Don't expect the Linux operating system to fade away in the world of
technology -- in fact, it's moving full steam ahead. In a recent nationwide
survey, 57 percent of chief information officers (CIOs) polled said that the
use of Linux by companies will increase over the next three years. Only 3
percent projected a decline. Consequently, demand for engineers and project
professionals familiar with the operating system is expected to intensify.
The survey was developed by RHI Consulting, a leading specialized consulting
firm that provides information technology professionals on a project basis.
Conducted by an independent research firm, the survey includes responses
from 1,400 CIOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with more
than 100 employees.
CIOs were asked, "To what extent will the use of Linux (the open source code
operating system) by companies increase or decrease in the next three
years?" Their responses:
- Increase significantly - 14%
- Increase somewhat - 43%
- Stay the same - 20%
- Decrease somewhat - 2%
- Decrease significantly - 1%
- Other/don't know - 20%
CIOs were also asked, "Which of the following are the greatest benefits, if
any, of using Linux over other operating systems?" Their responses:
- Low cost - 32%
- Open source code - 23%
- Reliability - 21%
- Adaptability (platform acceptance) - 15%
- Scalability - 12%
- Security - 9%
- Other/don't know - 36%
"The Linux operating system is quickly being adopted across a broad range of
industries and organizations of all sizes. Its open source code makes it
adaptable enough to suit many companies, including those with thin clients
and enterprise server environments," said Greg Scileppi, executive director
of RHI Consulting. "Low cost and scalability are also making Linux a viable
alternative to other popular operating systems currently available."
Scileppi recommends that IT professionals looking to increase their
marketability consider developing their Linux administration skills.
"Organizations are beginning to offer certification programs to IT
professionals who are interested in honing their Linux expertise. Also
growing in popularity are Linux chat rooms and discussion groups, which
offer opinions, expertise and support to those interested in learning more
about the open source code operating system," he said.
RHI Consulting provides firms with skills IT professionals for projects ranging from multi-platform systems integration to help desk and network support. It has more than 100 locations in North America and Europe, and offers online job search services at
http://www.rhic.com.
