Take a look at this wiki article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_system... Basically: desktop wise linux is small, but smartphone/tablet it is huge.

Also, Mark Shuttleworth closed Bug #1 for Ubuntu: Microsoft has a majority market share. It really depends on how you count market share though. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1

ISTM that bug should not have been closed. From the bug:

    Steps to repeat:
      1. Visit a local PC store.
      2. Attempt to buy a machine without any proprietary software.

These conditions still obtain.

While this is mostly true in the US (especially if "local store" is Best Buy), things are reasonable compared to when this bug was opened:

- WalMart occasionally sells linux boxes

- When I lived in New York, B&H often had a laptop-with-linux available.

Although I agree that in both cases, the selection, when it is available, is small and often limited to just one model. However

- Outside the US, most stores will sell you a "naked" or "freedos" machine, and not charge you for the windows license. It is, in fact, illegal in many countries to force you into a "hardware+software" bundle. Yay for USA freedom. (For corporations, that is)

This is true. Very, very true.

But then again, go visit a Verizon/ATT store and count the amount of Android vs. Windows phones. Its all about how you count market share.

Sure the market has changed so that PC numbers aren't quite so important. But even Android phones have some "proprietary software", don't they?

Android is really a Dalvik VM that runs Java bytecode. You could port it to any OS, and BlueStacks runs it on Windows http://www.bluestacks.com/