In comp.os.linux.advocacy, SW <sw@invalid.invalid> wrote on 18 Dec 2007 17:10:07 GMT <4767feee$0$3317$6e1ede2f@read.cnntp.org>: > On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:25:24 +0000, 7 wrote: > > >> >> Linux now adding over 1 million new users per month, while >> embedded Linux is selling one million devices per day. > > > Where did you obtain the one million new users per month figure? 1M users/month would translate into about 1.2% per year, absent further evidence; this assumes 1 billion PC units, each capable of running Microsoft Windows or Linux. This seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Vista continues to grow at a rate of 20% per annum, according to somewhat reliable (but still questionable) browser statistic measurement sites. This growth rate is slower than Microsoft probably thinks it should be (equipment replacement is every 3 years, not 5) but is still growth. There are, of course, other markets; one particularly intriguing variant is the mobile market, where QTopia has already waded in with its variant of a "green phone", which in this case is more of an "open phone", running a variant of KDE. Microsoft would have to dislodge Symbian (the dominant OS supplier) in this space; this is admittedly possible but doesn't look all that likely yet. As for embedded Linux selling 1 million devices per *day*, that sounds highly unlikely. What are these devices? While QTopia is an interesting offering, I highly doubt they would realize that sort of revenue per year (assuming $200/phone, 1M/day translates into $73B/year) at the first go! Nor are there other devices that appear comparable, although I've not researched such as the microwave controller, refigerator controller, or coffee brewer markets. -- #191, ewill3@earthlink.net Useless C/C++ Programming Idea #1123133: void f(FILE * fptr, char *p) { fgets(p, sizeof(p), fptr); } -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

* The Ghost In The Machine fired off this tart reply: > Meanwhile, Vista continues to grow at a rate of 20% > per annum, according to somewhat reliable (but still > questionable) browser statistic measurement sites. That's not growth. That's molting. -- Tux rox!