Results from the First World Wide Web Survey

Abstract

The explosion of the 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 beta-test the design and content of surveys dealing with the Web. Third, as mentioned, we hoped to begin to describe the range 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.