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Spare a talent for an old ex-leper....

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  • 15-06-2009 10:15am
    #1
    underpants
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭


    Hi Guys,

    I'm studying in TCD and doing some research for a dissertation on Internet usage.
    If anyone is bored, has some free time or just loves doing surveys then I'd really appreciate if you could fill out this one....

    very short and quick survey!



    And if you want to forward it on to anyone you know then that would be great!

    Mods, if this kind of post isn't allowed then I apologise and please remove it!

    Thanks to anyone that completes the survey!

    Also, if anyone has any comments on Internet usage, ideas for improvements, what they'd like to see then please post about it!


Comments

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    #2
    Onikage
    Registered Users Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Onikage


    Ok, but only because you quoted Monty Python.


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    #3
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    Get a crash test dummy or something to check your form.

    I gave up and didn't bother when it wouldn't allow me to only choose Other by typing in the other..... box as the check box items did not apply on page 5 section 2


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    #4
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Done, but Q2 in section 5 and 9 is pointless. The whole idea of using mobile Internet access is that you can use it anywhere you want, your options limit you to pub, cafe park and one or two others. It's meaningless to answer this question, but you can't leave it blank, or just fill in the Other box alone. Just like ttm said, but I selected all options on that question. Remove it, or alter it so you can leave it blank.


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    #5
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    I tried to do it, but I have a 3g bband at home (i.e. not fixed line) and only use fixed line when I'm in my brother's house. The questions dont really fit my circumstance. I dont see the point in me entering the granular detail of what few things I do look up in my brother's house (i.e. the only fixed line broadband that I use)


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    #6
    Fuzzy Clam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,293 ✭✭✭Fuzzy Clam


    Agree with jor el.
    I can't complete the survey properly. Maybe add the options "None of the above" or "other" as tick boxes.


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    #7
    underpants
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭underpants


    good points!
    Unfortunately it looks like I can't fix that now that the survey has been started!

    You guys are actually the first to spot that problem out of everyone that done it so far!!


    as for JonathanAnon
    That was a problem I had with designing the survey. I tried to explain it as best I could in the notes before questions. Using a known phrase such as "fixed line" was probably a bad idea.

    what I want to get is an idea of how people use the internet while at home or in static locations. So in your case, even though its a 3g connection, when you use it at home it would fall under the fix line section.
    The mobile section is to try distinguish the limitations of mobile internet when you're on the move and have limited battery power or working in odd locations or whatever. just outside your standard comfort zone.

    There's already a lot of information out there on Internet usage so the first section is just to see if it matchs with that. the mobile sections are more of interest to me.

    It's a tricky thing to get right in a mass survey. The best solution would be to monitor users directly and then see exactly what they done and follow up with interviews but I've got limited time for this research and it's only a small dissertation rather than a 2 year + research!

    I expect some errors and confusion so I can only expect people to fill in the survey as best they can! So thanks for taking a look!


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    #8
    Onikage
    Registered Users Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Onikage


    underpants wrote: »
    good points!
    Unfortunately it looks like I can't fix that now that the survey has been started!

    First rule of surveys: don't change the survey once you've started.

    Use the feedback to create a follow up survey, if you feel it's necessary.


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    #9
    dade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭dade


    Onikage wrote: »
    First rule of surveys: don't change the survey once you've started.

    Use the feedback to create a follow up survey, if you feel it's necessary.

    secon rule of survers have a few people do a run through before you go live on teh public, that's a problem i had with my one.


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    #10
    underpants
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭underpants


    dade wrote: »
    secon rule of survers have a few people do a run through before you go live on teh public, that's a problem i had with my one.

    Nothing has been changed and I got about 6 people to do a run through before but everyone missed that problem!

    And there was about 100 replies until someone actually found it!
    I think it just happens to be very unlikely that someone would not or has not used it in at least one of those locations.

    although, a quick survey of posters here would show that that isn't the case!!
    just goes to show you can prove anything with stats.


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    #11
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    underpants wrote: »
    I think it just happens to be very unlikely that someone would not or has not used it in at least one of those locations.

    You should remove that question from your results. The whole idea of mobile broadband is that you can use it anywhere. Picking a sample of 5 locations is skewing your results. It may well be that people have used it in a pub, cafe of park, but I've never used mine in any of the locations mentioned, and, I can use it in countless locations not mentioned, so the question is loaded from the start. No matter what answer you put in, it's the wrong answer.

    If the scope of the question were limited to WiFi hotspots, then it would be reasonable to assume that people are using them in a small number of locations, like those mentioned, but mobile broadband means I can use it in a field, or the side of a mountain if I like, not just in some given set of premises.


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    #12
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    Location I use both mobile midband and wireless from is the CAR. No access to even mobile phone coverage at home so I just have to drive up the road to use either midband or a mobile phone, but I think that would be fairly unusual even in rural Ireland?


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    #13
    vibe666
    Registered Users Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    got about half3way, but i'm pretty busy and it wasn't a quick survey (you lied!) so i didn't finish it.

    some of the questions were also a little bit irrelevant and make assumptions about answers to previous questions that did not always apply.


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    #14
    underpants
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭underpants


    jor el wrote: »
    You should remove that question from your results. The whole idea of mobile broadband is that you can use it anywhere. Picking a sample of 5 locations is skewing your results. It may well be that people have used it in a pub, cafe of park, but I've never used mine in any of the locations mentioned, and, I can use it in countless locations not mentioned, so the question is loaded from the start. No matter what answer you put in, it's the wrong answer.

    If the scope of the question were limited to WiFi hotspots, then it would be reasonable to assume that people are using them in a small number of locations, like those mentioned, but mobile broadband means I can use it in a field, or the side of a mountain if I like, not just in some given set of premises.

    I see your point. I'll consider removing the question. Obviously it's not possible to list every possible location.
    Numerous people have already replied in the Other box that they use it wherever it is available.


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    #15
    underpants
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭underpants


    ttm wrote: »
    Location I use both mobile midband and wireless from is the CAR. No access to even mobile phone coverage at home so I just have to drive up the road to use either midband or a mobile phone, but I think that would be fairly unusual even in rural Ireland?

    I think I might know one other person who doesn't even have mobile coverage at home! But they just dont bother trying to get the Internet!

    that must be pretty inconvenient if you just want to look up some quick facts!


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    #16
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    underpants wrote: »
    I see your point. I'll consider removing the question. Obviously it's not possible to list every possible location.
    Numerous people have already replied in the Other box that they use it wherever it is available.

    No, but you don't need specifics. Good options for where do you use mobile broadband would be;
    In the home
    At the office
    Outside the home & office.

    It would be interesting to see how many people are using mobile broadband outside their home or place of work, which is actually where it's supposed to be used. A lot of people are using them as a replacement for real broadband, or because real broadband isn't available.


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