Enterprises rank price and total cost of ownership as a low priority when choosing between an open source and proprietary software solution, according to a new survey from Evans Data.

Depending on the business segment, the key drivers for organisations to choose open source are performance, product maturity, features and developer community.

Large enterprises often use open source software as a way to standardise on a single platform based on open standards.

But small and medium sized organisations are more likely than their larger counterparts to ask for an open source solution because it is perceived as more flexible, the study found.

The outcome of the survey is noteworthy because discussions about the differences between Linux and Windows often revolve around the cost of each solution.

While Linux is available free of charge, some studies have suggested that the total cost of ownership is higher than Windows because of additional maintenance costs.

"While cost was not a primary motivator to adoption, it was considered something that [firms] were willing to pay for in the form of services and support," John Andrews, chief operating officer at Evans Data, told vnunet.com.

The company surveyed 500 enterprise IT managers and conducted in-depth interviews with 40 organisations for the study.