CompTIA Research

Summary of “CompTIA Research Poll: Twenty-Five Years of Technology ”

About the Poll

In celebration of CompTIA’s 25th Anniversary, we’ve polled various audiences to get their input on the past 25 years, and what they believe the future holds. This particular survey queried CompTIA Research panelists and CompTIA members. The Web-based survey was launched during June-July 2007. The survey closed July 24, 2007 with a total of 473 responses.

Sample of Key Findings

• The majority of respondents (91%) have been working in the IT industry for at least three years.
  
  
• Respondents selected the top ten most influential people in the IT industry for the past 25 years.
  
  
  • Eighty-four percent (84%) believe Bill Gates of Microsoft to be the most influential.
    
    
  • Steve Jobs of Apple Computer was chosen by nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents.
    
    
  • Michael Dell of Dell Computers was selected by more than one-half (53%) of respondents.
    
    
• Respondents then selected products, applications, and technologies that they believed to be among the top ten most influential in the IT industry over the past 25 years.
  
  
  • Sixty-six percent (66%) chose Internet explorer as the most influential.
    
    
  • Fifty-six percent (56%) selected Microsoft Word.
    
    
  • One-half of respondents (50%) selected Microsoft Windows 95.
    
    
  • Microsoft Excel and the Apple iPod were each selected by forty-nine percent (49%) of respondents.
    
    
• Respondents chose which tech device they believed they would most rely on 25 years from now.
  
  
  • Thirty-four percent (34%) of respondents selected the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).
    
    
  • Twenty-two percent (22%) selected the mobile/cell phone.
    
    
  • Twenty-one percent (21%) believe that it is a device that is yet-to-be developed.
    
    
  • Seventeen percent (17%) selected the laptop computer and six percent (6%) selected the desktop computer.
    
    
• In conclusion, respondents were asked which IT-related issue they believed would have the greatest impact on the industry 25 years from now.
  
  
  • Twenty-six percent (26%) selected wireless connectivity.
    
    
  • Twenty percent (20%) chose globalization.
    
    
  • Fifteen percent (15%) believe green computing.
    
    
  • Eleven percent (11%) selected IT skills shortage.

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