“StatCounter Global Stats finds that by 26th November 2012 Windows 8 had worldwide internet usage share of 1.31% compared to 4.93% achieved by Windows 7 one month after its launch in 2009.”

see Windows 8 slower out of the traps than predecessor Windows 7.

The big dent in supplies of PCs with “7″, the lack of sales of “8″ and the economies mean the world will be shopping for small cheap computers for a long time to come. Queue rapid growth of GNU/Linux and Android/Linux which do fit well in the prices of small cheap computers.

BTW, if the recently touted “40 million” number reflected sales to users, the share would be something like 40 million/1500 million ~ 3%. So, OEMs and retailers have taken a “bath” in red ink while M$ laughs all the way to the bank. You’d think they would learn their lesson sooner rather than later. The first rats to leave survive the sinking.

Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Operating System Market Share