The 2017 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.

With that in mind, as mentioned in the Awards results, the number of valid votes was 106, which is significantly down on the last two years, and similar to the number from 2014 - such a large drop could conceivably skew some of the results, and make changes from the previous year seem more significant than they are.

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 2017 RISC OS Survey Results

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

Pie chart showing typical numbers of RISC OS
                                     computers owned.
Typical numbers of RISC OS computers owned.
Number PercentageChange
None 0% -2%
One 9% -
Two 20% +1%
Three 19% +2%
Four 9% -6%
Five+ 43% +5%

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

Pie chart showing typical numbers of RISC OS
                                     computers in use.
Typical numbers of RISC OS computers in use.
Number PercentageChange
None 4% -
One 42% +5%
Two 32% -
Three 12% -4%
Four 5% -2%
Five+ 5% +1%

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 PercentageChange
RISC OS 2.0 0% -
RISC OS 3.0 1% +1%
RISC OS 3.5 4% +1%
RISC OS 4.0 2% -4%
RISC OS 4.2 4% -5%
RISC OS 5.0 88% +10%
RISC OS 6.0 1% -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 PercentageChange
Raspberry Pi-based 25% -3%
BeagleBoard-based 5% -1%
Pandaboard-based 5% +2%
ARMX6 (inc. 'kit' form) 26% +3%
RapidO Ig (inc. 'kit' form) 0% -
Titanium-based 17% +10%
IyonixPC 7% -2%
RiscPC 5% -7%
A7000 0% -
VirtualAcorn/RiscPC 5% -2%
RPCEmu 3% -
Other 2% -

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 PercentageChange
I upgraded to it from Arthur! 24% -4%
Since Acorn were around 64% +4%
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 PercentageChange
My main job involves RISC OS 7% +5%
Not just RISC OS, but to a large degree 10% +1%
Only to a limited degree 16% -6%
No, I only use it for pleasure 67% -

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 PercentageChange
It's increased a lot 13% -2%
It's increased a little 26% -
It hasn't really changed 48% +5%
It's decreased a little 9% -3%
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 PercentageChange
£0 26% +3%
£1 to £50 18% -6%
£51 to £150 23% +7%
£151 to £400 15% +10%
£401 to £1,000 13% -12%
More than £1,000 5% -2%

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 PercentageChange
£0 17% -1%
£1 to £50 19% -10%
£51 to £150 48% +13%
£151 to £400 12% -2%
£401 to £1,000 3% +1%
More than £1,000 1% -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 PercentageChange
£0 29% +3%
£1 to £50 20% -5%
£51 to £150 16% -3%
£151 to £400 21% +8%
£401 to £1,000 10% -5%
More than £1,000 4% +2%

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 PercentageChange
£0 10% -4%
£1 to £50 29% -
£51 to £150 44% +2%
£151 to £400 15% +4%
£401 to £1,000 1% -1%
More than £1,000 1% -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) PercentageChange
I don't have the money to spend 22% +15%
I'm saving up to buy something 14% -2%
What I have works well enough 47% -14%
Other 17% +1%

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:

  • I have everything, but will buy new things if they appear.
  • My computer/software spending is on other platforms.
  • My RISC OS set up is very new.
  • Lack of things to buy.
  • What I chose/needed/wanted to buy was cheap.
  • Low use doesn't justify any expenditure.
  • Too much choice about what hardware to buy.
  • I donate to RISC OS Open Ltd bounties instead.
  • Lack of time.

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 PercentageChange
Regularly or fairly regularly 19% -1%
Only occasionally 18% +10%
I don't go to any at all 23% -5%
There isn't a local group 40% -4%%

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 PercentageChange
Meetings aren't for me 4% -18%
It isn't practical for me 28% +28%
I don't know if there's a local group 14% +2%
There isn't a local group 54% -12%
Note:The 'It isn't practical' option was a new addition this year, so the change is effectively from zero.

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 PercentageChange
Yes 81% -4%
No 19% +4%

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
Windows 95%
MacOS 18%
Linux 59%
Android 62%
iOS 28%
ChromeOS 4%
Other 13%
Note: This was a new question for the 2017 survey, and 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) and therefore allows multiple options to be selected. The percentage is based on the total number of people who answered this question.

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 PercentageChange
Windows 42% -2%
MacOS 9% -11%
Linux 24% -5%
Android 16% +11%
iOS 9% +7%
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 PercentageChange
ARM 30% +19%
Intel/AMD 67% -21%%
Other 3% +2%

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 PercentageChange
More than RISC OS 46% -4%
About the same 16% -3%
It varies 8% -3%
Less than RISC OS 30% +10%

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 PercentageChange
Below 20 1% -
20-29 1% -2%
30-39 9% -2%
40-49 26% -3%
50-59 18% +2%
60 or over 45% +5%

Question 21: What gender are you?

Pie chart showing the genders of RISC OS users.
The genders of RISC OS users
Gender PercentageChange
Male 98% -1%
Female 2% +1%
Other 0% -