Linux hits 4% desktop user share

Windows clearly dominates our desktops, but Linux just managed to cross a milestone of its own. According to StatCounter, Linux has a little over 4% (actually 4.03%) of the desktop OS market. Check out StatCounter’s graph, and you’ll notice a slowly rising line near the bottom of the graph that represents Linux.

StatCounter’s data suggests that more people are using Linux on their desktop systems. Maybe because it’s free (most distributions anyway). Or maybe because there are several hundred distributions to choose from, one is bound to suit your fancy. In any case, this is good news for Linux.

At the same time, as most everyone understands, the desktop is not Linux’s claim to fame and likely never will be. Linux runs on network servers, as well as devices that are so small that they don’t seem to fall into the “computer” category (running “Android,” the Linux-based mobile OS). And, of course, Linux is dominant among the world’s fastest supercomputers. (Linux powers all but one of the supercomputers on the most recent Top500 supercomputer ranking).