The government’s renewed commitment to open source and the downturn are combining to drive double-digit growth for the UK Linux channel.

Red Hat distributor Interactive Ideas is the latest open-source specialist to unveil impressive financial figures.

It expects to record turnover of £16m for its financial year to 30 April ­ double the £8m sales it rang up two years ago. Linux sales, which represent its largest revenue stream, rose 65 per cent year-on-year.

Managing director Mike Trup said the government’s recent pledge to force suppliers of proprietary software to offer an open-source alternative was driving sales growth.

“We are seeing a lot of traditional resellers giving us mindshare,” he said. “One or two have told us they have missed out on tenders because they could not provide an open-source alternative.”

Trup also confirmed that his firm planned to increase its stake in Indian firm Interfinet from 20 per cent to 50 per cent to beef up its offshore open-source prowess.

The distributor is targeting £20m sales for its current financial year.

Peter Dawes-Huish, chief executive of VAR Linux IT, said: “We have had our best-ever start to the year and that is a reflection of the Linux
market.”