In its most recent survey of some 400 software developers with Linux experience, the Evans Data research firm discovered a major change.

The research firm has conducted its Open Source/Linux Development survey 14 times over the last 7 years. Although the firm limits the survey to developers with Linux experience, “Historically, the target platform was dominated by Windows,” says John Andrews, principal analyst with Evans. “Regardless of what kind of developer you are, you’re still trying to make a living, and target the operating system that’s controlling the market.”

However, in the most recent survey, the developers’ forecast of their target platform has changed. For the first time, these developers said that in the next 12 to 18 months they expect to be developing more Linux apps than Windows apps.

Over the last few years, the number of developers who forecast that they would be coding more Linux than Windows apps has created a clearly rising trend line.

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