Linux popularity across the globe

[Pat]

The Linux landscape is constantly changing and has a strong community of both developers and users. But where is Linux the most popular, and where are the different Linux distributions the most popular?

To try to answer these questions, we have looked at data from Google with the highly useful Insights for Search, which gave us a number of interesting and often surprising results.

Aside from just looking at Linux itself, we have included eight common Linux distributions in this survey: Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Debian, Red Hat, Mandriva, Slackware and Gentoo.

(We use both Ubuntu and Red Hat here at Pingdom, so of course we had to include those two!)

How we determined popularity
To have a way to judge popularity, we have looked at where a specific search term is most popular, i.e. how likely it is for someone in a region (country or state) to search for that specific term, for example “Linux” or “Ubuntu”. Google calls this “regional interest”.

If a high proportion of the searches in a country are for the term “Linux”, this should also indicate that Linux is popular in that country, or at least that there is a high interest in Linux.


*royal.pingdom.com/?p=340

Find out the most popular distro in India according to them

 

[Hitboxx]

I knew Feddy was very popular here

 

[mehulved]

There is a small issue in this, which can lead to a bit of a bias
1) The terms can clash with already existing words
eg.
Ubuntu in South Africa meaning spirit of community
Sabayon in Italy which could also be a dessert
red hat could simply be some techie searching for a red coloured hat

Well fedora is one of the most popular distro in India according to them, and well we have good number of fedora ambassadors and Red Hat does sponsor some local events so it's understandable.
But, a weak debian standing in India seems a bit odd to me somehow, considering we have a good number of debian developers too.

 

[Faun]

Indians are sabse aage with Russia...lolz
Fedora and Redhat

 

[Hitboxx]

Yeah, but the only creak is I'm not sure how much India "contributes" towards Linux. Again this may be subjective as interest can and also not include contribution.

All in all, it feels great to see India and Linux up in the same vicinity

 

[MetalheadGautham]

Where is Arch ?

 

[hullap]

^ thats what im thinking

 

[Faun]

Arch is not mainstream kinda distro.
Its more like hack to me.

 

[hullap]

*s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj44/visio159/Unismilies/3large.png

 

[MetalheadGautham]

Arch is not mainstream kinda distro.
Its more like hack to me.

Then you should say the same thing to Slackware and Gentoo.


The three are equally simple and elegent and make up three of the best advanced user distros.

If it was going to be a mainstream comparison, why are Slackware and Gentoo in the 8 ?

 

[Hitboxx]

Why don't you mail and ask them instead of whining here?

 

[debsuvra]

Why don't you mail and ask them instead of whining here?

Great opinion

In fact, after using arch for last 4 months, I think it is still the OS for Geeks. Someone who still fumbles with installing Ubuntu, can never install Arch on his own and it is the reality. So Arch linux has a cult following and will continue to have low market shares with it's present state. But I think that is not bad, as somethings in this world are elite and made for the elite.

 

[Faun]

Then you should say the same thing to Slackware and Gentoo.


The three are equally simple and elegent and make up three of the best advanced user distros.

If it was going to be a mainstream comparison, why are Slackware and Gentoo in the 8 ?

just compare the distros in goggle trend, Arch is not that popular !

 

[mehulved]

*s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj44/visio159/Unismilies/3large.png

Then you should say the same thing to Slackware and Gentoo.

emo kids

 

[MetalheadGautham]

Why don't you mail and ask them instead of whining here?

emo kids

emo uncles...

 

[phreak0ut]

I feel that Slackware and Gentoo popularity is slowly picking up in India as well. Just look at OpenSUSE's popularity in RUSSIA! Whoa!

The reason I see Fedora and Red Hat being popular in India is because, whenever you ask who's starting about linux, tells Fedora or Red Hat, because that's what they learnt in school or college. When he/she asks why use Fedora or Red Hat, probably they heard, only one thing, "It's good" Why? They are not told. Not many people are ready get their feet with the not-so-popular distros. Thanks to Ubuntu's shipit, it has gained much popularity. But, I still see people moving back to Fedora or Red Hat because Ubuntu is 'not easy'

@Mehul-Rightly said about Ubuntu's popularity in India