How many Linux users are there in the world? 5,000? 5,000,000? 50,000,000? No one is really sure. Linux users aren't forced to register their operating system with any corporation; Linux users are free to install and use Linux without anyone ever being the wiser. And what about all of the people who don't even realize they're using Linux? Is Linux running your PDA? Smart Phone? GPS? TiVO? Tablet? Router? Wrist watch? Car? Is Linux lurking inside all of your electronic gadgets? Probably not, but it's turning up more and more these days.

GNU/Linux Matters is looking for Linux users who are able to present GNU/Linux to everyday computer users (and nowadays, "everyday computer user" means "windows user", but we should also take into account Mac users).

To some people, the increasing number of Linux distributions serves as a disadvante when it comes to attracting new users. To Christopher Smart, it's a plus point - the way he puts it, if he had not been able to roll his own, he never would have achieved the level of understanding of Linux he has today.

Linux users had some interesting opinions about our recent article comparing Mac OS X with Linux, and didn't leave Windows out of the discussion.

Ubuntu is attracting new users every day. It enjoys an advantage with peripheral compatibility. And despite the software lock-in issue, one group of Windows users may be willing to try out a Windows alternative. These users are the ones who will be upgrading from Windows XP.

Many users of GNU/Linux these days, think that projects like Gnash are stupid, when you can get the original Flashplayer. Those are the same people that think you’re stupid if you don’t want to use the mp3-format, or install support for the windows-media format. This isn’t true only on brainstorm of course, but also in the overall community.

Participation by big open source vendors is helping attract new interest in Linux user groups in Asia.

In a very recent article entitled Think Before You Speak: Migrating the Enterprise to Linux I offered a set of opinions that differed from that of a blogger from the Linux community, who felt that Linux can be justified to IT management as a full replacement for Microsoft Windows.

t amazes me that so many times people who are in charge of large and small software companies make dumb decisions. They get nice salaries but often make decisions that come back and bite them later on. One good strategy for any large or small company that is lagging behind on the Windows or Mac OS market is to create software for GNU/Linux.