error.

"Other" doesn't decrease. 14.04.3 decreases and moves in to other.
Liam Dawe Apr 2, 2016
I guess it is just the Ubuntu LTS users that have ugraded to 14.04.4 last month. Other is a total of many distros and will remain more or less the same with a move from 14.04.3 to 4.
It could easily be something like that, but then "Other" should show the decrease, which it doesn't. This is why i think there's a reporting error.

"Other" doesn't decrease. 14.04.3 decreases and moves in to other.
Well, possibly. My overall point is we have no idea as they don't let us see any further details :(
Shutup-Fool Apr 2, 2016
What if this were an April fools prank by Valve? :P
pedrojmartm Apr 2, 2016
I believe you messed up the headline. Isn't it supposed to say "Linux Usage Dramatically Drops, Linux Gaming Practically Dead, All Hail Our Corporate Overlords"?


Sorry, forgot to add the </sarcasm> tag.

the next month survey will tell it!
Liam Dawe Apr 2, 2016
Article updated, section that was likely wrong removed. Don't want people to get the wrong idea :)
lucifertdark Apr 2, 2016
I wish they'd do a proper survey instead of just the small sampling they appear to be doing, give the survey to everyone using Steam & have done with it.
Teodosio Apr 2, 2016
If only they released Half-Life 3 as GNU/Linux exclusive, lots of problems would be solved.
Pecisk Apr 2, 2016
Article updated, section that was likely wrong removed. Don't want people to get the wrong idea :)

Onto my usual point: At face value you might assume Linux use is just dropping. It's likely that growth in general has just outpaced Linux growth. So don't be too sad about it.

You are still way too optimistic here. Kill it, kill it with fire :D

Just kidding :p
A lot of people is using Steam on Linux via WINe, How the statistics of the Steam Hardware Survey recognize those accounts?.. As Windows XP users? As Others?
slaapliedje Apr 2, 2016
If only they released Half-Life 3 as GNU/Linux exclusive, lots of problems would be solved.

Lol, this. There needs to be bigger pushes to wake up the general public since most stores won't tell them about the choice they have or even offer that choice to them. At least in Merica. :P

So while they've stated time and time again that they don't want to do exclusives... all they really have to do is program it up in Linux, release it... then say that the Windows / DirectX version isn't ready yet, so SteamOS gets the release a month or so before Windows. This way they get around saying no exclusives, Windows gamers get to feel like we do, and they'll promote sales of Steam Machines.
seven Apr 2, 2016
i don't know anyone who uses steamOs, i honestly think not alot of people use it
metro2033fanboy Apr 2, 2016
Linux Mint...haha!

goVEGAN
whitewolfguy Apr 2, 2016
I understand that the overall growth in the number of steam players grew more than the variation in the number of Linux players, but I'm upset to see that Linux does not reach at least 1% on data from Steam. Does SteamOs add a percentage to this data? Will the Steam Machines sold well? It would not be the self-interest of Valve show SteamOs in statistics? Eager to see the Linux achieve a significant percentage on data from Steam.

A lot of people is using Steam on Linux via WINe, How the statistics of the Steam Hardware Survey recognize those accounts?.. As Windows XP users? As Others?

Good question, I also have this doubt.


Last edited by whitewolfguy on 2 April 2016 at 2:41 pm UTC
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