Linux is OS of choice for Web servers

The Internet Operating System Survey has put Linux firmly in first place ahead of Microsoft's Windows NT as the favourite for Web servers.

According to the survey, the open source operating system (OS) is used in 31.3 per cent of servers worldwide, against 24.3 per cent using NT. In third place was Sun Solaris with 16.7 per cent of the market share.

The survey took place between 8 and 19 April this year and was conducted using queso software, which automatically sends a request to the server to determines what type of OS it uses. The Internet Operating System Survey looked at servers on the Ripe Host Count (see http://www.ripe.net ) a European directory of worldwide Internet hosts.

The survey also showed that Linux gained the most market share, up 2.8 per cent, with Apple in second with a 0.5 per cent gain. Windows NT was down 0.1 per cent overall.

The survey also uncovered an interesting fan of the open source movement. The Pope - who has his own domain for the Vatican City, .va - only uses Linux on his Internet servers.

For more information see http://leb.net/hzo/