Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 09:54:56 -0700
From: "Ana Zanger" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Evans Data Study finds increase in embedded systems projects
based on linux operating system
Media Contacts:
Irina Patterson/Alan Penchansky
The Pen Group
(305) 529-1944
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Or
Ana Zanger
Evans Data Corp.
(831) 457-9013
[email protected]
EVANS DATA STUDY FINDS INCREASE IN EMBEDDED SYSTEMS PROJECTS BASED ON LINUX OPERATING SYSTEM
SANTA CRUZ, CA, July 30, 2001 - From household appliances and consumer electronics gadgets to controllers used in aviation, factories and automobiles -application-specific devices have become a new frontier for Linux, a report from Evans Data Corporation (www.evansdata.com) finds.
The Evans Data "Embedded Systems Developer Survey," released today, shows a dramatic change in the software content of the microprocessor-controlled devices in the workplace and in our homes. Based on a survey of more than 500 embedded systems developers, the comprehensive report projects a three-fold increase in Linux-based projects in the next year, as part of a shift toward commercially available operating systems rather than those developed in-house.
The study also found keen interest in tools and products that can help developers get their projects completed correctly and on time, suggesting that inefficiencies endemic to this industry are gradually being overcome. Two-thirds of the developers reported a high incidence of embedded projects that are started and never completed, as well as a high proportion of projects delivered late.
The "Embedded Systems Developer Survey" looks at multiple facets of embedded systems development, including hardware and software platforms, Linux, Java and open source software, types of applications, embedded databases and development tools.
"Embedded Linux has captured the attention of the development community like few other phenomena," said Tom Williams, Evans Data's Embedded Systems analyst. "Developers are open to new technical approaches and are willing to move to them once they are convinced that they will satisfy key demands for performance, cost effectiveness and time-to-market."
Of developers polled in the June 2001 survey:
Ø More than 45% expect to release a Linux application in the coming year; 14% have already released a Linux application
Ø More than 80% said Linux is important to the embedded system development community
Ø Open source code, royalty-free licensing and a large community of knowledgeable developers were cited as Linux's key benefits
Ø Factors slowing Linux adoption include lack of specific board support packages, availability of device drivers and fragmentation of the code base
Ø Some 15% of developers report that between 26% and 50% of their projects are never finished. Forty-one percent report that up to 25% of projects are abandoned
Evans Data Corporation provides market research focused on the software development community. The company maintains a panel of more than 10,000 developers worldwide.
Custom quantitative and qualitative research is available, as well as subscriptions to the North American Developer Survey, the International Developer Survey, the Enterprise Development Management Issues survey series, the Linux Developer series, the Database Developer Survey, the Wireless Developer Survey and the Embedded Systems Developer Survey.
EDC can be reached at 800 831-3080 or 831 425-8451. In Europe, contact Jo Iaconianni, Business and Market Research, +44 (0) 1663 765115 [email protected]; in Japan: Philip Davies, ODS, +03 3486 2676 [email protected]. EDC is a division of the American Science Corp.
Ana Zanger
[email protected]
831-457-9013