> After buying a chromebook a month ago I am completely convinced this came a few years ago and no one paid any attention as it wasn't the vision they had of the Linux desktop.

I noticed but I don't think this is a satisfactory Linux Desktop. It goes against many stuff Linux Desktop proponents could be fighting for, mainly privacy and controlling one's computing. The main point of the Chromebook is to make your computer a thin client to run your computing on Google's servers. I think computing should go the opposite way. It's fast and has no virus though.

As for the market share, I know nobody with a Chromebook around me, I don't think it's a big thing where I am.

As someone who used ChromeOS for a year or so, I think its kinda cool that mainstream people are using Linux, but 1: They don't know they are using Linux. Most users dont even know what Linux is. 2: Not open source. 3: Not privacy respecting.

I really don’t think open source and privacy respecting are requirements for the so called yotld. A desktop linux system usable by anyone with no prior knowledge, available preinstalled on devices in store, mass potential appeal, etc are more important.

I think the fact one can pick up a chromebook and not know it’s linux is actually part of what makes it so good. Most users know nothing about OSes and they shouldn’t have to. For most people windows is just what comes on the computer and chromeos is exactly the same to them in that regard.

ChromeOS counts the same way that MacOS being popular means that "Year of BSD desktop" has already happened.

Technically true, but not what is meant by that term.

Given that Linux mode is a directly supported feature of ChromeOS, I think it gets a little bit murky. A consumer grade device with Debian Buster/10 I can just run Emacs on? True it's not the Ubuntu+Gnome running natively future we wanted in our desktop domination (though Dell and System76 and Framework will sell you one of those these days), but Chromebooks aren't this totally locked down bastardized single-app device anymore. Runs Android apps too.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9145439?hl=en

Eg Instructions on how to run Firefox on ChromeOS with Linux mode

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/run-firefox-chromeos

fair enough, I do think it's arguable that users of ChromeOS would regularly do that, but I get your point.

Also, I had a System76 laptop for work once and absolutely loved it. I tried to buy it when I left, but they weren't happy about my reasons for leaving and refused to do so.

If 99% of people don't know what Linux is, and don't use Linux mode, should it really count? Most people just use what is essentially a browser that can also run Android apps.

If 99% of the people using it don't know what a Linux is, I think that means we've totally won because it means that Linux got easy enough for them to use!

Really though, I think it's for you to decide. It's not like there's a standards body with a rigorous criterion on if a given year is "Year of Linux Desktop", which is perhaps OPs point. Personally I think that 2013, when Dell first started selling the XPS 13 with Ubuntu was the Year of the Linux Desktop and I personally think that we've actually lost the plot in subsequent years.

Given that ChromeOS uses Linux under the hood? I'd argue yes it does count. Even if they don't access Linux mode/Linux VMs they are still using a Linux system.