GVU's Fifth WWW User Survey General Graphs

Primary Computing Platform

Notes:

Once again, more than half of all respondents (58.6%) reported using some flavor of Windows (3.1, 95, or NT) as their primary computing platform. This percentage is down slightly from the fourth survey (61.5%). The second most common is Macintosh with 28.2%, up from 20.5% in the fourth survey. Unix is a distant third, with only 5.1%.

Consistent with previous surveys is the observation that significantly more Europeans use Unix than Americans (12.0% vs. 4.4%). Also, there are still more US Mac users than European Mac users, even though Macintosh usage gained several percentage points in Europe (14.1% fourth, 20.2% fifth).

There are almost as many respondents still using Windows 3.1 (27.4%) as Windows 95 (28.6%).

Notes:

More females use Windows products than males, especially Windows 3.1, and more males than females use Unix.

Interestingly, there are more male than female Macintosh users (30.6% vs. 23.1%). This is a reverse from the fourth survey where only 17.7% of males used Macintoshes.

Notes:

Older respondents are more likely to use a Windows product, while younger respondents are more likely to use some version of Unix.

Table of Data for All Categories

platform All Male Female USA Europe 19-25 26-50 50+

dont_know 143
1.22%
22
0.27%
121
3.28%
106
1.23%
15
1.18%
58
2.12%
33
0.47%
8
0.82%

dos 428
3.65%
286
3.56%
142
3.85%
290
3.37%
61
4.80%
125
4.57%
186
2.68%
37
3.80%

macintosh 3310
28.20%
2457
30.54%
853
23.11%
2659
30.89%
256
20.16%
708
25.88%
2097
30.17%
270
27.72%

nextstep 12
0.10%
11
0.14%
1
0.03%
8
0.09%
0
0.00%
4
0.15%
8
0.12%
0
0.00%

os2 103
0.88%
89
1.11%
14
0.38%
73
0.85%
14
1.10%
27
0.99%
62
0.89%
8
0.82%

other 40
0.34%
31
0.39%
9
0.24%
17
0.20%
12
0.94%
9
0.33%
23
0.33%
0
0.00%

pc_unix 180
1.53%
166
2.06%
14
0.38%
107
1.24%
50
3.94%
85
3.11%
61
0.88%
2
0.21%

unix 603
5.14%
490
6.09%
113
3.06%
375
4.36%
152
11.97%
234
8.55%
327
4.70%
17
1.75%

vms 24
0.20%
18
0.22%
6
0.16%
14
0.16%
5
0.39%
4
0.15%
18
0.26%
1
0.10%

vt100 11
0.09%
6
0.07%
5
0.14%
4
0.05%
4
0.31%
4
0.15%
3
0.04%
0
0.00%

windows 3217
27.41%
1891
23.51%
1326
35.93%
2303
26.75%
289
22.76%
671
24.52%
1915
27.55%
321
32.96%

windows95 3350
28.54%
2354
29.26%
996
26.98%
2423
28.14%
369
29.06%
732
26.75%
2006
28.86%
299
30.70%

windowsnt 315
2.68%
224
2.78%
91
2.47%
230
2.67%
43
3.39%
75
2.74%
212
3.05%
11
1.13%

For more information or to submit comments:
send e-mail to www-survey@cc.gatech.edu.
GVU's WWW Surveying Team
Graphics, Visualization, & Usability Center
College of Computing
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA 30332-0280

platform	All	Male	Female	USA	Europe	19-25	26-50	50+
dont_know	143 1.22%	22 0.27%	121 3.28%	106 1.23%	15 1.18%	58 2.12%	33 0.47%	8 0.82%
dos	428 3.65%	286 3.56%	142 3.85%	290 3.37%	61 4.80%	125 4.57%	186 2.68%	37 3.80%
macintosh	3310 28.20%	2457 30.54%	853 23.11%	2659 30.89%	256 20.16%	708 25.88%	2097 30.17%	270 27.72%
nextstep	12 0.10%	11 0.14%	1 0.03%	8 0.09%	0 0.00%	4 0.15%	8 0.12%	0 0.00%
os2	103 0.88%	89 1.11%	14 0.38%	73 0.85%	14 1.10%	27 0.99%	62 0.89%	8 0.82%
other	40 0.34%	31 0.39%	9 0.24%	17 0.20%	12 0.94%	9 0.33%	23 0.33%	0 0.00%
pc_unix	180 1.53%	166 2.06%	14 0.38%	107 1.24%	50 3.94%	85 3.11%	61 0.88%	2 0.21%
unix	603 5.14%	490 6.09%	113 3.06%	375 4.36%	152 11.97%	234 8.55%	327 4.70%	17 1.75%
vms	24 0.20%	18 0.22%	6 0.16%	14 0.16%	5 0.39%	4 0.15%	18 0.26%	1 0.10%
vt100	11 0.09%	6 0.07%	5 0.14%	4 0.05%	4 0.31%	4 0.15%	3 0.04%	0 0.00%
windows	3217 27.41%	1891 23.51%	1326 35.93%	2303 26.75%	289 22.76%	671 24.52%	1915 27.55%	321 32.96%
windows95	3350 28.54%	2354 29.26%	996 26.98%	2423 28.14%	369 29.06%	732 26.75%	2006 28.86%	299 30.70%
windowsnt	315 2.68%	224 2.78%	91 2.47%	230 2.67%	43 3.39%	75 2.74%	212 3.05%	11 1.13%