I'm not sure how accurate StatCounter is, given that most Linux users use adblockers. However, according to it, Linux has almost a 14% desktop share in India.
this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2023
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It's a little puzzling to me that Linux isn't popular in low-income countries. Why wouldn't it be the OS of choice there? Do we need to become linux missionaries? I imagine it would be easier to convince people who can't buy an iPhone to use FLOSS than those who can drive to an Apple Store and waddle over to get yet another one.
Probably because it has to compete with piracy there, not with Microsoft and Adobe and such.
ironically enough i think microsoft (at least until very recently) has had a very lenient stance on piracy exactly because of this
piracy is the key to the consumer market in developing countries, consumer market is the key to enterprise (where the actual money lies)
I remember switching to linux because windows was shit and because I was afraid of getting caught using pirated warez. Is there no fear of that there?
If India is anything like my country (Brazil), corruption is rampant and enforcement outside business environments is pretty much non-existent, so, no, no one is afraid of piracy for domestic use. We used to have street vendors and booths on strip malls selling all kinds of warez on CD/DVD. The only reason they're not around anymore is because internet speeds here are already good enough that downloading is easier. And no, no one will cut you connection because of it, our congress already approved laws saying that access to digital communication is a civic right.
Nice! So it's pirate heaven in Brazil?
Puzzling? Windows comes preinstalled or can be pirated. Also, it's popular, Linux isn't. No puzzle on sight.
Same as any other country, people use what’s preinstalled
However following that trend Chrome OS and Android have really boosted Linux’s numbers
They know little about open source. Microsoft is exclusively in schools and government, and that is what they grow up with. They probably know more about pirating Windows, than using Linux legally. There is also a good kick-back in terms of MS license mark-ups for middle-men businesses. One would hope there is some mandatory education around different OSs as I'm sure kids would love to explore and modify software.
It feels like those kinds of countries are perfect targets for linux and FLOSS.
Linux and FLOSS unfortunately don't have budgets, and rely on logic and common sense. Microsoft has a big lobbying budget, gets in to see senior politicians and decision-makers, and then sponsors training, digital villages, etc. Yes, it costs a country overall much more than Linux, but it is easier for schools/gov depts and middle-men make some actual money in their pockets. That's what Linux and FLOSS end up against. What would turn it around is having strong local businesses driving training and making tender bids to install and support Linux and FLOSS. A government or school wants to have it done for them. That's the reality, unfortunately.
The sad reality indeed.
Two reasons, low income means no culture of paying for software, and easily corrupted government and administrations which companies like Microsoft have no problem taking advantage of to push their products to city halls, schools, hospitals, universities etc.
I don't think many people buy windows, laptops already comes with it and ones how can build a pc already know how to get windows for free, as far as iPhone goes, why would any one choose floss if they can't afford iPhone? They usually choose Google services
They don't choose. Choice is something to make when people have enough time and resource. Instead they use what they are familiar with and have little time to grab and learn a new thing.
Free software comes with an implicit cost while pirated Windows doesn't, ironically.