RISC OS Awards - 2018 survey results

The 2018 RISC OS Survey

This survey was run by RISCOSitory on the RISC OS Awards website, alongside the awards poll covering the same year. Apart from the initial receipt of the entries being on a Linux computer, all processing was carried out on an ARMX6 running RISC OS, using some internal software along with Fireworkz, PipeDream, Draw, Artworks2 and ConvImgs.

The idea of combining a survey with an annual awards poll should, in theory, provide a picture of how the RISC OS community looks, and allow developers and companies involved in the RISC OS platform to keep what they offer relevant - especially considering that it is an undeniable fact that the number of RISC OS users is low in the extreme.

As mentioned in the Awards results, the number of valid votes this year was just 120.

Not everybody who voted in the Awards Poll completed the survey part of the form - leaving the default "I'd rather not say" option ticked instead - and some people left that option selected for some questions. That means no question saw a full 161 people answer it, and some questions saw fewer answers than others. The results are based only on those who offered an answer to each question.

The third column in each table is the number of percentage points the result has changed by since the previous year.

The 2018 RISC OS Survey Results

Question 1: How many RISC OS systems do you own?

Typical numbers of RISC OS computers owned.

Number	Percentage	Change
None	1%	+1%
One	12%	+3%
Two	21%	+1%
Three	12%	-7%
Four	17%	+8%
Five+	37%	-6%

Question 2: And of those, how many are in regular or semi-regular use?

Typical numbers of RISC OS computers in use.

Number	Percentage	Change
None	8%	+4%
One	41%	-1%
Two	33%	+1%
Three	13%	+1%
Four	5%	-
Five+	0%	-5%

Question 3: Which version of RISC OS do you use most?

Pie chart showing a breakdown of which versions
of RISC OS are most used.

The most used versions of RISC OS.

Version	Percentage	Change
RISC OS 2.0	0%	-
RISC OS 3.0	3%	+2%
RISC OS 3.5	2%	-2%
RISC OS 4.0	3%	+1%
RISC OS 4.2	7%	+3%
RISC OS 5.0	81%	-7%
RISC OS 6.0	4%	+3%

Note: The options given for this question represent 'base' versions of RISC OS, and people were asked to specify the closest version below the one they use most - so people using Select and Adjust, for example, would have selected RISC OS 4.2.

Question 4: What is your main platform for using RISC OS?

Pie chart showing a breakdown of which platforms
are used to run RISC OS.

The platforms used most for RISC OS.

Platform	Percentage	Change
Raspberry Pi-based	37%	+12%
BeagleBoard-based	3%	-2%
Pandaboard-based	3%	-2%
ARMX6 (inc. 'kit' form)	20%	-6%
RapidO Ig (inc. 'kit' form)	1%	+1%
Titanium-based	16%	-1%
IyonixPC	3%	-4%
RiscPC	5%	-
A7000	0%	-
VirtualAcorn/RiscPC	5%	-
RPCEmu	6%	+3%
Other	1%	-1%

Question 5: How long have you been a RISC OS user?

Pie chart showing how long people have
been using RISC OS

How long people have been RISC OS users.

How long	Percentage	Change
I upgraded to it from Arthur!	21%	-3%
Since Acorn were around	67%	+3%
Two to fifteen years	8%	-
Less than two years	4%	-

Question 6: Do you use RISC OS in a professional capacity in any way?

Pie chart showing whether people use RISC OS professionally

Breakdown of the use of RISC OS
in a professional capacity.

Degree of professional use	Percentage	Change
My main job involves RISC OS	3%	-4%
Not just RISC OS, but to a large degree	12%	+2%
Only to a limited degree	17%	+1%
No, I only use it for pleasure	68%	+1%

Question 7: Would you say your overall use of RISC OS has increased or decreased over the last year?

Pie chart showing whether people's use of RISC OS has increased or decreased

Breakdown of whether people's use of RISC OS has increased or decreased.

Increase/decrease in use	Percentage	Change
It's increased a lot	11%	-2%
It's increased a little	20%	-6%
It hasn't really changed	54%	+6%
It's decreased a little	11%	+2%
It's decreased a lot	4%	-

Question 8: How much would you say you've spent on RISC OS hardware in the last year?

Pie chart showing how much people estimate they've spent on hardware

Breakdown of how much people think they've spent on hardware.

Estimated spend	Percentage	Change
£0	30%	+4%
£1 to £50	20%	+2%
£51 to £150	23%	-
£151 to £400	15%	-
£401 to £1,000	10%	-3%
More than £1,000	2%	-3%

Question 9: How much would you say you've spent on RISC OS software in the last year?

Pie chart showing how much people estimate they've spent on software

Breakdown of how much people think they've spent on software.

Estimated spend	Percentage	Change
£0	26%	+9%
£1 to £50	28%	+9%
£51 to £150	38%	-10%
£151 to £400	8%	-4%
£401 to £1,000	0%	-3%
More than £1,000	0%	-1%

Question 10: How much do you think you'll spend on RISC OS hardware this year?

Pie chart showing how much people think they'll spend on hardware

Breakdown of how much people think they'll spend on hardware.

Anticipated spend	Percentage	Change
£0	31%	+2%
£1 to £50	11%	-9%
£51 to £150	21%	+5%
£151 to £400	22%	+1%
£401 to £1,000	15%	+5%
More than £1,000	0%	-4%

Question 11: How much do you think you'll spend on RISC OS software this year?

Pie chart showing how much people think they'll spend on software

Breakdown of how much people think they'll spend on software.

Anticipated spend	Percentage	Change
£0	14%	+4%
£1 to £50	28%	-1%
£51 to £150	49%	+5%
£151 to £400	9%	-6%
£401 to £1,000	0%	-1%
More than £1,000	0%	-1%

Question 12: If you feel your spending is low, why would you say that is?

Pie chart showing the reasons people gave for low spending

Breakdown of why people felt their spending was low.

Reasons given (from options)	Percentage	Change
I don't have the money to spend	15%	-7%%
I'm saving up to buy something	12%	-2%
What I have works well enough	54%	+7%
Other	19%	+2%

Accompanying this question was a text field for people who chose 'other' to offer a reason if none of the existing options covered (or was close enough to) their reasons. In some cases, people chose the 'other' option and didn't offer a reason, and in some cases the reason they gave was fairly close to the existing options. Those that didn't correspond closely to an existing option were variations on:

Reduced/low use means I don't spend much.
All the commercial software I use is up to date.
I use VirtualRiscPC, so don't need any RISC OS hardware.
Waiting for a proper native RISC OS laptop.
Not much this year that I wanted, but hoping to by an ARMBook in 2019.
Saving for a Titanium or ARMX6 - although hard to justify.
This is a variation on one of the main options, but I've listed it due to the specificity.
Designing it!
Just returning to RISC OS (and/or thinking about it) after a long time away.
No compelling commercial products to compete against free software (and/or on other platforms).
Things keep on working - no need to replace them.
Upgrading to a newer machine isn't practical because of the 26-bit software I use.
A specific example given here was Sibelius.
Either a capable browser or a release of 32-bit Impression would encourage me to spend.
Another member of my household makes RISC OS-related purchases.
I'm married!

Question 13: Do you attend your local user group meetings?

Pie chart showing whether people attend user group meetings

Breakdown whether people attend user group meetings.

Meeting attendance	Percentage	Change
Regularly or fairly regularly	19%	-
Only occasionally	8%	-10%
I don't go to any at all	25%	+2%
There isn't a local group	48%	+8%

Question 14: If not, do you know of a local group and if/when they meet?

Pie chart showing why people don't attend meetings

Why people don't attend local user group meetings

Reason for non-attendance	Percentage	Change
Meetings aren't for me	8%	+4%
It isn't practical for me	16%	-12%
I don't know if there's a local group	17%	+3%
There isn't a local group	59%	+5%

Question 15: By choice, do you use any platforms other than RISC OS?

Pie chart showing whether people use another platform (by choice)

Whether people choose to use
another OS as well as RISC OS

Yes or no	Percentage	Change
Yes	86%	+5%
No	14%	-5%

Question 16: What operating system(s) do you use as well as RISC OS?

Bar chart showing the operating systems also used by RISC OS users

The range of operating systems used alongside RISC OS

OS	Percentage	Change
Windows	84%	-11%
MacOS	29%	+11%
Linux	58%	-1%
Android	66%	+4%
iOS	27%	-1%
ChromeOS	1%	-3%
Other	9%	-4%

Note: While the next few questions ask about the other operating system that people use most, this one recognises that people may use multiple operating systems (for example a Windows computer and an Android phone or tablet). The percentage is based on the number of people who chose to answer, and because the question allows multiple answers, the percentages cannot be expected to add up to 100.

Question 17: Which other operating system do you use most?

Pie chart showing which other platforms
are used most by RISC OS users

The other OS most used by choice.

Most used other OS	Percentage	Change
Windows	39%	-3%
MacOS	15%	+6%
Linux	30%	+6%
Android	12%	-4%
iOS	4%	-5%
ChromeOS	0%	-
Other	0%	-

Question 18: On what processor do you use that operating system?

Pie chart showing the processor on which people use their other OS

The processors used for the other
operating system.

Processor used	Percentage	Change
ARM	21%	-9%
Intel/AMD	75%	+8%
Other	4%	+1%

Question 19: And do you use it more than RISC OS?

Pie chart showing whether people use their
other platforms more or less than RISC OS.

Is that other OS used more or less than RISC OS?

Amount used	Percentage	Change
More than RISC OS	50%	+4%
About the same	22%	+6%
It varies	10%	+2%
Less than RISC OS	18%	-12%

Question 20: In which age range do you fall?

Pie chart showing the age range of typical
RISC OS users.

The age of RISC OS users.

Age range	Percentage	Change
Below 20	0%	-1%
20-29	1%	-
30-39	13%	+4%
40-49	31%	+5%
50-59	18%	-
60 or over	37%	-8%

Question 21: What gender are you?

The genders of RISC OS users

Gender	Percentage	Change
Male	98%	-
Female	2%	-
Other	0%	-

TheRISC OSAwards