p with the report
3.2 Responders and Computers
Let's take a second to look at the skill set the average Internet user has. The entire industry of computing goes at such a rapid speed, that it may be worthwhile for us to occasionally test and re-determine the "average computer user", to see how people are coping with the technological world. For instance, I no longer receive as many silly chain emails, nor emails about a far away lost fortune or lottery I've won, or phone calls about various technical support for my parents. As we continue to embrace technology, it gradually becomes easier and we gain knowledge until we reach the end, sit down and look back, and wonder how we ever did without.
Every single responder indicated that they have an email address, which is not surprising considering how long the Internet has been available for and how ubiquitous it is nowadays. 98% of responders check their email at least once a day, with the vast majority doing so many times a day. This indicates that these people are making a strong effort to remain in contact with others, without the use of a social networking tool or website such as Facebook.
Responders were asked to estimate the number of hours they spend on an average day using the Internet. This included work, school, research, using a Blackberry, any task which involved the Internet. A great deal of responders (58) indicated that they spend upwards of 8 hours, or one third of a day, online. A further 75 people spend between 4-8 hours each day online, and the remainder spend less than four hours. What is most interesting about these results is the shape of the bar graph, seen right. There is a traditional bell curve starting with "Less than One Hour" continuing through to "Seven Hours", then there is a massive jump to "Eight Hours or More".
Responders were asked to check off the reasons they use the Internet. As mentioned above, since every responder uses email, it ranks number one. Overall web browsing is next, followed by research and sharing photos. Based on the overall high number of responses for each reason ("School" is the only response with less than 50% and that is probably due to the ages of responders) It is obvious that people are now very familiar with using the Internet in their day-to-day routines.
In order to best look at the answers, it is important to identify whether the sample size of my survey is skewed towards those who use the Internet regularly, since this is the only way I have publicized the survey [as well, since computers/web is my career, I am naturally friends with or around those who use the Internet more than average]. I asked responders to indicate their overall level of familiarity with computers in general by having them check off whether each statement was true or false for themselves. The results not only help to paint a general picture of who has responded to my survey, but also reflects back on today's common knowledge status of computer technology. A full 167 participants indicated they were familiar with computer hardware. Combined with the fact that 177 of responders indicated they can install purchased software with no problems, it seems that today's computer user is more knowleadgable in the ways of computers than yesteryear's. In regards to result skewing, it seems that my data is somewhat representative of the population as a whole, as 37.5% of responders indicated they have built a computer from scratch; while this figure may be a bit high (and thus would suggest a slightly skewed sample), I can easily round down and imagine 3 of 10 friends having built a computer sometime in their lives, so I still think my numbers are somewhat representative.
My best guess is that there are three main Internet users:
- Light users who are on for only a short time each day. Based on the results of the survey, those who use the Internet less tend to consume more and contribute much less, if anything at all. They make up a small majority of overall Internet users.
- Medium users who are on for a good portion of a day. They demonstrate more contribution and consumption than light users. They make up the largest Internet user group.
- Heavy users who are on for the majority of the day. These users have made the Internet a serious part of their lives, using it for shopping, research, and plenty of contribution and consumption. These users are most likely to have a website or blog. They outnumber light users but are not as large as the Medium group.
All of the above results paint a rather cheery picture of the average Internet user. They are much wiser in the ways of computers than they were years before, they spend at least two hours a day online, they use the Internet for a varied number of purposes. One of the most important points is the frequency of contribution, 117 of 192 responders or 61% indicate they maintain a website or blog. Did you notice in the "Computer Familiarity" table, almost twice the number of people can program for the Web versus traditional programming (114 vs 62)? The Web is very much a wide open space where people can learn and experiment on their own by creating websites or blogs, by gosh the nature of the Internet is to share information, education, know-how with one another! It certainly seems that people have taken to doing just this.
How does this affect Facebook, or our use of it? Continue to the third page of the report.