Windows, Mac and Linux are the top three platforms among developers – with Mac gaining ground, according to media reports. Evans Data says OS X is the top platform used by 7.9 percent of developers and Linux is used by 5.6 percent of developers.

“I'm not surprised to see the uptick,” Al Hilwa, program director for applications development software at IDC (News - Alert) told Computerworld in connection with the new study. “The Mac is seeing a surge, and I've seen a lot of developers switching.”

But in a users’ forum, some users rushed to defend their favorite applications. For example, Sakit called the new Evans Data study, “Nonsense!”

“Linux is better than ever,” Sakit added. “I used to be a Windows fan (more than 10 years ago) but NEVER again. If I had professional reasons to use Apple (News - Alert), then that would be ok since their OS has the same roots as Linux, namely Unix, and has the same basic structure under the hood as Linux.”

Another user, “Brian,” described the results of the study as “no shocker.” 

“The Linux development environment is still quite clunky,” he added. “Too many conflicts between packages, things that need to be done manually, etc.  Cuts into productivity.  OS X is still kind of clunky, but is far superior to Linux.  Windows is really the best as far as dev environments, but it's just too painful for many devs to admit it and switch back.” 

In other recent news about Evans Data, the firm recently reported that an application distribution survey of over 400 commercial developers showed that Google’s (News - Alert) Android Market is the most popular app store among commercial developers, according to TMCnet.  The study also reported that “games” are the most likely kind of apps to appear in app stores, TMCnet added.