[Linux-aus] IDC telephone poll
Leon Brooks
leon at cyberknights.com.au
Sat Jun 19 16:55:01 UTC 2004
Someone posted a warning to not answer this poll (I think it was
Jacqueline), but I couldn't resist seeing how much I could get out of
it... anyway, the pollster traded as Brian, and was calling from
Malaysia, where IDC apparently intends to set up their AsiaPacific
operations.
Yes, the survey was ultimately sponsored by Microsoft, although Brian
didn't actually say that outright - and reading between the lines it's
because he wasn't allowed to.
Even for the Yes/No questions, I took a few seconds to clarify the
questions and explain my answers. By the end of the interview, Brian
was asking non-survey questions about distros and ease of installation,
and suggesting that he should try Linux out for himself, without any
hint or prompting from me to that effect. (-:
The actual survey did have some leading questions in sections like "Why
do you use Linux?" under titles like "Because of the SCO
litigation" (which of course I answered "Yes" to: I'd use it on
principle if I wasn't already, based on TSG's attitude :-) but on the
whole it was surprisingly non-leading.
It covered mainly the kinds of software which were important to you as a
company, and seemed to be aimed at the larger companies. It sort of
assumed that Microsoft was the other side of questions like "do you use
Product X because it is better?" and Brian had no specific background
material when I asked him "Better than...?"
I wonder if we'll ever see any results published. (-:
Cheers; Leon
--
http://cyberknights.com.au/ Modern tools; traditional dedication
http://plug.linux.org.au/ Vice President, Perth Linux User Group
http://slpwa.asn.au/ Committee Member, Linux Professionals WA
http://linux.org.au/ Past Committee Member, Linux Australia
http://osia.net.au/ Member, Open Source Industry Association
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