I mean just looking around one can see that it's anything but an abject failure.

How many thousands of systems are running Linux underneath?

Let's see - VMware, many commercial NAS systems such as Synology and Qnap, both which you can install almost any Linux-based software on, nearly every "smart" TV, Android phone, etc, etc.

The thousands of free apps I can install - the only "abject failure" I can see is my own inability to know of all the available packages.

In my best Red Foreman voice: Sit down and shut up, dumbass.