Windows 8 Is Officially More Popular than Linux

I assume this doesn't take servers into account, as there is simply no way there are more windows 8 installs than linux installs.

No, it doesn't. It just measures the referer data from loads of participating web sites.

Windows 8 is not a server product. The statistics refer to the desktop market only.

Like I say: Money will allow you to buy the truth.

this is not a correct report. Popularity?! how many sites have the Statcounter script embeded? or better, how many MS sites? and how about a stability report!? :)

Is there any chance down the road that LINUX and WINDOWS could consolidate?

Your statistics are misleading. Web presence can easily be bought. Money can buy you anything, and MS has over 40 Billion $$ on the bank to do so with. The only thing you are achieving is validating MS's campaign of lies and deceit.

Right! So, how many devices in this world do run Android? About one million more every day? And how many devices run Win8? To be or not to be installed? That is the question!

It's pretty obvious why Windows 8 has overtaken Linux ... it's all about marketing. Hence, Windows 7 and 8 will be more popular. This does not mean they are better operating systems than Linux.

Marketing? Microsoft are crap at marketing. It's pretty obvious that even Windows 8 is a better choice than desktop Linux.

Windows has Office and Photoshop for a start, while desktop Linux has Open/LibreOffice and the GIMP, the former has a terrible name and is fragmented between several different efforts while the latter has an even worse name and development pretty-much ground to a halt years ago.

But sure, keep telling yourself it's just because of the mighty Microsoft marketing machine. Which, incidentally, I'd love to hear some details about: what parts of their Win 8 marketing do you think has been so super-effective to blast a superior OS out of the water?

Also, I remember Windows 7 was more popular than desktop Linux *before it was released*, which is also before Microsoft did any marketing for it beyond saying "Here's a public beta guys."

It's time you delusional idiots came to terms with the fact that desktop Linux has been an absolute abortion.

I understand your position, but would encourage you that it's probably best to state your opinion as opinion, rather than fact. You argue that Windows is a better choice because it has important software, but you neglect to realize that this has nothing to do with the operating system. Not only that, but both of the applications you made a point of mentioning work pretty well in WINE, and further, LibreOffice is a touch more useful as Office 2003; making it infinitely more useful than 2007 and 2010. I use photoshop on a daily basis -- all from my Linux desktop.

Ask yourself why people use Windows, and you'll come to these reasons:
* Because it 'just works'
* Because it is compatible with applications they know
* Because they are used to it.

I have never heard anyone with so much as a decent level of IT knowledge state that they like Windows because the operating system is better than Linux, because it simply is not. People use Windows because they haven't put the effort in to try anything else, or because it's all they know. If all of the applications and support and popularity on Linux, would Windows last 15 seconds?

"Hey, guys, I know you're enjoying that free operating system over there, but how about you buy this instable and slow one from us?!"

And all of this 3 percent are selled to customers (B2C) or even to sellers too (B2B), waiting in their showrooms for customers?

No surprises here, Microsoft has a tight grip on the desktop market. What this tells me is that most are comfortable with overpaying for software to Microsoft and other proprietary software vendors, year after year. It's all personal choice, however being in IT as a profession, not one for me. I use Linux and will for the indefinite future. I don't believe in paying for bloated software that controls you, and forces you to keep buying new versions every couple of years.

it is preinstalled

It does not surprise me, I have tried Linux (ubunto) 3 times and all 3 times it got corrupted during auto updates. I gave up on it... I find windows more reliable and user friendly.