[electricduck]

I'm kinda surprised this entirely forgot to mention the SteamDeck. I'd love to know how much of an impact that had, considering apparently 3 million units have been sold (according to Valve). Alas, how many of those users know they are running Linux is another question.

[Josh5]

Just want to say that all of these replies missed the mark so much by debating desktops and desktop modes and BSD on a game console... While this graph says that 3% of desktop users are running Linux, what it means is GNU/Linux and not just the Linux kernel. The steam deck runs GNU/Linux as the OS regardless of it being in desktop mode or console mode. a Chromebook runs Linux, but that is still ChromeOS. Any android device runs Linux, but that is Android. we are not talking about the kernel. We are talking about GNU on top of Linux as an OS that people use in some way as a desktop.

[haunter]

By that logic these articles should be about FreeBSD/NetBSD not Linux cause they have more presence by running on every PS3/PS4/PS5. Roughly ~250m compared to the 3m

[76SlashDolphin]

But other than through unofficial modding how many of those expose an open BSD environment? The Steam Deck has a desktop mode as a selling point which functions exactly like a Linux desktop.

[lopis]

The Deck can be compared to a laptop computer with specialized controls and a touch screen. It runs a desktop OS, with desktop programs and games. You can use it as a normal desktop computer, connected to a screen and peripherals, and this is by design.

The same can't be said of the PS; the PS isn't a desktop computer.

[lizardking]

They don't boot into desktop linux though.

[smoldesu]

Linux actually ships on Deck. FreeBSD kernels do not ship or likely even run OOB on Playstation hardware.

[trustingtrust]

>Alas, how many of those users know they are running Linux is another question.

That's the whole point. Probably 99% of computer (anything that uses a processor I guess qualifies a computer these days) users in this world don't really care what's running underneath as long it gets the job done. If something can run linux underneath and can still pass as acceptable that's a huge win I think.

[Jnr]

This is about desktop market share. Even though Steam Deck has KDE on it, out of the box it boots into Steam and I suspect it is enough for majority of users.

[AmericanChopper]

SteamDecks aren’t desktop PCs. If you were including gaming consoles/handhelds, then BSD would be way ahead of Linux with all the PlayStations that have been sold (and maybe with Nintendo switches too, depending on how you chose to count those).

[qwytw]

There is more to an 'OS' than the kernel.

SteamDecks are indistinguishable from PCs, since they run more or less exactly the same software as a Linux desktop/laptop would.

[sumuyuda]

You can actually switch to desktop mode, which is a full KDE environment, so it is a Linux desktop PC.

[skeaker]

Steam deck is a PC by Valve's own admission and my own anecdotal experience with mine.

[pjmlp]

Switch uses its own proprietary microkernel.

[CryptoBanker]

I wouldn’t count the SteamDeck as a desktop

[creatonez]

I would. It's designed to be used as a desktop by plugging in a DisplayPort cable, hooking up a keyboard and mouse, and switching it to KDE desktop mode or installing Windows. This is a documented and officially supported feature, and has been shown in Valve's marketing material.

[cubefox]

> 3 million units have been sold (according to Valve)

Any source for this?