This is a bit misleading. They have have achieved 1 million downloads of their new version that just released. The downloads coming from Windows machines is not definitive as many Linux users mask their user agent.
Not to mention I'm very skeptical that 780K Windows users just happened to discover a more obscure Linux distro suddenly and switched to it in October while Windows 10 is still supported. This is basically an ad for the OS.
+1, I wonder how many will stick to it. The decision tree is pretty simple :
- are all the devices / soft they use compatible with Linux ?
- do they know enough about Linux to solve their problems ?
I switched my gaming pc to Linux and my only remaining issue that seems over my head is getting proper fancy audio effects or equalizer settings for my headset. Music and games are night and day from windows to linux.
I agree the number of long-term users will not match the download figures.
OTOH, this is an obscure distro so the surprising numbers may be a sign that many more PC owners are trying out a more mainstream distro than Zorin on their old Windows 10 machine.
While the old PC is not actually that old, and in perfect working condition, Linux may have never had as much opportunity for uptake in that regard.
Not to mention I'm very skeptical that 780K Windows users just happened to discover a more obscure Linux distro suddenly and switched to it in October while Windows 10 is still supported. This is basically an ad for the OS.