Study title

Linux User Perspectives on Operating Systems 2008-2009

Dataset ID Number

FSD2964

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2964
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2964

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Karvinen, Juho (University of Tampere. Department of Sociology and Social Psychology)

Abstract

The study investigated the views of Finnish Linux users on three operating systems: Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

The respondents' images of operating systems were charted by asking them to rate each OS on a semantic differential scale (seven-point scale between opposite adjectives, e.g. "easy to use - difficult to use", "just - unjust"). Further questions charted participation in the Linux community, and the respondents were asked whether Linux was their primary operating system, which Linux distribution they used, whether they had participated in developing Linux, on what level they had participated in the activities of the Linux community (online, local, national), and what their main reasons for using Linux were.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, type of municipality of residence, education, economic activity and occupational status, politicial party choice if parliamentary elections were held at the time of the survey, and participation in the activities of voluntary or civic organisations/associations.

Keywords

Linux; MacOS; Windows; communities; computer science; computer software; computers; information and communications technology; participation

Topic Classification

• Natural sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Information technology (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Karvinen, Juho (University of Tampere. Department of Sociology and Social Psychology)

Time Period Covered

2008-12-11 – 2009-01-16

Collection Dates

2008-12-11 – 2009-01-16

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Finnish people using Linux

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

Invitations to participate in the survey were sent to the email lists of the Finnish Linux User Group (FLUG) and the Finnish Centre for Open Systems and Solutions (COSS) as well as several student associations at the University of Tampere. The invitations were also shared elsewhere, such as personal blogs and, without the researcher's intiative, on the forums of Ubuntu Finland and Suomi24, and on Ampparit.com news portal.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

3.0

Related Datasets

FSD2965 Female Linux Users: Interviews 2010-2012

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The data is supposed to represent Finnish Linux users, but there is no reliable information available on the population. Thus, assessing potential skewness of the data is not possible.

For reasons of privacy, the open-ended variables in the end of the enquiry were removed from the data.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Karvinen, Juho (University of Tampere): Linux User Perspectives on Operating Systems 2008-2009 [dataset]. Version 3.0 (2019-01-23). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2964

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Karvinen, Juho (2013). Linuxin käyttö ja naissukupuoleen kohdistuvat odotukset. Tampere: Tampereen yliopisto. Sosiologian pro gradu -tutkielma: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201312191774

Related Publications

Karvinen, Juho (2013). Linuxin käyttö ja naissukupuoleen kohdistuvat odotukset. Tampere: Tampereen yliopisto. Sosiologian Pro gradu -tutkielma