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Some more good news for you as according to statistics website Statcounter, Linux use hit another all-time high in July 2024. We've seen it slowly creep up over time, just like we've seen on the Steam Survey as well.

For July 2024, they're showing Linux at 4.45% which is the highest they've ever had it.

Here's how things have looked over the last year:

  • July 23 - 3.12%
  • August 23 - 3.18%
  • September 23 - 3.02%
  • October 23 - 2.92%
  • November 23 - 3.22%
  • December 23 - 3.82%
  • January 24 - 3.77%
  • February 24 - 4.03%
  • March 24 - 4.05%
  • April - 3.88%
  • May - 3.77%
  • June - 4.05%
  • July - 4.45%

Since 2009:

See more on Statcounter.

Is this where we truly get to say it's the year of Linux on the desktop? Not quite. It's only one measurement, and it comes with the usual pinch of salt based on how they pull their data which they say is from "more than 1.5 million sites globally". Still, it's an interesting way to track it and it's still great news.

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.
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37 comments
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Thank you for this report!
In truth, people are simply unaware of Linux.. unaware of its gaming capabilities, its now ease of use.. etc.. They are also kept back by invasive technologies such as SecureBoot which usually prevents installation of Linux..
My Windows 11 enjoyer brother-in-law was truly having a blast playing games on my Linux PC... he was also in disbelief of how good it was performance wise... (I never asked/pushed him though, he simply turned the PC on to try it himself and now has a new view on Linux..)

If people knew how easy Linux has become and how amazing levels it has reached regarding gaming performance (that it can sometimes outperform Windows 11 in even AAA titles with proton overhead!!) they would certainly use it.

Distros such as Linux Mint, Nobara, CachyOS, have given Linux both the easy GUI/OOB-Gaming experience and also have kept the power of the Terminal as well so users can really enjoy using Linux (best of both worlds)... (at least this has been the case for me who migrated from Win 7 to Linux for 2 years now..).


Last edited by Mangojuicedrinker on 1 August 2024 at 12:06 pm UTC
Pinguino Aug 1
Lovely news! BTW, what happened in December 2023 that caused the drop in OS X from 20 % to 15 % (apparently in favour of Windows)?
pb Aug 1
Kinda looks like it's gaining momentum...
ToddL Aug 1
Quoting: MangojuicedrinkerThank you for this report!
In truth, people are simply unaware of Linux.. unaware of its gaming capabilities, its now ease of use.. etc.. They are also kept back by invasive technologies such as SecureBoot which usually prevents installation of Linux..
My Windows 11 enjoyer brother-in-law was truly having a blast playing games on my Linux PC... he was also in disbelief of how good it was performance wise... (I never asked/pushed him though, he simply turned the PC on to try it himself and now has a new view on Linux..)

If people knew how easy Linux has become and how amazing levels it has reached regarding gaming performance (that it can sometimes outperform Windows 11 in even AAA titles with proton overhead!!) they would certainly use it.

Distros such as Linux Mint, Nobara, CachyOS, have given Linux both the easy GUI/OOB-Gaming experience and also have kept the power of the Terminal as well so users can really enjoy using Linux (best of both worlds)... (at least this has been the case for me who migrated from Win 7 to Linux for 2 years now..).

As great as Linux is for gaming, it still has issues with anti-cheat from companies that won't support the OS (e.g. EA, Activision, Bungie). Until that's resolved, along with anything else holding back gaming on Linux, the numbers will continue to stay low.

Despite this though, I'm glad that Linux continues to gain shares and hopefully, they'll get to a point where more people will transition to it over Windows.
Lachu Aug 1
I remember what Windows/Mac users told me: "If Linux have had 10% of marketshare, Adobe will probably release Photoshop on it". So that's at half of way.
Lachu Aug 1
Quoting: MangojuicedrinkerThank you for this report!
In truth, people are simply unaware of Linux.. unaware of its gaming capabilities, its now ease of use.. etc.. They are also kept back by invasive technologies such as SecureBoot which usually prevents installation of Linux..
My Windows 11 enjoyer brother-in-law was truly having a blast playing games on my Linux PC... he was also in disbelief of how good it was performance wise... (I never asked/pushed him though, he simply turned the PC on to try it himself and now has a new view on Linux..)

If people knew how easy Linux has become and how amazing levels it has reached regarding gaming performance (that it can sometimes outperform Windows 11 in even AAA titles with proton overhead!!) they would certainly use it.

Distros such as Linux Mint, Nobara, CachyOS, have given Linux both the easy GUI/OOB-Gaming experience and also have kept the power of the Terminal as well so users can really enjoy using Linux (best of both worlds)... (at least this has been the case for me who migrated from Win 7 to Linux for 2 years now..).

That's truth. Many article/tests/benchmarks comparing playing on Linux and Windows shows, when user set high resolution or uses high-end hardware, but without up scaling or ray/path tracing, Linux annihilate Windows (in many cases). It's sad enabling ray/path-tracing or upscaling can change that image.
Pengling Aug 1
Quoting: Mangojuicedrinker(I never asked/pushed him though, he simply turned the PC on to try it himself and now has a new view on Linux..)
This! It really needs to be underscored how important it is to not push people and/or evangelise about Linux to them - that can so easily create pushback in a lot of people, especially less-tech-inclined types, and it's something they won't soon forget.
Quoting: Pengling
Quoting: Mangojuicedrinker(I never asked/pushed him though, he simply turned the PC on to try it himself and now has a new view on Linux..)
This! It really needs to be underscored how important it is to not push people and/or evangelise about Linux to them - that can so easily create pushback in a lot of people, especially less-tech-inclined types, and it's something they won't soon forget.
Ultimately it's their computer and their choice. Let them ask you, if they care at all.

And lastly...Linux is not the solution to Windows problems, so it shouldn't be presented like it is when someone asks for help with their Windows computer.

When should it be presented as an option? When someone is looking for a new computer or wondering if there's something better. They've now demonstrated willingness to uproot their current computing lifestyle and try something new, something few people are brave enough or have enough time to do. You can't convince someone to try something new; they need to be open to it already, and when they are, you're presenting an option, not trying to convince them of something.

And while we're at it, I really think the Cult of Linux would be a whole lot more successful if we reduced the number of steps from 12 to 5. Does it really need to be a 12-step program? That's just going to confuse newcomers.

But then, I've never successfully inducted a new member myself, so I might just be talking nonsense. To be fair, I've never tried.
That looks less like a jaggedy straight line and more like an upwards-pointed curve. Nice.


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 1 August 2024 at 3:00 pm UTC
Drakker Aug 1
Hopefully its real and not a side effect of all those damned AI crawlers that may report themselves as Linux clients.
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