Seven Percent

[Anne Wilson]

On Friday 01 September 2006 14:26, Andy Green wrote:
>
> Statistics are often very useful, that's why people keep making them up.
>   Rarely though do they mean what they are spun to mean.
>
True - just don't take them at face value :-)

> However anecdotally places like Digg are full of viral Ubuntu mindshare
> zombies.  Of course in a larger sense it's all good if it gets the Linux
> word out and reduces the ability to FUD it since people had experience
> of it.  But I can't help feeling some of the newbie growth of Ubuntu is
> partially driven by where we are in the Microsoft product cycle and
> there's some easy come easy go built into it.
>
> Les is clearly right about some folks looking for the stability and
> novelty sweetspot (seems we both use CentOS and Fedora so it is in our
> minds at least), but is that really where all the Ubuntu ravers have
> sprung from?
>
I missed following up the beginning of this, but if it, for instance, is based 
on the number of downloads, there are several problems.  First, over what 
period was it measured?  I have done one download, almost certainly earlier 
than the survey, and installed it on four machines, none of which, I presume, 
would count.

The other obvious point is that more downloads take place just after a 
release.  Which distros released during the few weeks previous to the survey?  
I'm sure there are other equally valid questions.

In the end, the only thing that matters to us is whether there is sufficient 
user base for the distro to continue to serve us, and whether we are happy 
that it does what we want it to do.  I have no problem with the idea that 
there are many people who want a 'just works' distro and would find FC not to 
their liking.  It takes all sorts..... :-)

Anne
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