Findings about getting Linux on the Desktop

An excellent report resulting from a survey of 1,275 IT professionals around the world that were asked for feedback on their experiences making the switch to Linux in their organizations. Key findings:

Desktop Linux adoption is primarily driven by cost reduction
over 70% of respondents indicated cost reduction as the primary driver for adoption
ease of securing the desktop and a general lowering of overheads associated with maintenance and support

But deployment is currently limited, and challenges to further adoption frequently exist
adopters have only rolled out to less than 20% of their total PC user base at the moment
necessary to pay particular attention to challenges in the areas of targeting, user acceptance and application compatibility

Selective deployment based on objective targeting will yield the highest ROI and acceptance
more challenge to rolling out Linux to power users, creative staff and highly mobile professionals
the needs of transaction workers and general professional users with lighter and more predictable requirements can be met

Linux desktop roll out is easier than expected for properly targeted end-user groups
in practice, Linux is easier to deploy to end users than many imagine before they try it
for most application types, including office tools, email clients and browsers, the needs of most users can be met by native Linux equivalents solutions

A focus on usability reflects a maturing of thinking
In line with the acknowledged importance of a good user experience, usability is now the most sought after attribute of a Linux distribution
maturing of attitudes in relation to Linux, shifting the previous focus on pure technical considerations to a more balanced view of what really matters in a business context

More info at http://www.freeformdynamics.com/fullarticle.asp?aid=678