If you want to look in the operating system space, Linux holds the highest share of operating systems that aren’t Windows or MacOS. And that share is maybe 3% if you isolate it to just PC gamers, and much lower when you include general computer usage.
Could one of the BSD variants have ended up in the same position? Maybe, but probably not. Linux is basically a unicorn where circumstances lined up perfectly for it to become as big as it is today.
As much as it sucks to admit, the Linux kernel would not be where it is today without the additional expertise and man-hours donated by companies. That never would have happened if it weren’t open-source, collaborative, and free for commercial use. It also happened to exist in a situation where the cost-benefit analysis meant it was more worthwhile to hire people to improve the Linux kernel, than it would have been to create a kernel in-house or license one from a vendor.
As much as it sucks to admit, the Linux kernel would not be where it is today without the additional expertise and man-hours donated by companies. That never would have happened if it weren’t open-source, collaborative, and free for commercial use.
It feels like you’re ignoring network effects here. If Linux didn’t exist then something else (e.g. FreeBSD) would be much more popular and would be targeted by companies instead.
How do you know?
If you want to look in the operating system space, Linux holds the highest share of operating systems that aren’t Windows or MacOS. And that share is maybe 3% if you isolate it to just PC gamers, and much lower when you include general computer usage.
Could one of the BSD variants have ended up in the same position? Maybe, but probably not. Linux is basically a unicorn where circumstances lined up perfectly for it to become as big as it is today.
As much as it sucks to admit, the Linux kernel would not be where it is today without the additional expertise and man-hours donated by companies. That never would have happened if it weren’t open-source, collaborative, and free for commercial use. It also happened to exist in a situation where the cost-benefit analysis meant it was more worthwhile to hire people to improve the Linux kernel, than it would have been to create a kernel in-house or license one from a vendor.
Why not?
It feels like you’re ignoring network effects here. If Linux didn’t exist then something else (e.g. FreeBSD) would be much more popular and would be targeted by companies instead.