"Embedded Linux is currently the third most popular
embedded operating system -- behind Wind River's VxWorks and
Microsoft's MS-DOS -- and may leap-frog into the #1 position as
soon as next year, according to a new report on embedded software
trends published last month by software market analyst Evans Data
Corporation. The survey of over 500 embedded system developers
covers embedded operating systems, databases, development tools,
hardware platforms, and system development issues.
One of the most striking results of the survey is the indication
of a dramatic shift away from "home grown" OSes, which have
traditionally accounted for between half and two-thirds of all
embedded systems' OSes. The roll-your-own category practically
vanishes in a single year, with much of the slack taken up by
Embedded Linux, which grows by over 140% to jump past embedded
software market leader Wind River in market share."