The explosion of World-Wide Web (WWW) across the Internet is staggering, both in terms of number of users and the amount of activity. However, to date, no reliable characterization exists of WWW users. In this paper, we report results from a survey that was posted on the Web for a month, in January of 1994. There were several goals motivating our survey. First, we wished to demonstrate a proof of concept for WWW technologies as a useful survey medium. Second, we wanted to bet a-test the design and content of surveys dealing with the Web. Third, as mentioned, we hoped to begin to describe the ra nge of Web users. In one month, we had over 4,700 respondents to our survey. Their responses helped us to begin to characterize WWW users, their reasons for using the WWW, and their opinions of WWW tools and technologies.
Originally published by Elsevier, in a special issue of Computer Networks & ISDN Systems. Subscription required to access article fulltext.
This paper was part of the First International World-Wide Web Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. This article can also be viewed through GVU's WWW User Surveys. Note: The second author's name was published as Margaret Recker.