Despite its relative newness and the unproven status of many of its support technologies,
Linux developers are eager to embrace the Web Services Internet application model, a new Evans Data Corp. study finds.
Web Services in this case are applications designed to interoperate across the Web with other Internet applications. These applications are modular and can be combined to be more usable.
Of the more than 300 Linux developers contacted by Santa Cruz, Calif.-based Evans Data in August, 70 percent said they believe that the Web Services model represents the “future of Internet applications.”
More than 42 percent of people responding to the survey said they are currently developing Web Services-enabled applications with more than two-thirds expecting to develop Web Services-enabled applications in the next 12 to 24 months.
In response to questions about technology adoption for Web Services, the study found that more than half of respondents expect to use the Java programming language in developing Web services-enabled applications. Simple Object Application Protocol (SOAP) and Lightweight Access Directory Protocol (LDAP) trailed Java as technologies forecast for heaviest use.
“Linux developers are embracing the new Web Services technology and not remaining stuck in the old client-side-only model,” says Evans Data Linux analyst Lou Grinzo. “Even though Unix and Linux programmers have long histories of network integration development, a high percentage of programmers on such platforms have long been focused exclusively on the client side.”
Among other key findings of the survey:
– Linux momentum is strong with 78 percent of respondents more likely to start a new Linux application next year than last.
– Applications for internal corporate use are the most prevalent projects planned, targeted by 50 percent of developers, followed by Web portals, e-commerce applications and ASP services.
– About 65 percent of developers said “service and support” was absolutely critical to them in their work; greater reliability was the motivation 56 percent of respondents cited for their organizations initial choice of Linux, more than any other.
