Worldwide revenue from Linux operating system software grew by 23.4% from 2007 to 2008, and is anticipated to be followed by a 2008-2013 compound annual growth rate of 16.9%, according to a new IDC study. At that rate, worldwide Linux operating systems revenue will cross the $1 billion mark for the first time in 2012, and reach $1.2 billion by 2013, the IDC study states.

Among the report's key findings: The top revenue-producing vendors are Red Hat and Novell, which together accounted for 94.5% of worldwide Linux operating systems revenue in 2008; and, in terms of new subscriptions of server operating environments, Red Hat and Novell accounted for 90% of worldwide Linux subscriptions in 2008.