That is a lie, almost everyone knows about mac osx. Linux though is not as normal to talk about.
The only people that know macs are out there are ones that want to use them in an industry. Most consumers, and this may have changed since last report, are buying iPads more than Macs. Honestly, I would love to have a Mac for sound recording, artwork, etc. Sadly, it isn't a lie, the general consumer that is getting a computer is usually looking for a simple computer for internet and data processing.
Macs, Windows, and Linux all have niche markets as to what the user wants them for and Windows right now rules the commercial program market with Mac second and Linux dragging it's butt far behind. In terms of programming Linux and Mac are neck and neck while Windows is still in the lead. Linux is the red-headed step-child in the room between the three.
Unless we are talking about servers and data centers, or smartphones/tablets, in which case Linux is the overwhelming majority.
edit: While I don't think Windows 8 is a terrible OS, what microsoft is pushing for with Windows RT and metro is, in my opinion, going to ultimately lose them their desktop market share because they will lose the corporate market. If they keep making it a closed ecosystem like it looks like they want to they might just lose the gamers as well.
Hell almost everything we have now we dont "need" if you look af it from a most basic sense. We dont need cars or tvs or video games or movies or computers and so on but people want them. Most of the time it is wants that drive the market for something. And tablets are very useful I know I hate luggibg around a laptop sometimes and my tablet is a lot easier to carry and can do most of the things I need it to do.
I know I hate luggibg around a laptop sometimes and my tablet is a lot easier to carry and can do most of the things I need it to do.
As soon as I can easily dual boot full fledged linux on a high end android tablet I will make a tablet my next mobile computer purchase. I'm waiting for Ubuntu for Android, really. Hopefully it'll be usable such that docking a tablet to a keyboard will launch Ubuntu mode rather than having to dock it to some proprietary thing and use an external monitor and keyboard.
They are just too small though for anyone to ever know about them. And without tons of marketing dollars at your fingertips, it is really impossible to break that barrier.