Apple's Mac OS X is at its highest popularity peak to date, while the adoption of Linux has gained impressive momentum as both go up against the most widely used operating system in the world, Microsoft Windows, a research firm said Tuesday. In a Yankee Group report, researchers noted that Apple has found a loyal, dedicated group of users that rely on its new, ultra-stable operating system for sophisticated graphics and to run production departments. The study also noted an increase in the adoption of Linux as the "un-Windows" solution, particularly as companies become increasingly dissatisfied with Microsoft's complex and expensive licensing structure.

"Do [Linux and OS X] retain niche market status? Yes, but I think it's a very healthy niche market. And I think it could grow," Laura DiDio, Yankee Group senior analyst and the report's author, told NewsFactor. DiDio noted, however, that organizational migration to alternative platforms remains a challenge, especially at the enterprise level. "Because Microsoft products -- Office and Windows -- at the desktop level are so intertwined with the fabric of the organization, you couldn't rip [the operating system] out and replace it even if you had the time, money and resources," said DiDio.