• metaldream@sopuli.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    7 months ago

    Steam numbers are completely meaningless. There’s absolutely no way SteamOS outnumbers Ubuntu even if we limit this comparison to desktop installs. Ubuntu’s been around for a very long time and many of its users wouldn’t show up on Steam because they don’t game.

    • lengau@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 months ago

      If you look at just my household, Ubuntu and its derivatives outnumber SteamOS by a factor of 7:1, not even counting numerous VMs and containers, or 3:1 if you’re just counting desktops, laptops and tablets. But if you look at my steam usage, Ubuntu hasn’t shown up there in over a year.

      I probably spend 10x as much time on Ubuntu machines as I spend on my Steam Deck, but the Steam hardware survey would never surface that fact, nor is it intended to.

      • woelkchen@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        7 months ago

        If you look at just my household

        No, I won’t because anecdotal evidence is no statistic.

        • lengau@midwest.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          7 months ago

          Sure, but it’s often a clearer way to explain why a statistic is misleading.

          In this case, my anecdote shows an example of why the steam hardware survey is not, and was never intended to be, an accurate depiction of what distros people are using overall. Instead, it’s a depiction of what distros people are using for Steam, which is the point of the statement above mine.

          Using anecdote instead of statistical data is a bad idea. But so is ignoring anecdotes simply because they’re anecdotes, as anecdotes are often one of the best ways to find limitations in statistical data.

          • woelkchen@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            4
            ·
            7 months ago

            Sure, but it’s often a clearer way to explain why a statistic is misleading.

            Provide a better one or keep quiet.

            • lengau@midwest.social
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              5
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              7 months ago

              You’re being rightfully called out by multiple people for using bad statistics. That doesn’t require better statistics to do any more than doubting Russell’s teapot requires showing that it’s actually a coffee pot.

                • lengau@midwest.social
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  5
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  ·
                  7 months ago

                  Personal attacks aren’t going to make people more sympathetic to your position.

                  • woelkchen@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    4
                    ·
                    7 months ago

                    Personal attacks aren’t going to make people more sympathetic to your position.

                    My position is based on facts, no matter if you feel attacked or not. Get over it.

    • woelkchen@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      7
      ·
      7 months ago

      Steam numbers are completely meaningless.

      No, they are an actual statistic, whereas you deniers just have gut feeling and literally nothing else.

      There’s absolutely no way SteamOS outnumbers Ubuntu even if we limit this comparison to desktop installs.

      [citation needed]