the best Linux 2562

I think in the context of "free" software, popularity is market share. If peope aren't using it, then it can't be popular. You're more thinking of "sales", and yes, the number of distributions bought or sold may not reflect how much secondary propagation that initial sale does. ANd likewise, just because someone downloads a distribution doens't mean they are going to switch to it, or for that matter even switch to Linux.

Sadly, people using Linux can be just as oriented towards "bigger faster latest", so they often do get the new kind on the block just to see what it's like. That's why there is often a "hot" distribution that is "hot" until another distribution comes along to knock it to "cold". People drop a distribution on a whim and move to another one simply because everyone else is using it.

Those people would rather fiddle with the (admittedly small) differences between distributions rather than work at getting good at one, and figuring out how small the differences between distributions are.

ANd of course, plenty of people using some other operating system may sample a distribution, again likely a "hot" one, but never keep it installed, instead remaining with their original operating system.

The only real way of knowing "market share" is by knowing everyone who is using Linux, and polling them to find out which distribution they are actually using on a day to day basis.

Michael