By Michael Hall,
LinuxToday
German Linux company SuSE and
market research firm TNS
EMNID have released some of the results of a survey that
indicates 23 percent of the PC users interviewed will consider
switching to Linux when they upgrade their equipment.
According to the survey results, stability is a primary
motivator among existing Linux users, with 46 percent citing the
stability of Linux as an “outstanding asset,” as compared to 13
percent of Microsoft Windows users claiming the same about their OS
of choice. The survey also found that on the whole, surveyed
Windows users associated “stability” more often with Linux than
they did Windows. The statement released by the companies did not
specify which version of Windows respondents were addressing, nor
are all the results of the survey, or the questions used, currently
available on-line.
The survey also found that 56 percent of the respondents have
heard of Linux and ten percent already use the operating system at
home or at work, making Linux second, in terms of distribution, to
Windows.
“The results of the survey indicate that the reasons for not
switching to Linux are the lack of experience on the part of the
users and the limited range of application programs. Due to its
wide distribution, Windows still leads in this area,” said Wolfgang
Best, Director of Telecommunication & IT at TNS EMNID. “Linux
has the potential for the expansion of its market position.
However, product advantages should be stressed even more by the
communication measures, thereby enabling more users to ascertain
them as an alternative for PC workstations.”
On behalf of SuSE Linux AG, TNS EMNID interviewed 5,000
individuals, ages 14 and up, regarding the level of awareness and
interest in the Linux operating system compared to Windows. The
survey was conducted from February 23 to March 9, 2001.