Authors

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

Keywords

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

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.