How many times has OpenSim been downloaded?

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I recently needed an estimate for how many times OpenSim has been downloaded. Unfortunately, the main OpenSimulator.org site only began keeping statistics a couple of months ago. All we have is Diva Distro stats and Sim-on-a-Stick stats.

The total number of Diva Distro downloads to date are about 19,000. The total number of Sim-on-a-Sticks is about 17,000.

Since May 2010, the Divas have been averaging 590 new downloads a month.

Meanwhile, there were 2,500 downloads from the OpenSimulator.org site over the past two months. It makes sense that the download rate from the main site would be higher than the Diva Distro, since it takes some hunting around to learn that the Divas exist, and to find the downloads.

I’m going to assume that when the Diva Distro download numbers go up — say, when there’s a new release version — a similar spike in downloads occurred on the main download site. And when Diva downloads go down because of less interest, or seasonal changes, then the same thing happens on the main site.

That would put the total number of OpenSimulator.org downloads at an estimated 38,000 since May of 2010.

Adding in the Diva and Sim-on-a-Stick numbers we get 74,000 downloads of OpenSim since May 2010.

Does this number mean anything? Not really. It doesn’t mean that there are 74,000 grids out there. Someone could download the software and never use it — or download it once and set up a hundred grids.

The numbers are mostly useful historically, to see trends — is the number of downloads increasing or decreasing?

But some folks like hearing that there was a large number of downloads because it gives them psychological comfort. They want know that they’re not the first guys downloading this scary software.

So the official Hypergrid Business estimate of OpenSim downloads as of January 29, 2013 is 74,000 downloads since May 2010.

Maria Korolov
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