Gartner Says Linux PCs Just Used To Pirate Windows

LostCluster writes "CNET is reporting results from a Gartner Group report that claims 40% of desktop machines sold with Linux on them are being used to run pirate copies of Windows! The report goes on to say that this stat reaches as high in 80% in 'emerging markets', the same places that the stripped down lite version of Windows is being aimed at. Gartner's making a bold prediction that the number of machines sold as Linux desktops may eclipse the number of machines actually running Linux."

Comments

What about the other way around?

[kkovach]

As a result, the number of desktop Linux PCs that ship will exceed the actual percentage of Linux machines that get installed in the real world.

What about the number of PCs that were sold with Windows on them that are now running Linux? I'm not saying it's a large number, but I have one.

- Kevin

Re:Bollocks

[base_chakra]

Microsoft says you can't do this. But the courts have indicated that you can.

To date, eBay still terminates auctions for bundled/OEM software. A few of my own auctions have been terminated for this reason (I was very candid about the OEM status), so if there's a legal defense for this, I'd like to know. Amazon has a similar policy, but I've never actually had an OEM software listing removed from Amazon Marketplace.

did they count the reverse?

[phrostie]

and what nembers do they show for PCs sold with windows that get reformatted for Linux?

this seems to be much more common to me.

What about the ones sold with Windows but running

[g0bshiTe]

Gartner's making a bold prediction that the number of machines sold as Linux desktops may eclipse the number of machines actually running Linux."

What about the number of Windows machines sold, but are actually running Linux? Or the number of home built desktops running Linux? I run both, I use Windows primarily for games, do all my websurfing emailing from Linix.