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Ask Nicholas Petreley About Linux Usage Statistics

Posted by Roblimo on from the lies-damned-lies-and-statistics dept.

This Slashdot discusssion, about a story Nick wrote, is already going (and heated). I did a NewsForge interview with a SuSE rep who quotes an IDC study that says Linux desktop use will double by 2004. Sounds nice, but how reliable are all these statistics? Nick's been studying Linux use in depth lately, so let's ask him directly what all of these numbers mean, if anything, and how IDC, Evans Data, and other analysts get and massage them. We'll post Nick's answers to 10 of the highest-moderated questions as soon as he gets them back to us.

2 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. Defining Usage by Giant+Ape+Skeleton · · Score: 5, Insightful
    What, in your opinion is the most meaningful measurement of usage?

    Do you place any credibilty in the tendency for certain analysts to derive things like a "mindshare index" from arguably disparate sources?

    --
    The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
  2. Re:Distros and numbers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    (And if someone mods me "Interesting", I'll shoot myself.) ...

    Thing is though, how are you going to shoot yourself twice?

    Or maybe this is one of those ". . . and I bet you won't read this out. . " radio/newspaper letters.

    I think I'll give a try, if someone mods this as "Insightful" I'll eat this small puppy, deliciously garnished with a sprig of parsley and a squeeze of lemon.