This IDC study looks at the details the first of the two-part series of the results from IDC's 2008 Industry Adoption of Open Source Software Survey, which polled 402 end-user organizations and IT solution providers in the United States regarding their attitudes toward and adoption of open source software (OSS). The study pays particular attention to organizational philosophies on OSS, levels and types of involvement, and drivers and inhibitors for OSS adoption.

"The arguments against adopting open source software are falling in the minds of end users," says Michael Fauscette, group VP, Software Business Solutions at IDC. "At the same time, the economic downturn is affecting their perceptions about open source software; they are becoming very practical in their opinions and in their perceptions of the value of open source software. In this study, we are able to compare the results with our 2007 study and identify key trends that are driving continued adoption."