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Server OS

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PCQ Bureau
New Update


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Microsoft products have been winning in this category ever since its inception in 1997. Earlier the winner used to be Windows NT, but once that was discontinued, Windows 2000 Server have been winning. This year too, we got an overwhelming majority for Windows-based servers. So, the award goes to Windows.

What is more interesting is what is happening at number two. Last year, Unix came in at second position with a UPI of 57%.

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This year, Linux replaced Unix at number two. At number three and four are Novell Netware and IBM AIX, respectively.

Users are generally loyal to Windows servers, with 77% pledging that they will remain loyal to it. 67% of Linux users continued to pledge their loyalty to it.

The interesting fact comes into sight when we examine brand switch preferences. 11% of Windows users say that they will go in for Linux, while a much larger 22% of current Linux users say that they will go in for Windows. Of the current users of other products, an equal percentage (12%) say that they will shift to Windows and Linux. We have this information in the brand switch matrix at the bottom of this page.

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Under the Linux name, there are quite a few brands that have been mentioned by the respondents, but by far the most repeated one has been RedHat Linux. As we consolidated all votes for Windows, we have consolidated all votes for Linux also.

As an interesting aside, it must be mentioned that Windows NT, that venerable product that has long since been discontinued, still manages to pull in quite a number of votes. Why is its brand equity so strong? Is it because Microsoft still carries the line "built on NT technology" on the Windows splash screen? Windows NT is what gave Microsoft its first foothold on to the server space, and it is interesting that that brand name still endures.

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