Comments on: Linux Adoption Curve https://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=25 Sun, 16 Jan 2005 23:07:50 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.10 By: Henry Balen https://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=25&cpage=1#comment-35 Sun, 16 Jan 2005 23:07:50 +0000 /?p=25#comment-35 FYI – Mac OS X is based on BSD Unix and the underlying OS is free (see Open Darwin and Darwin). It is available as Darwin and will run on Intel processors as well. Mac OS X adds a UI layer.

Also not all Mac OS users are using OS X some are still using OS 9 or earlier (which is a propriety OS), so it is possible that there are more Linux users than OS X (also remember that Linux can run on Apple hardware).

You can order machines with linux pre-installed (even from companies such as Dell)! Though Linux does not present a cohesive UI for naive users – and the majority of the public seem to use computers primarily to play games or access the Internet.

]]> By: Ira https://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=25&cpage=1#comment-29 Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:10:43 +0000 /?p=25#comment-29 Interesting analysis of Linux’s adoption. But, I think you are mistaken about it being used by more people than Mac OS. Recent estimates by IDG and CNET put total Linux users at around 18 million, Mac OS users at around 25-30 million, and windows users over 400 million.

Besides programmers, I have noticed that a lot of science researchers and professors seem to like Linux for its reliability.

Both the Mac OS and Windows are routinely distributed with hardware which helps a lot with diffusion. Someone who wants to use Linux has to go out and buy the OS (or download it) and then install it. It’s quite hard to find machines ready to buy loaded up with RedHat for example. I believe this contributes considerable to why Linux falls where it does on the adoption curve.

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