The Secret Lives of Ubuntu and Debian Users

jammag points out a look at statistics from the Popularity Contest projects on Debian and Ubuntu. These projects track the download and upgrade habits of their respective distributions' users, revealing — no surprise here — that Ubuntu users are more likely to be newbies than Debian users. The numbers reveal, for instance, that 86 percent of Ubuntu machines use the proprietary NVidia driver, where only a mere sliver of Debian machines do. Likewise, Debian users are far more eclectic in their software choice, less likely to use any default options. The article concludes with a look at the limits of what conclusions can be drawn from statistics like these. "In general, Debian users seem more eclectic in their use of software than Ubuntu users, and less likely to use an application simply because it is included by default. Debian users also seem more likely to be concerned to maintain a free installation than Ubuntu users — a conclusion that is hardly surprising when you consider Debian's reputation for freedom, but is still interesting to see being supported by statistics. ... To what extent last week's figures are typical is uncertain. Very likely, studying the figures over a longer period would produce different results. Possibly, too, those who participate in the Popularity Contests are not typical users of either Ubuntu or Debian. "

Comments

Re:I've been using linux since the mid nineties.

[b4upoo]

Yes, it works! Now just how do we keep the grasping claws of government completely out of Linux? How many controls will be imposed? To what degree will any government tolerate free and open communications between people at home or around the world? Fight for every inch of freedom even when the excuses for censorship seem reasonable.
                I give the following example: Years ago in chemistry class while working with some sulfer and carbon compounds the teacher gave very clear warnings that if we made certain mistakes we would be creating a bomb and risked serious injuries to ourselves. Today if we gave an on line course we could not issue those warnings as the law would claim that we were giving bomb building instructions and that would put us in prison.

Consumer confusion

[earlymon]

I've think I've hit upon a very simple thing holding back consumer excitement over Linux - it's the naming.

In the dot-com days, Linux was getting public attention - I've no doubt that many here got on board due to that furor. (Not everyone, not me either, 'em kay? I go back to the early or mid 90s, I honestly can't remember - pre-CD at any rate - so no flames please.)

It was easy - it was in the news.

Now for those that really remember the dot-com crash there was a name associated with it by analysts and it was in the news - VA Linux, whose initial stated price was to be at $30/share (on par with other IPOs) but really didn't trade the first day until it was at an order of magnitude above that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NewsForge

At that point, the word "Linux" was in the mainstream televised news in a very negative way. IPO fever, AFAIR, died the day of the VALinux IPO.

I no longer follow Linux as religiously as I once did and as a result, today, reading this thread, I've heard of more installations by name than I could imagine.

This is simple marketing - name goes from unknown to known, whateveritis is in the news in a positive way, then it's back in a negative way. The stage is set for consumer confusion.

Consumers as a pack may be reasonable enough to ignore stock issues when choosing a product - every surviving company in the tech sector is proof (MS and Apple are sufficient to illustrate the point).

But consumers as individuals need clarity. Google for Linux - my top hit was linux.org where one is treated to a non-consumer page. The best they do is a link to "Distributions" and from there, a bit more of technology-oriented stuff.

All well and good in and of itself and necessary for the community.

But I submit that consumers want to consume an OS - one doesn't look for an MS Win distribution or an Apple distribution - they go to get an OS. Go to http://www.linux.org/dist - enter some choices - I did English, Mainstream, Intel - and look at the list you get.

Go to Linux.com and it's a blog page to many initiates. The google factoid for ubuntu.com is:
Official site; Commercially sponsored Debian-derived Linux distribution that focuses on usability, a regular 6-month release cycle, and a commitment to at ...
I want to be clear - I am in no way, shape or form ragging on Linux.org or any of the other orgs- I am trying to point out a marketing reality.

If we want any year to become the year of the Linux desktop, then my opinion is to get away from the "distribution" mem entirely.

For me, today's issue isn't whether or not the reporting in TFA was immature or not (I didn't RTFA, I picked that up from other posts) - but to ask how anyone expects the mainstream news to get anything right about Linux?

And please don't Ubuntu, Ubuntu, Ubuntu me to death - today it's Ubuntu, yesterday it was Mandrake, the day before it was RedHat.

There's no appearance of stability to the outside world and there's no easy way to know how to enter Linuxdom.

Until those things are solved, we get news as interesting as distribution breakouts with references to Facebook (of all things!).