With the continuing evolution of Desktop Linux and its associated tools and applications, many organizations are experimenting with this Open Source challenger to the mighty Microsoft Windows. The top five motivations for considering a Windows alternative, as determined from the feedback of nearly 1,700 respondents in a recent online survey, are:

• Concerns about Windows security vulnerabilities
• The high cost burden of keeping windows secure
• A perception that Windows squanders the power of modern hardware
• Ongoing frustration with Windows stability and reliability
• Confusion and dissatisfaction with the cost and complexity of Windows licensing   

Such concerns are felt by some to be the cause of increased IT operational costs and to represent an ongoing drain on valuable IT bandwidth.