11% of organisations using Windows XP plan to switch to Linux soon, a survey conducted by Tech Pro Research shows.

The research group asked organisations still using Windows XP about their plans post-April, when Microsoft ceases providing official support and security fixes for the 11-year old OS.

11% of the (admittedly small) 641 companies queried stated they intend to switch to Linux. The low-cost, robust security and growing reputation in enterprise use are likely key factors informing such plans.

Perhaps more shockingly is that 37% of those asked intend to stick with Windows XP past the expiry date. Of those, 40% reason that as ‘it works’ there’s little need to change, while 39% claim software they rely on depends on XP.

More Windows XP Users Than Windows 8

‘The economic threat led one German city to distribute free Ubuntu CDs to citizens’

Data from analytics firm Net Applications shows that almost a third of desktop PC users are using XP – almost three times the number of those running Windows 8.

With the end of security patches Windows XP is poised to become a veritable Wild West; a town without a sherif where rogues are free to exploit security loopholes without having to worry about them being closed.

The potential economic impact of this threat led one German city to distribute free Ubuntu CDs to its citizens in preemptive protection.

But not everyone will be left to the mercy of malware makers and virus vendors. Google and Mozilla are throwing XP users ‘a lifeline’ by providing an extra year’s support to their respective browsers. This effort is designed to help those sticking with Windows XP in the short term – for whatever reason – protect against web threats.