Linux range of use: Difference between revisions

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<gallery width="180px" height="120" caption="Samples of graphical desktop interfaces">

File:GNOME Shell 40 (applications grid).png|[[GNOME]]

File:KDE Plasma 6.3 desktop.6 screenshot.webp png|[[KDE Plasma 6]]

File:Cinnamon 4.2.3 screenshot.png|[[Cinnamon (desktop environment)|Cinnamon]]

File:Ubuntu Mate 18.04.1 with MATE 1.20.1.png|[[MATE (software)]]

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Several operating systems for [[smart devices]], such as [[smartphone]]s, [[tablet computer]]s, [[home automation]], [[smart TV]]s ([[Samsung]] and [[LG]] [[Smart TV]]s use [[Tizen]] and [[WebOS]], respectively),<ref name="Linux Smart TVs">{{cite web | title = Linux continues advance in smart TV market | url = http://linuxgizmos.com/linux-continues-advance-in-smart-tv-market/ | website = linuxgizmos.com | author = Eric Brown | date = Mar 29, 2019 | access-date = May 15, 2020 }}</ref> and [[in-vehicle infotainment]] (IVI) systems<ref name="Linux cars">{{cite web|title=It's a Linux-powered car world|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-a-linux-powered-car-world/|website=ZDNet|author=Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=May 15, 2020}}</ref> (for example [[Automotive Grade Linux]]), are based on Linux. Major platforms for such systems include [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Firefox&nbsp;OS]], [[Mer (software distribution)|Mer]] and [[Tizen]].

Based on web use, Android's [[usage share of operating systems]] dominates globally, with almost double the marketshare of Microsoft Windows. As of September 2024 it has 45.4% of the global market, followed by Windows with less than 25.6%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-16 |title=Operating System Market Share Worldwide Sept 2024|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share#monthly-202309-202409 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=StatCounter Global Stats |language=en}}</ref>

Although Android is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel, commentators disagree on whether the term "Linux distribution" applies to it, and whether it is "Linux" according to the common usage of the term. Android is a [[Linux distribution]] according to the [[Linux Foundation]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxfoundation.org/news-media/blogs/browse/2012/12/what-year-linux-please-join-us-celebration |title=What a Year for Linux: Please Join us in Celebration |first=Amanda |last=McPherson |publisher=Linux Foundation |date=December 13, 2012 |access-date=April 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417232521/http://www.linuxfoundation.org/news-media/blogs/browse/2012/12/what-year-linux-please-join-us-celebration |archive-date=April 17, 2014 }}</ref> Google's open-source chief [[Chris DiBona]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://derstandard.at/1308186313932/Interview-Google-Android-is-the-Linux-desktop-dream-come-true |title=Google: "Android is the Linux desktop dream come true" |first=Andreas |last=Proschofsky |work=derStandard.at |date=July 10, 2011 |access-date=March 14, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130422021245/http://derstandard.at/1308186313932/Interview-Google-Android-is-the-Linux-desktop-dream-come-true |archive-date=April 22, 2013 }}</ref> and several journalists.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jerry |last=Hildenbrand |title=Ask AC: Is Android Linux? |url=http://www.androidcentral.com/ask-ac-android-linux |website=Android Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=March 11, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408213437/http://www.androidcentral.com/ask-ac-android-linux |archive-date=April 8, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itworld.com/open-source/369810/android-really-linux-distribution |title=Is Android really a Linux distribution? |first=Jim |last=Lynch |work=ITworld |date=August 20, 2013 |access-date=April 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205165359/http://www.itworld.com/open-source/369810/android-really-linux-distribution |archive-date=February 5, 2014 }}</ref> Others, such as Google engineer Patrick Brady, say that Android is not Linux in the traditional [[Unix-like]] Linux distribution sense; Android does not include the [[GNU C Library]] (it uses [[Bionic (software)|Bionic]] as an alternative C library) and some other components typically found in Linux distributions.<ref name="ars introduction developer">{{cite web |first=Ryan |last=Paul |title=Dream(sheep++): A developer's introduction to Google Android |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/02/an-introduction-to-google-android-for-developers/ |website=[[Ars Technica]] |publisher=[[Condé Nast]] |date=February 24, 2009 |access-date=June 20, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704115615/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/02/an-introduction-to-google-android-for-developers/ |archive-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> ''[[Ars Technica]]'' wrote that "Although Android is built on top of the Linux kernel, the platform has very little in common with the conventional desktop Linux stack".<ref name="ars introduction developer" />

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In the past, there were few games available for Linux. In recent years, more games have been released with support for Linux (especially [[Indie game]]s), with the exception of a few [[AAA (video game industry)|AAA title]] games. [[Android (operating system)|Android]], a mobile platform which uses the [[Linux kernel]], has gained much developer interest and is one of the main platforms for mobile game development along with [[iOS]] operating system by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] for [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]] devices.

On February 14, 2013, [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] released a Linux version of [[Steam (service)|Steam]], a gaming distribution platform on PC.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186722/Steam_Box_phase_one_complete_Steams_Linux_client_is_out_now.php|title = Steam Box phase one complete: Steam's Linux client is out now|last = Cifaldi|first = Frank|date = February 14, 2013|access-date = June 12, 2014|url-status=livedead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140707121916/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186722/Steam_Box_phase_one_complete_Steams_Linux_client_is_out_now.php|archive-date = July 7, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> Many Steam games were ported to Linux.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTcxMTY|title = There's Now 500 Games On Steam For Linux|last = Larabel|first = Michael|date = June 5, 2014|work = Journal|access-date = June 12, 2014|publisher = [[Phoronix]]|author-link = Michael Larabel|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140611010626/http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTcxMTY|archive-date = June 11, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> On December 13, 2013, Valve released [[SteamOS]], a gaming-oriented OS based on Debian, for [[beta testing]], and had plans to ship [[Steam Machine (hardware platform)|Steam Machines]] as a gaming and entertainment platform.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/|title = SteamOS|access-date = June 12, 2014|website = Steam|publisher = Valve|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140616200555/http://store.steampowered.com/steamos|archive-date = June 16, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> Valve has also developed [[VOGL]], an [[OpenGL]] debugger intended to aid video game development,<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTU3Mjg|title = Valve's VOGL OpenGL Debugger Should Be Great|last = Larabel|first = Michael|date = January 16, 2014|work = Journal|access-date = June 12, 2014|publisher = [[Phoronix]]|author-link = Michael Larabel|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140701054125/http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTU3Mjg|archive-date = July 1, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> as well as porting its [[Source (game engine)|Source]] game engine to desktop Linux.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.shacknews.com/article/73510/steam-and-source-engine-being-ported-to-linux|title = Steam and Source Engine being ported to Linux|last = Mattas|first = Jeff|date = April 25, 2012|access-date = June 13, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140701153852/http://www.shacknews.com/article/73510/steam-and-source-engine-being-ported-to-linux|archive-date = July 1, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> As a result of Valve's effort, several prominent games such as ''[[Dota 2|DotA 2]]'', ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'', ''[[Portal (video game)|Portal]]'', ''[[Portal 2]]'' and ''[[Left 4 Dead 2]]'' are now natively available on desktop Linux.

On July 31, 2013, [[Nvidia]] released [[Nvidia Shield|Shield]] as an attempt to use Android as a specialized gaming platform.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/nvidia-shield-ships-july-31st/|title = NVIDIA Shield|last = Buckley|first = Sean|date = July 21, 2014|access-date = June 13, 2014|publisher = [[Engadget]]|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140708002014/http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/nvidia-shield-ships-july-31st/|archive-date = July 8, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref>