Re: windows is a niche OS
"well clearly the 1% of Linux desktop users will suddenly swell to 90%, just like they said back in 2001."
That's not a nice thing to say.
Articles pedalling the sort of twaddle as "we're now in a post Windows world" are obviously aimed at people who want to bash Microsoft.
I call it twaddle for these simple reaons:
1) Windows has around a 90% market share at the moment.
2) Business users who don't want Windows 8 will simply stick with Windows 7.
3) Home users buying a new computer will still have Windows 8 slapped on them by the manufacturers.
4) The only real alternative for your average consumer is to go Apple, at about 3x - 4x the price, oh wait, that stops making it a real alternative for the average consumer.
5) I bought an HP Touchpad and it runs Android ICS now as well as WebOS, I love my tablet, but I'm not using it right now. I'm using my PC because of it's superior 22" screen, keyboard (with tactile technology) and ergonomics (my neck, shoulders and arms are perfectly comfortable).
I use linux on my desktop (in a VirtualBox VM) for some development work, but let's be honest. We can start talking about linux on the desktop when consumers start buying linux on the desktop, until then... *shrugs*