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2012's 5 Most popular Linux stories

Summary: From Goobuntu to Mint to Windows 8, the un-Linux, here are the year's most popular Linux stories.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

By for Linux and Open Source |

Tux-220
2012 was another great year for Linux.

Taken as a whole, 2012 was a great year for Linux. The most popular stories, however, were more about the day-to-day happenings of Linux than the big picture.

2012's top Linux story was The truth about Goobuntu: Google's in-house desktop Ubuntu Linux. The title said it all. We'd long known that Google uses its own house-blend of Ubuntu on its PCs, but it wasn't until this summer that Google finally revealed exactly how its workers use Ubuntu,

The next most popular tale was about the popular Linux Mint distribution. I declared that 2012's Best Linux desktop was Linux Mint 13. I've changed my mind since then. Now, I think the best desktop Linux is Linux Mint 14.1. I'll be telling you more about it in the next few days.

One story from 2011 remained popular throughout 2012 and that was my how to install Google Chrome OS feature. This Linux-based operating system with a Chrome Web browser interface powers Chromebooks. As I explained though you don't need a Chromebook to try Chrome OS out for yourself.

Another article that a lot of people liked was The 5 most popular Linux distributions. The most popular Linux in 2012 was, by the by,  Linux Mint. See, it wasn't just me who liked it.

Finally, my Ubuntu 12.04 vs. Windows 8: Five points of comparison also had tens of thousands of readers. My point was, and still is, that Ubuntu is a better, more secure, and flexible desktop operating system than Windows 8. That said, if you want to move from Windows 7 or XP to a system that feels more familiar than Windows 8, Mint, with the Cinnamon desktop, is my personal recommendation.

In 2013, I expect these themes to continue to expand. Desktop Linux isn't going to knock Windows off the top of the desktop heap, but on all other platforms--servers, cloud, supercomputers, tablets, and smartphone--Linux and its mobile cousin Android, are going continue to dominate.

What will be interesting is to see how exactly it all plays out. I hope you'll join me for 2013's journey.

Related Stories:

Topics: Linux, Android, PCs, Ubuntu, Smartphones, Servers, Operating Systems, Microsoft, Laptops, Google, Cloud, Windows 8

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    "My point was, and still is, that Ubuntu is a better, more secure, and flexible desktop operating system than Windows 8."


    I have to respectfully disagree. They are more similar than they are different. Both went with radical new interfaces that people either love or hate, yet BOTH can be customized to bring back features people are familiar with. Ubuntu is more secure, but Windows has a bigger software selection.

    I use Windows 7/Windows 8 CP (plan to upgrade to full version soon) and Linux Mint 13/Lubuntu and I can honestly say that I like all these OSs equally but for different reasons.
    statuskwo5
    Reply 1 Vote

    • RE: "Ubuntu is more secure [than Windows 8]

      Why do you believe that Ubuntu (and desktop GNU/Linux in general) is more secure than Windows 8?

      I do, personally, believe that Ubuntu (and desktop GNU/Linux in general) is SAFER than Windows 8.
      Rabid Howler Monkey
      Reply 2 Votes

      • Clarification

        Well, when I said 'secure' I meant it's not exploited as much as Windows (Windows in general, not just Windows 8). However, I do like how you put it because I'm in no way implying Ubuntu is impenetrable.
        statuskwo5
        Reply 1 Vote

      • Nope

        There is no other GNU/Linux than GNU development platform run by Linux operating system.

        There is no "GNU/Linux" desktop any kind as GNU doesn't belong to Linux operating system.

        Linux operating system is more secure than NT. And even CIA and NSA has made own (open source) addons for Linux to make it even more secure to be used in their own missions and systems.

        But it isn't just enough that operating system is secure, so needs to be programs and libraries what are used (and NSA version "fix that").
        Fri13
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Tell The Debian (my favorite GNU/Linux distro) and GNU projects

          "A large part of the basic tools that fill out the operating system come from the GNU project; hence the names: GNU/Linux, GNU/kFreeBSD ...
          http://www.debian.org/intro/about

          "GNU is typically used today with a kernel called Linux. This combination is the GNU/Linux operating system. GNU/Linux is used by millions, though many call it "Linux" by mistake.
          http://www.gnu.org/

          P.S. I use the term GNU to acknowledge the contributions made by Richard Stallman and The GNU project.
          Rabid Howler Monkey
          Reply 1 Vote

        • GNU is a large part of any Linux distro...

          ...making the term "GNU/Linux" appropriate. I think it's somewhat stilted, which is why I don't use it, but I understand why RMS (the father of GNU) prefers it.

          Confusion between Linux the kernel and Linux the OS family is rife, but I don't know how best to deal with it.
          John L. Ries
          Reply Vote

          • Linux kernel vs. Linux the OS family...

            "Confusion between Linux the kernel and Linux the OS family is rife, but I don't know how best to deal with it."

            Why deal with it at all? For all intents and purposes, the people who know the difference are the only people who really *need* to know the difference. For the general public, an operating system is the sum of its parts, making the distinction between the kernel and the OS pointless.
            daftkey
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Not exactly

            Linux is a kernel; Fedora, Debian, Slackware, Ubuntu, Android, etc, are all different OS' based on that kernel. Are they the same thing? Not at all though they are related and they do run much of the same software (assuming the same processor).
            John L. Ries
            Reply Vote

    • Re: I have to respectfully disagree.

      Disagree all you want. Then try to explain why Linux has become the world's fastest-shipping OS, and Microsoft's market share has fallen to 29% and still declining.
      ldo17
      Reply 3 Votes

      • Uhm, no!

        I was disagreeing with SJVN and his statement that Ubuntu is better than Windows (did you even read the article or my original post?). It has nothing to do with market share or Linux being fastest-shipping OS.
        statuskwo5
        Reply Vote

  • Linux Mint 14, the best desktop Linux

    Will have to read that article.
    RickLively
    Reply 1 Vote

  • Oh, goody!

    Another "5 Most...." piece.
    Userama
    Reply 3 Votes

  • 2012's 5 Most popular Linux stories

    "My point was, and still is, that Ubuntu is a better, more secure, and flexible desktop operating system than Windows 8."

    No its not, not when you have the telnet port so wide open you can drive a mack truck through it. I have yet to read anything that backs up what you are saying about ubuntu. Go to the forums and you can read just how many problems people are having with linux. Not better in any way shape or form unless you like spending your time compiling the kernel and constantly configuring the OS.
    Loverock-Davidson
    Reply 4 Votes

    • Why?

      After all, you're not even witty or charming.

      Ah well, keep calm and keep on being a zombie.
      ego.sum.stig
      Reply 4 Votes

      • Why what?

        Zombie? I guess because I like to think for myself instead of doing whatever Linus tells me to do that makes me a zombie. That's a strange way of thinking you got going on there.
        Loverock-Davidson
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Loverock-Davidson as usual

          Me a Zombie? I guess because I like to think for myself instead of doing whatever Microsof allows and tells me to do that makes me a zombie. That's a strange way of thinking you got going on there.

          I enjoy recompiling the Kernel...oh gee I haven't a clue on how to do that........Gee I guess that does make me a Microsoft Zombie after all.
          Enough Said
          Reply 4 Votes

        • Zombie?

          Wasn't it several million **Windows** computers that were taken over by TDL4 and turned into zombie PCs?
          benched42
          Reply 1 Vote

      • Re; ego.sum.stig

        Loverock is trolling

        Same old Loverock FUD.
        RickLively
        Reply 7 Votes

        • I knoweth

          Zombie he is. Sad that he mostly eats what passes for his own brains. Note I am still in apocalypse mode.
          ego.sum.stig
          Reply 2 Votes

    • "Go to the forums and you can read..."

      So; do you spend a lot of time in Linux forums? Just askin'
      Smalahove
      Reply 2 Votes
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