Linux usage on the rise, at least in Network World readers’ nets

Linux is the fastest growing operating system among 500 IT executives surveyed recently by Network World. The survey, completed in May, cut across a broad range of industries, from government, to manufacturing, finance, education, healthcare and military. 

According to the report, 56.8% of the respondents said they had Linux running in their networks. Linux installations grew 8.8% this year compared to 2002, and the operating system was the fastest growing server operating system compared to Unix, Novell and Windows NT/2000. (Linux is now more widely used than NetWare, the survey found.) 

The percentage of Unix and Novell usage was flat this year compared to last, the report found. Meanwhile, Windows NT/2000 usage grew slightly by 1%. (It couldn’t get much higher, with 97% of respondents saying they used Windows NT/2000). Unix was the second most popular OS, with 74% of enterprises having at least one Unix box. NetWare was present in 48% of networks. Around 4% said they were running other systems (you VMS, Apple and VINES-types know who you are).

Linux also seemed to gain a foothold in the PDA world, as 5% of corporations said they were standardizing on Linux-based handheld computing devices. Windows CE/PocketPC and Palm were the most popular handheld platforms companies are standardizing on. However, a quarter of respondents said they were not standardizing on any handheld.