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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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It doesn't surprise me. After all it's the default way to start using WSL.
But for people running full distros, it seems to me most are avoiding Ubuntu these days except if they are required to use it by their employer or something. In DistroWatch it seems Ubuntu's popularity is slowly sinking.
Originally Ubuntu was marketing itself on freedom, and the open source culture that had made the Linux desktop possible.
Growing on Windows 11 is not helping promote freedom from proprietary software, so I don't see that as a positive.
Ubuntu has lost perspective, and abandoned the ideals and purpose of Open Source IMO.
At some point, Canonical became just another corporation.
Other than keeping their desktop FOSS (a requirement) nothing they do follows the core principles of Open Source anymore.
IMO of course.
I agree, they did help Linux 20 years ago, I started using Linux with Ubuntu in 2005, it's sad IMO that they're no longer much of a benefit to Linux. They ruined everything with their dual license shit, and trying to do internally behind closed doors, what other projects were working on, for instance when they made MIR to compete with Wayland. And their Snap package system that is proprietary doesn't help Linux either.
They've made so many bad decisions that have been detrimental to both themselves and Linux as a whole. And since 2010 their popularity has been steadily declining.
I suspect their plan was to dominate Linux and become a de facto standard for using Linux. Instead they aren't even close to the most popular distro anymore.
On Steam survey they rank 7, and on DistroWatch they rank 10 on page hit ranking for 12 months and 1 month. And on a reddit they ranks 8 as of 2025.
DistroWatch Page Hit Ranking:
https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=popularity
Steam Harware survey:
https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-Welcome-to-Steam
Reddit stat:
https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1sta2pu/oc_linux_distro_rankings_over_time/#lightbox
It's sad because Ubuntu had a very strong start, But Mark Shuttleworth wanted to maintain control of code that was used to improve Ubuntu, and introduced the dual license for Ubuntu projects, so Canonical could close up further developments any time they wanted. Meaning Ubuntu/Canonical became untrustworthy as maintainers of anything open source.
Luckily we now have other supporters like Valve now. And it is very telling that Ubuntu is no-longer the #1 goto distro for commercial projects.
"Here are the updates you would get if you were on Ubuntu Pro"
Growing on Windows 11 is not helping promote freedom from proprietary software
I mean, it might. It could very well be a stepping stone to full Linux.
It could be.. But if we're speculating, it could also be the opposite. For example if someone has software they really need Linux for, thanks to WSL they don't need to switch or dual boot. Additionally, if someone uses WSL and it gives them a lot of trouble, then it might also give them the idea that this is because Linux is bad.
WSL is to Window users kind of what Wine/Proton is for Linux users. It's not exactly the same because people have more reasons to want to ditch Windows, but I doubt Wine/Proton is a stepping stone to full Windows for Linux users :)
Yeah exactly, we can only speculate, rather than claiming definitively that it's one or the other.
(I do think that, if Linux was the more popular option, and folks would notice that most of the things they're running under Wine, that would remove one reason for them not to switch to Windows. But yes, it will also be reason for others to stay on Linux.)
Yes I guess it could, but then the growth should appear equally or greater as independent installs.
Who knows! If it's a stepping stone, then actual growth would trail it.
wsl --install installs Ubuntu by default. If I had to use WSL, I'd try this first too.
I think Ubuntu is also the only distro that has contracts with Microsoft to work on WSL.
Extend.
Indeed. For those who are relatively new to IT: it's a reference Embrace, Extend and Extinguish, a strategy known and legally confirmed to be used by Microsoft.
I assume it's because people realized what Canonical is turning into and have stopped installing it. While at work you may still need some Linux tools on a Windows machine.
PayPal money corrupts, absolutely.
Thiel, Musk and slowly Shuttleworth.
The Stanford Review is evidence enough that at least Thiel was already an utter piece of shit before this.
When getting into linux it was easy to remove ubuntu from the list due to them being like this.
Fedora considering ai earlier this year, and now debian talking about maybe slopping it too, is starting to creep me out even more about the future.
What is Debian considering AI for ?
Thanks for sharing.
It's an odd (verbose/rambling) read, there is a lot hidden in the detail behind the plethora of choices
Last time Ubuntu was an obvious choice for beginners was like 15 years ago
When you are first looking into linux, ubuntu still comes up a lot though, as does mint, and pop.
sure but it's not a good choice
I don't see any of those 3 as good, or even decent choices. I distrohopped initially, and did it again recently out of interest. Most people will just go off of searches, forum posts, and trashtubers though, which may lead them to believe that linux is crap due to ending up with crappy distros, and/or de's
The variety of options are a pro, and a con, as are of course the opinions
Mint and pop are decent. It's what I would install my mom if I don't want to have to play tech support all the time.
Great thing about linux is we have an embarrassment of riches to choose from. They will never conquer us, we are legion!
There's no way this will possibly bite them on the ass.
Imagine this headline: Microsoft buys Canonical! Their main devs will be transferred to the WSL division!