This is why there should be a Linux SketchUp version.
OPERATING SYSTEM MARKETSHARE
Approximate Number of Internet users: 3,300,000,000 (3.3 Billion) (1).
Desktop OS Market Share (2)
Windows: 91.39%
Mac: 6.99%
Linux: 1.62%
Internet Users (math)
Windows: 3,015,870,000
Mac: 230,670,000
Linux: 53,460,000
Asia makes up 48.1% of Internet users (1). Asia is also developing it’s own public operating system (Based on Linux) with two versions to look like Mac or Windows (saw that on the news).
Linux has increased from 1.34% in January 2015, to 1.62% in November 2015 (2). And also, both windows and mac market share have dropped since January (2)!
When you take all devices into account, including Android devices (Linux Kernel), we see the percentage of Linux based devices jump to 29% (available on Wikipedia)! Also, android is continuing to increase, from 47% of the mobile market share in January, to 57% in November (available on marketshare.hitslink. com)! Trimble could also make SketchUp available on Android! Another sales market!
GRAPHIC COMPARABILITY
Conversion wise, since DirectX is proprietary, Mac uses OpenGL graphics as does Linux. I am aware it is not a simple bait and switch to transfer it over to Linux from Mac, but it shouldn’t take a vast amount of resources to finishing the gap over to Linux.
FINANCIAL INCENTIVE
I saw a discussion on here that talked about the financial incentive for Trimble to create a Linux version. Let’s make a couple assumptions. Let’s assume since the the percentage of Linux users that will install and use SketchUp will be about one in ten (10%, I think this would be low). I’m not familiar with plug in sales rates for SketchUp, but lets assume one in ten people buy plug ins. Final assumption (again, unfamiliar with sales amounts or rates) let’s say the average amount each individual spends is only $10. Now let’s do math.
S = SketchUp Users
L = Linux Users
P = Users Who By Trimble Products
53,460,000 L * (0.1 S/L) * (0.1 P/S) * ($10/P) = $5,346,000
CONCLUSION
Considering the quickly growing population of Linux users and Linux based products, eventually there is going to be a severe need for a Linux SketchUp version. Some schools have already adopted Linux systems, especially in third world countries. There is already a high demand for the version as shown by how much people are requesting. The number of Linux users also continues to increase (+21% this year, reference 2). The quickly growing Linux population is why Trimble needs to develop a Linux version.
REFERNCE
(1) World Internet Users Statistics and 2022 World Population Stats
(2) Operating system market share
Note: I originally had 7 references, but the forums only allows two hyperlinks. These two should cover most.
Disclaimer:
I’m not a financial adviser, so please don’t sue me.