Linux and Mac fail to capitalize on Windows Vista weakness
By Ruben Francia
Amid the hardware and software incompatibility issues, lack of driver support, and poor performance and reliability of Windows Vista, the Linux and Mac OS X operating systems have failed to capitalize on Vista’s flaws.
While data from Net Applications, as posted in Market Share, for the period December 2006 to September 2007 indicates that Linux managed to double its market share from 0.37% to 0.81%, the overall number is still miniscule compare to the entire market share of Windows.
Mac OS X, for its part, registered 15% growth from 5.62% to 6.61% for the same period, but still a small number in absolute terms.
Even Windows Vista with all its faults did better than Linux and Mac OS X.
The latest Microsoft OS evolved from 0.16% in December 2006 to 7.38% in September 2007. While the dominant Windows XP, dropped its market share from 85.30% to 79.32%, obviously as result of Vista.
The total increase of the combined Linux and Mac OS X market share since the release of Vista is only about 1.43%, which is not very impressive in my opinion.
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October 11th, 2007
[…] Stewart wrote an interesting post today on Linux and Mac fail to capitalize on Windows Vista weaknessHere’s a quick […]
October 11th, 2007
[…] bhsizemo wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptAmid the hardware and software incompatibility issues, lack of driver support, and poor performance and reliability of Windows Vista, the Linux and Mac OS X operating system have failed to capitalize on its mistakes. … […]
October 11th, 2007
Could it be, perhaps, that almost all those sales of Vista happened because its bundled with the PC? Therefore, like it or not, new PC buys get Vista?
That’s what’s great about being a monopolist like Microsoft and having a market to ones-self.
October 11th, 2007
Well if Microsoft don’t do nothing and make vista more compatible with number of devices and programs we could see much bigger jump of Apple Mac and Linux. I also was considering to try Linux even if I was Windows from beginning (8 years)
October 11th, 2007
vista sales are tied to pc sales, because every pc was sold with vista.
i just waiting for the world open their eyes, and see that if nobody have to pay $100 extra cash for the software in their dvd player, microwave, cell phone or mp3 player…. why we have to pay it for the software of every pc in the market.
October 11th, 2007
I always think Linux is more popular than these numbers, since it’s the only one of the three not sold with hardware. Be that as it may, I’ll take a small market share over making the OS drool cup easy, lowest common denominator or getting locked to one company.
October 12th, 2007
Apple’s biggest problem is that their OS is tied to their hardware, which is also expensive. You can’t run Mac OS X on a PC. Linux’s problem is that Windows comes installed on new PCs. Although Linux (for the most part) is free, Windows seems to be free because it comes pre-installed. The customer doesn’t see the price of the OS added into their computer.
October 13th, 2007
Until and OS comes out that can run ALL windows applications natively, out of the box, then nothing else has a real chance. To paraphrase one of my favorite sayings, “It’s the Software Stupid!†The free programs included with Linux are a non-issue. There are plenty of high quality, freeware programs available for Windows. I’ve not seen a SINGLE Linux or Apple program that wasn’t either ported to Windows, or there was a better program offered for Windows OS. Throw in a massive collection of commercial software, and there is no real reason to use Linux or Apple. Unless you are a computer programmer, hardcore hobbyist, or just an outcast.
October 14th, 2007
Yonah’s analysis is flawed.
The issue for the consumer is not whether Vista has application parity with Linux, but whether the overall experience is pleasant or unpleasant. That’s where, why and how Vista is in trouble.
All three platforms have general application parity for the kinds of things most people do with their computers.
Yes, most key Linux applications, since they are open source, have been ported to Windows (just as many key Windows applications such as Picasa, Google Earth, etc., are available under Linux). It is rare that a general user would encounter an application-availability issue on any of the three major platforms.
The irony is that Linux, long regarded as a “geek-only” experience, now can provide a smoother, easier, faster and overall more pleasing experience for the end user when compared with the Microsoft platform.
The palpable anger and frustration expressed by so many new Vista users is telling. It stems from startlingly poor performance, compatibility issues, and harassment by popups and security warnings. (On first startup, a new Vista user is immediately greeted by a breathless warning that the installation has security problems. Is that supposed to engender confidence?)
Users didn’t create those problems and shouldn’t be blamed for them.
Vista numbers are being driven almost solely by sales of new PC hardware, which generally comes with Vista as a mandatory component.
Installing Linux requires that the user first know that Linux is a viable alternative (the big hurdle) and then download or otherwise obtain a CD image (a minor hurdle).
Installation is, surprisingly, a non-issue. A full Ubuntu Linux installation actually takes less time, and no more user interaction, than the “first run” of preinstalled Vista.
The result is general application parity, as much as an order of magnitude of better responsiveness and overall system performance, and a significantly more pleasant user experience.
It’s hard to tell whether Microsoft is taking these very real issues seriously or not. Their public statements are all marketing BS and not informative on this matter.
As for the original issue — whether Linux is “capitalizing” on Vista’s Edsel-like weaknesses — it should be understood that Linux doesn’t NEED to dominate in order to be successful.
The community-driven Linux development process is thriving at its current “market penetration.” Applying 20th-century business thinking to 21st-century the open-source world is an error.
October 15th, 2007
Sorry vista-free:
Yonah’s analysis is actually pretty much on the money.
Really, people get into these OS wars and it get a little silly. Its all about how the computer is used. Average user’s don’t really care that much about the OS. Laptop and desktop computers are nothing more than an appliance or tool for the vast majority of people.
And what drives the usefulness of computer applicance? Software in all of its various forms. Games, digital media apps, office productivity, web browsers, etc. When you look at an OS from that perspective, Windows tends to overwhelm.
Out of the universe of software for desktop/laptop computers, what doesn’t run on Windows? Even the better FOSS applications run on Windows, cause if they didn’t, well really. Where would Firefox be if it didn’t run on Windows?
As far your statement that Vista uptake is driven by new PC sales, your absolutely correct. But you said something interesting, though I believe technically incorrect:
“Vista numbers are being driven almost solely by sales of new PC hardware, which generally comes with Vista as a mandatory component. ”
Why do say Vista is a “mandatory” component? Per all of the legal wrangling thats gone on over Microsoft and the anti-trust litigation, Microsoft cannot for any PC maker to buy Windows. They are completely free to put Linux on PC’s if they so choose, and companies have done and still give consumers this option, like Dell.
But think about it for a minute. There’s one thing that most Linux users pride themselves on, and that all of the FOSS that’s available for Linux. I don’t know how many times a Linux guy has told me that they don’t buy ANY software what so ever because of the technical superiority of FOSS and have the source code.
They also tend to favor older hardware because the Linux community tends to see newer hardware coming as too proprietary and closed. Linux people often cite this as a reason why drivers for certain devices aren’t available.
Here’s my point. In a retail store like a CompUSA or BestBuy, yes they have there desktops and laptops, but what about all the other stuff they sell, like extended warranties and Geek Squad service. The computers are very low margin items for the retailer. When you buy that computer, they want you to buy the extended warranty and that Geek Squad setup package.
How many Linux people would buy those things? Even if Linux came pre-installed on the machine, how many other things would the Linux user buy?
The retailer is trying to make money. If Linux users were in the habit of buying tons of peripherals and services, I guarantee that you’d see Linux systems on sell int retail.
FOSS is great, but at the same time, there’s not a lot of money in that market, at least when it comes to consumer PC’s, and that’s where the vast majority of computers are sold, and brick and mortor stores are still big deal. Look at Apple and Dell with its mall kiosks.