Can Linux steal the desktop PC crown from Windows? Experts weigh in.

Microsoft Edge Linux Source: Microsoft

"The year of Linux" kind of, sort of comes every year, wherein a few more than people requite it a try, and enthusiasts continue to beloved information technology. It's an OS that'south gotten better for gaming and one that's fabricated such an imprint on Windows Cardinal that not all of us even bother much with Windows anymore.

Heck, Federal republic of germany (part of information technology, to be specific) is taking some other stab at ditching Windows for Linux. Many tiny pieces of the global pie are abandoning Windows in favor of the freedom of Linux and the price-cutting benefits information technology entails. The question is, regardless of merit, does it stand any sort of chance of eclipsing Windows' PC market share in the short term or long term?

That is the tantalizing question at the kernelled core of the great Linux contend, and it'southward the 1 we reached out to analysts to hear their thoughts on.

It'south hither, even if you don't meet it

Ubuntu on Windows 10 Source: Windows Primal

Linux can be a flake of a ghost. If you look at where it resides, desktop PCs are the tip of the iceberg. Information technology's invisibly sifting around in the background of a great many technologies.

Just while Linux may be a starting point for those in the appliance device space (say, someone cooking up a competitor to the Xbox Series Ten), when information technology comes to desktop PCs, the foreseeable hereafter is dominated by Windows.

Gartner VP Analyst Steve Kleynhans addressed that point, elaborating on where the bodily fight lies. "The biggest challenge to Windows on anything that looks like a PC is probably Chrome Bone," he said, stating that Linux and Windows are not in a head-to-caput fight on the PC. "Could Linux continue to grow? Yes. Just it'southward not likely to grow equally a direct competitor replacing Windows."

He acknowledged the enthusiast population, while also citing the appliance device relevancy and another subsection of Linux users out there. "In that location is also a large trunk of users using Linux, who don't realize the fact," he said. "These are when Linux is used as the embedded Bone on a terminal or thin client." He qualified that remark past calculation, "We don't count these equally truthful Linux use."

However, while Linux does have its place in the world and crops up more often than people may realize, Kleynhans didn't see information technology every bit taking the concern world by storm someday shortly (a infinite that remains a key pillar of Windows' operations). "Many enterprises are trying to move abroad from dealing with the technical nitty-gritty of managing a platform and as such take little interest in learning a new platform — regardless of what possible benefits information technology might bring," he said.

True twelvemonth of Linux, some other year

Ubuntu 19.10 Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central

Every year is a special year for Linux in some way, shape, or course, but in terms of eating Windows' lunch, that's probably not in the cards for a long time, if ever.

Forrester Senior Analyst Andrew Hewitt gave figures to further bolster the argument that Linux is a long ways off from toppling Windows. "Overall, simply 1% of employees study usage of Linux on their principal laptop used for work," he said. "That's compared to sixty% that still use Windows, and small numbers that utilise Chrome OS and macOS on a global basis. Information technology is very unlikely that Linux volition overtake Windows as the main operating system."

With that said, Hewitt did foresee diversification and growth when it came to Linux, Chrome Os, and macOS, but naught to a degree that would point Windows is at chance of losing its ascendant market share.

"We usually run into Linux used in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) deployments," he stated, mentioning that he'd expect growth there since "VDI has grown 2% year over year according to our 'State Of VDI, 2022' report."

In other words, Linux isn't taking the average user's PC world by storm or crowding out the best Windows laptops anytime soon, just the platform and its distros are making ripples in other sectors. Will they become waves? We won't know for a while, based on current figures.

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