Why I disagree with Distrowatch Statistics and Say Ubuntu is the Number One Linux Desktop?

Why I disagree with Distrowatch Statistics and Say Ubuntu is the Number One  Linux Desktop?

My gut feeling tells me that Ubuntu is the Number One Linux desktop.

I have collaborative evidence.

Number One

I have been downloading Linux distribution for the last three years years for testing.

I started with point to point and it was a painful procedure.

In fact in the beginning I had to do the downloading in a foreign country when I was on a short holiday.

Our download speed then was pity /pretty paltry (even now).

Then I changed over to k-torrent (I have written a piece here why one should use torrent instead of point to point) and Ubuntu was the only distribution I could download pretty fast.

There are many SEEDERS as well as Leechers.

I am currently downloading Ubuntu Studio which used to be very slow few years ago but going on smoothly over taking all the other distributions including LinuxMint Debian Mate which are in the queue for downloading.

For the last  4 days I was trying it and only one seeder.

Number Two.

I have no reason to disbelieve Mark Shuttleworth.

If he says there are currently 12 million users and will be 20 million at the end of this year,

I do not like to contest his claims.

He knows what he is talking about.

He is a guy who gave away Ubuntu FREE (CD / DVD) to millions over the world and I got a Collection of CD/DVD from his canonical sources, since my download speed was slow three years ago.

Number Three

I have never heard a guy / girl saying he / she using any other Linux distribution in this part of the world.

I do not use Ubuntu but I always test its latest version/s and write about it/them.

My reason for not using Ubuntu is also stated elsewhere.

One reason out of the many was not supporting Sinhala.

Redhat was the first to support Sinhala and Debian has default Sinhala installation now.

But I use Ubuntu derivatives and Debian liberally and in fact I love Pinguy Linux.

Government schools use Hanthana Linux which is a Redhat derivative and it is still not popular.

Number Four

It has all the packages both in common use and academic.

Number Five

Ubuntu One, the cloud service has hit over billion users few months ago.

It is popular and nobody can take over the evolutionary niche it has established in the WORLD of LINUX.

It is a matter for others to catch up with it.

If not other Linux distributions will become a piece of statistics in the History of Linux.

Ubuntu has given the other Linux distributions a leeway by promoting Unity Desktop.

It is time the other Linux distributions speak up for themselves with novel innovations.

Now that Texstar has taken a backseat even PCLINUX which I support because of FULLMONTY should take a leaf out of Ubuntu Evolution.

Mind you, PCLINUX was only in English few years ago but not now.

Google Drive Me MAD

Google Drive

This is just to say Google sometimes drive me MAD.

They have done an overall on the blog page and I have to re-learn all what was second nature to me for over two years.

I cannot access their Google Drive Cloud Service since I only use Linux.

As it is Google Drive is for Windows and Mac.

That is very unfair and that is us why 8 million will join Ubuntu this year making it 20 million regular users.

Mind you I do not use Ubuntu but Pinguy which is Debian and Ubuntu derivative and is classy desktop is my Guy.

Ubuntu has Ubuntu One Cloud Service and it has hit billion mark already and Google Chrome has no reliable desktop for desktop users or cloud service for Linux Guys and Girls.

It is way behind as far as Ubuntu is concerned.

It is trying to emulate Apple now that Steve Job is gone but their CEOs are falling behind and causes time lag for me.

Are they falling behind two tools/stools (pardon me for my incorrect use of English Language).

I will make a post flattering Google when they send me a link to Google Drive.

Not that I have 5 GiB load and all my books are with Amazon and they have AWS (cloud service) too.

Amazon is way ahead of everybody and that is why publishers are Grumpy now with Amazon.

Ubuntu 12.04 (Long Term Support) L.T.S

 Please do not confuse with Unity Linux which is small CLI distribution based on old Mandriva (now run by Russians).

CLI means Command Line Interface for Developers and not for general users.

Recntly its Virtual Server RAIDs had gone bust and they are doing repair work

Ubuntuś Unity desktop is out and I am currently downloading it for testing.

I must confess I am not an Ubuntu FAN and was never, coming from the old school of Linux user base.

I still use PCLinux (FullMonty) 32 bit version which works well even with bit 64 machines, just as well.

There are two CDs one for 32 bits and one for 64 bits.

If you have a new computer go for the 64 bits CD

Ubuntuś is targeting 20 Million users this year (up from 12 million currently users).

I hope they provide a good customer service which is extremely difficult when the user base is over one million, let alone 20 million.

There will always be grumblers coming from Microsoft base.

My Advice.

One CD is not enough (700 MiB) to pack all the utilities one needs in day to day use and downloading and configuring new software is pain in the A.R. xxxxsS even for a Linux expert.

If any of your readers are reading my books at least in the digital form in Amazon and my evaluation is that one needs a minimum of I GiB DVD with software but ideally 1.5 GiB DVD to get everything right in the first time installation.

For that reason there over 200 or more Linux distributions to choose.

This is over and above the little distributions (the book I intend to write within this year) which include Damn Small Linux (50 MiB)and Puppy under 100 MiB.

I have downloaded the latest latest Puppy game console and it is in my main computer now and if am bored I can play some very very old DOS, Atari and Commodore 64 games which run fabulously fast unlike the modern Graphic CRAVVY games.

I started computer games with Commodore 128 and Linux was not heard then and Windows was crawling and teething then.

Good Luck with Linux!

Asoka

PS.

No mention about Skype and Abiword (my favorite and I use for all my book writings) and Ubuntu One Cloud Service is one of the best cloud services, currently not Dropbox.

There is also a Google derivative with 5 GiB which I have not tried it yet.

Google had made a MESS out of the blog site and thank good I had a break for blog writing 14 days.

Habitat Destruction and bird migration.

Habitat Destruction and bird migration.

I was excited and wanted to report the unusual bird sighting including eagles this year.

My jubilation and excitement to see number of eagles are short lived.

I happened to see a young one hovering in my neighborhood.

The reason for this sighting is due to their displacement from their normal habit.

The nature vultures with political backing are clearing the trees of the protected reserve illegally.

Bird have no choice but to leave their natural habitat even before they are big enough to fend themselves. 

I have some collaborative evidence too.

There were three to four species of birds (forest dwelling) who were frequenting our neighbourhood and I was about to boast myself and pat my back and carry a banner to say it was all  because of our environmental drive. 

Making room and fruits available for them to feed were my intended themes for this observation.

Thank god, I did not write these bull shiii before.

I am wiser now.

Unusually the dry season without rain made the leaves of the tree where they nested to fall.

I could see three nests not fully built.

The birds who were getting ready were exposed and the hovering crows made them to disappear soon.

Now they come only looking for food and water.

There were four to five episodes of setting fire to the nature reserve deliberately.

Most of the fire started near where bird were building nests for ages if not centuries.

This in the name of development and I gather with the political backing some structures are also springing up encroaching the nature reserve.

All these time even the Municipality which was run by the opposition did not encourage such shady deals.

But now it is all free with no opposition to raise a voice.

All the sighting were not natural migration or expansion.

It is eviction by default.

Our neighbourhood was their temporary transit.

Evicted from their natural habitat they had no choice.

I am sure I am not going to see any of them next season or next year.

They will be gone for good.

Bird lovers watch out for the fallout and the unusual sightings.

They are migrating from East to West.

In the West too there are nature vultures clearing their habitat unabated. 

I think the environmental minister gives a tacit approval to these activities by his inaction and blind sight.

There are no NGOs looking after the interests of birds of this country unfortunately. 

There is NO reporting of these illegal activities, due to fear of recriminations by bigwigs..