this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2024
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Steam numbers are completely meaningless. There’s absolutely no way SteamOS outnumbers Ubuntu even if we limit this comparison to desktop installs. Ubuntu’s been around for a very long time and many of its users wouldn’t show up on Steam because they don’t game.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If you look at just my household, Ubuntu and its derivatives outnumber SteamOS by a factor of 7:1, not even counting numerous VMs and containers, or 3:1 if you're just counting desktops, laptops and tablets. But if you look at my steam usage, Ubuntu hasn't shown up there in over a year.

I probably spend 10x as much time on Ubuntu machines as I spend on my Steam Deck, but the Steam hardware survey would never surface that fact, nor is it intended to.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

If you look at just my household

No, I won't because anecdotal evidence is no statistic.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Sure, but it's often a clearer way to explain why a statistic is misleading.

In this case, my anecdote shows an example of why the steam hardware survey is not, and was never intended to be, an accurate depiction of what distros people are using overall. Instead, it's a depiction of what distros people are using for Steam, which is the point of the statement above mine.

Using anecdote instead of statistical data is a bad idea. But so is ignoring anecdotes simply because they're anecdotes, as anecdotes are often one of the best ways to find limitations in statistical data.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Sure, but it’s often a clearer way to explain why a statistic is misleading.

Provide a better one or keep quiet.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You're being rightfully called out by multiple people for using bad statistics. That doesn't require better statistics to do any more than doubting Russell's teapot requires showing that it's actually a coffee pot.