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  • #2212205

    What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

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    by ms09nk ·

    Hello everyone,

    As part of my MSc Dissertation project at Warwick Business School in UK, I?m conducting a survey that deals with users? experiences of participation in professional virtual communities, of which TechRepublic is perfect example.

    I would be great if you could help me and participate by clicking on the link below. The survey will take no longer than 10 minutes to answer. All responses will be kept strictly confidential (used only for the purposes of my dissertation). Everyone who participates will have the option to enter into a draw for five ?20 (or $30) Amazon vouchers.

    The survey is accessible at:

    http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/332962/ks-vcp7

    I greatly appreciate your help. My degree depends on this survey! If you would like to know the results of my work, I will be happy to share them here with the TechRepublic community after the data is collected.

    Best regards,

    Nikita Kursov

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    Replies
    • #2858802

      Questions

      by charliespencer ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      The survey is very generic and not TR-specific. What other sites are you posting this to?

      Hey, PTBs, you cool with this?

      • #2858800

        I’m not

        by santeewelding ·

        In reply to Questions

        Pure marketing.

        • #2858797

          Marketing what?

          by charliespencer ·

          In reply to I’m not

          On-line survey services? The first page of the survey wasn’t pushing anything. It looks harmless, but something didn’t give me warm fuzzies.

        • #2858794

          Purely academic research

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to I’m not

          I can promise you that I am not marketing anything other than my own academic survey. My research is purely academic and needless to say, there are absolutely no commercial intentions involved. My only intention is to do well in my dissertation and contribute new, valuable insights to academic literature.

        • #2858783

          commercial intentions

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Purely academic research

          Absolutely none, you said, including the Amazon vouchers.

        • #2858779

          Incentives, not intentions

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to commercial intentions

          That is correct, there are absolutely no commercial intentions.

          The sole purpose of the Amazon vouchers is to serve as an incentive for potential participants, and as a thank you for taking the time and effort to participate. If I had the necessary financial resources, I would give every participant an Amazon voucher in return, however in reality this is not possible, hence the five voucher prize draw.

        • #2858774

          There is, as well

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to commercial intentions

          Your exclamation that, “My degree depends on this survey!”

          Which is to say, on the kindness of strangers alone? Your own work to this point, not?

          Does the exclamation fall in line with your repeated assertions about needing to adhere faithfully to academic parameters?

        • #2858758

          Please expand

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to There is, as well

          Would you kindly clarify as to what exactly you are implying your post?

          The central and most important piece of my Masters degree, (besides exams, essays, presentations etc), is the dissertation, this also being the last stage of the course. In turn, the central part of my dissertation is the survey. As is the case with most surveys that I’ve come across, my survey inevitably depends on the kindness of strangers, as you correctly put. Therefore at this point, my degree very much depends on the kindness of strangers, as, simply put: no responses => no data => no dissertation => no degree.

          I am not sure how this relates to ‘adherence to academic parameters’.

        • #2858755

          welcome

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to Please expand

          to TR’s baffle them with bull* trap. 😉

          Santee just loves to agitate like that, you can safely ignore him. 😉

        • #2858741

          Expand?

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Please expand

          I just have. I expanded my original post — “Pure marketing” — on two counts: commercialization and exclamation.

          Further, the bullshilt to which Jaqui refers is your own. I’ve been playing off your terminology: “nature of academic surveys…compromise the validity…fastidious world of academic research…measures invalid”.

          I imply nothing. I declare. Yours, so far, amounts to an aside.

          I repeat: where in the fastidious world of academic research do you fit your exclamation point? Where do you fit payment?

          Yours is a business school. Nowadays it’s called, “business development”; aka, “marketing”.

          Pure marketing.

        • #2858729

          RE: Expand?

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Please expand

          I have ‘reached my maximum message level’ so I am posting up the tree.


          @santeewelding
          : I must have, for some unexplainable reason, personally insulted you by posting an invitation to my survey on the TechRepublic Forums, for I cannot find any other reason why you would be picking on such trivial points as the exclamation mark in my survey invitation.

          I think I have explained myself and my intentions quite clearly. And as I already mentioned, the ‘payment’, serves as an added incentive for members to participate, this is regularly used in quantitative academic research.

          I am not forcing you or anyone else to take the survey – it is an invitation: if you prefer not to, don’t participate. How this could have agitated or offended you is beyond my understanding.

        • #2858724

          Insulted? Agitated? Offended?

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Please expand

          These are unknown to me. Were they known to me, I would have exclaimed so.

          The umbrage is yours.

        • #2858715

          RE: Insulted? Agitated? Offended?

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Please expand

          That I am pleased to hear. Likewise, there is no umbrage on my behalf whatsoever.

          Actually I should thank you, for your posts have helped this thread stay on top of the discussion forums, inadvertently promoting the survey far more than any exclamation marks and cash incentives combined.

        • #2858709

          Inadvertantly?

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Please expand

          My, but you ascribe so much.

          Your defense of thesis is what I had in mind.

          You are unaccustomed to the rigors of challenge?

      • #2858798

        More information on my research

        by ms09nk ·

        In reply to Questions

        I understand your point and apologise if the survey if you perceive the survey too generic for the TechRepublic forum.

        The original aspect of my research is that unlike previous studies, it examines professional virtual communities (aka virtual communities of practice). Consequently, I found the TechRepublic discussion forums to be one of the best examples of such communities. I have also offered the survey to members of 4 other professional virtual communities, including Spiceworks.com and WebDeveloper.com.

        Needless to say, I will be happy to provide you with any further information regarding my research.

        • #2858795

          Esitmating almost 100 questions.

          by charliespencer ·

          In reply to More information on my research

          Most of your questions are multi-part, with at least three sub-questions each, and many appear repetitive (on the first page, questions 8 and 9).

          I reached the second page, saw the number of responses expected, and quit.

        • #2858791

          66, to be precise

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Esitmating almost 100 questions.

          I would have loved to make the survey more concise and the questions less repetitive, but unfortunately this is the nature of academic surveys and cutting anything out compromises the validity of my results.

          There are a total of 66 questions, and each one only takes a few seconds to answer. Having been pre-tested multiple times, it took respondents no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

        • #2858793

          I completed it

          by neilb@uk ·

          In reply to More information on my research

          but declined to leave my email address so the 20 quid isn’t going to be mine. Probably a good thing as I’d only spend it on beer. 🙁

          I do have to say that a lot of the questions were in blocks that were really very similar within the grouping. Made it a bit tedious.

          🙂

        • #2858784

          Thanks!

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to I completed it

          Thank you for participating, greatly appreciated.

          I also wish I could have less similar questions within blocks, but in the fastidious world of academic research doing so would make the measures invalid.

        • #2858782

          Me too

          by jellimonsta ·

          In reply to I completed it

          Completed it too, and tend to agree with the apparent repetitiveness of grouped questions. However, I can understand if there were outlines and expectation placed that necessitated they be so.

        • #2858699
          Avatar photo

          Yep I have to agree

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to I completed it

          The questions where repetitive which is to be expected by Uni Requirements so that was no biggy for me.

          However with all the questions about the
          Moderator Running the site which isn’t the case with TR I think that the results may be far from what actually happens here at TR. I’ve had occasion where I’ve been giving Technical help to a Moderator off line.

          Also many here give help just because they feel that it’s their responsibility to return what they received years ago when they where starting out.

          While they do run into problems and they do expect help from the community at those times occasionally it’s not the reason why they offer help to begin with.

          But then again maybe I’m completely wrong and I’m just strange, as it’s how I work. :0

          Col

        • #2858697

          I’ll agree

          by boxfiddler ·

          In reply to Yep I have to agree

          that you are [i]just strange[/i]. :0

        • #2858691

          that also. ~nt~

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to I’ll agree

          .

        • #2858640
          Avatar photo

          But

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to I’ll agree

          I still control the Air Locks and run no risk of getting sucked out unlike some people here. :p

          [b]I’m Sorry Davette but this conversation can serve no purpose goodbye.[/b]

          Col :^0 😀 :^0 😀

        • #2858692

          well

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to Yep I have to agree

          it’s that you been infected with the free software / open source software spirit Col.

          you can’t help but to help. 😀

        • #2858641
          Avatar photo

          Well

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to well

          That’s probably correct.

          When I used to bash out code I gave most of it away. It was far easier to do that than train others to write the same thing. 😀

          But on a more serious note we all got a lot of help in the early days and we all have to [b]Pay it Forward[/b] so if nothing else we have a quieter life. 😉

          Or maybe it’s just because I used to run training classes so in some perverted sort of way I used to teach. Perhaps I just can not break the habit.

          Col

    • #2858801

      It’s like a geek convention

      by slayer_ ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      Here, geeks are cool. Those highschool jocks, I see em every few days, they bag my groceries!

    • #2858763

      ~chuckle~

      by jaqui ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      and gmail doesn’t like your email address. 😀

      so here, something to consider when you check the responses from TR members.

      We only started having a Moderator on the site 2/3 years ago. Both of them came from the membership. We tend to be self policing on TR, and the moderator was actually only added for deleting the “spam” posts. where people post large posts of links to sell items.

      In general, if someone new picks a fight with anyone who has been around for a while, they have the entire active membership on their case. We tend to see ourselves as an extended family.

      It truly is a unique online community.

      Jaqui

      p.s. some members seem to like to pick fights with new members, just ignore them. 😀

      • #2858725

        Thanks for the insight

        by ms09nk ·

        In reply to ~chuckle~

        Thanks for the insight into the forum’s situation with moderators, it’s been taken on board.

        I agree, this online community truly is unique. I seem to have somehow offended a member or two by posting my invitation to the survey and I am now having to defend my research intentions from a a plethora of false accusations (or misunderstandings?).

        Thanks for the tip.

        Nikita

        • #2858722

          Nobody is offended

          by neilb@uk ·

          In reply to Thanks for the insight

          We’re just a suspicious lot. You only got your form filled in by me because I’ve been to Coventry and I feel sorry for you.

          :p

          Unfortunately, I’m a long-time Sky Blue’s fan. 🙁

        • #2858720

          Appreciated

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Nobody is offended

          Thanks. Not a big fan of Coventry myself (FC or otherwise), but did give it a go last game of last season, when they lost 4-0 to Watford. Not setting foot at the Ricoh Arena again.

        • #2858701
          Avatar photo

          Do you remember the guy who posted a Job on TR years ago?

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Nobody is offended

          he got a real caning wanting people to work in South Africa.

          Seems that the same people who gave him a hard time all those years ago are now extolling the virtue of that product. :^0

          so this bit in your post [i]We’re just a suspicious lot.[/i] seems a bit of a understatement. :^0

          Col

        • #2858704

          an example

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to Thanks for the insight

          of the work of our beloved moderators.
          http://techrepublic.com.com/5213-6257-0.html?id=6497838&tag=results;CR56

          he joined and started posting long product lists with links to generate sales.
          so now we’;; just watch for his posts and tag em spam with the magic button, and they go away. 😀

        • #2858687

          RE: an example

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to an example

          By now, I hope to have convinced the community that I’m not one of the bad guys (like heebee123). Just an innocent MSc student here. Perhaps I should have come up with a more trustworthy username than ms09nk?

          In fact, I even feel that I’ve contributed a little back to the community by creating quite a lively and entertaining-to-read discussion thread 🙂

        • #2858686

          Does this mean

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to RE: an example

          You are going to run away from what was and join the circus?

        • #2858685

          Re: Does this mean

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Does this mean

          No.

        • #2858684

          Lose

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Re: Does this mean

          The [b]Re:[/b] shilt.

          By it, you increasingly convince me you proceed by means of template thinking, much in the way you presented your thesis.

        • #2858681

          Re: Lose

          by ms09nk ·

          In reply to Re: Does this mean

          Oops, another unimaginative reply title.

          You must be right. I’m a template thinker.

        • #2858678

          In turn meaning

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to Re: Does this mean

          I dismiss you out of hand for a singularly unimaginative reply.

        • #2858702

          No offense, just caution.

          by charliespencer ·

          In reply to Thanks for the insight

          Some of us are more included to stick a toe in the water than just jumping in blindly.

          If the other person you’re worried about offending was santeewelding, don’t be. That’s just his way of saying hello.

        • #2858690

          You know…

          by jellimonsta ·

          In reply to No offense, just caution.

          I feel this thread may have been all the more colorful with responses from OM and Scummy. Makes me miss them more so. 🙁

        • #2858689

          Ditto that.

          by boxfiddler ·

          In reply to You know…

          🙁

        • #2858656

          This thread?

          by charliespencer ·

          In reply to You know…

          Most threads.

    • #2858679

      Tell me, why should I believe you?

      by av . ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      Click on the link, help me out and I might be in a drawing for an Amazon voucher? Woo Hoo!

      I wouldn’t click on your link ever Nikita, member since today. Your post looks like a million other spam emails that I just delete.

      AV

      • #2858677

        It’s up to you

        by ms09nk ·

        In reply to Tell me, why should I believe you?

        Unfortunately I cannot provide you with any solid proof other than my own words. I am an MSc student collecting responses for my survey, of which I have so far collected just under 170 in four online communities.

        It is up to you whether to believe me or not. If you don’t believe the above, and regard my post as spam, then delete the post, delete my user account and I will look to complete my respondent quota in other, less distrustful communities.

        • #2858676

          “distrustful”?

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to It’s up to you

          Now, you have gone and done it.

          I prefer to think of my fellows here as exercising ribald intellect.

          This is unknown where you are?

        • #2858571

          huh?

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to “distrustful”?

          you mean that you never realized we are a distrustful group of people?

          or as I like to put it:
          We trust everyone implicitly, to be out to screw us over.

        • #2858570

          I mean

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to huh?

          That even you, Jaqui — possibly the least among us — do not fit into the mold of trust.

          “Trust” is that which marketers and their ilk study intensively at university, relying heavily on 18-20 year-old-something subjects, like an ingrown toenail of intellect, to extrapolate to adults at large.

          I am not one of them.

          Looking around here, I am hard-pressed to see any others.

      • #2858572

        Go for it, AV

        by nicknielsen ·

        In reply to Tell me, why should I believe you?

        He’s not only been hanging around, he’s been active–definitely not your typical spammer.

        I took the survey, but declined the $/£/€ incentive. The survey was a bit repetitive, but I suspect that has more to do with statistical accuracy than anything else.

        The only lack I noticed was a provision for respondent comments. Not a problem. If he continues to monitor this discussion, he’ll get an earful. And maybe even a few usable quotes.

        • #2860248

          I’m just jaded, Nick

          by av . ·

          In reply to Go for it, AV

          I know he has been responding to people and I’m willing to help students out with their research, but I’m just paranoid when I see the classic spam phrases like “click on the link” and you’ll get whatever for your participation.

          I immediately go into Warning Will Robinson mode. I just can’t help it. If I ever clicked on his link I’d have to scan my PC with every malware tool I have or I wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. :_|

          AV

        • #2860238
          Avatar photo

          RE: If I ever clicked on his link I’d have to scan my PC with every malware

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to I’m just jaded, Nick

          AV you mean to say that you don’t do this anyway?

          You can not be anywhere near as Paranoid as I am then, I do a entire scan at least once a day with the heavy duty stuff and that is just for visiting TR. It gets much worse when I go to sites that I don’t know.

          Once upon a Time a Shrink suggested that I didn’t trust anyone at all and I should work on that. I just replied that Trust isn’t the point here [b]You have the infection not me and I’m the one that you called to fix the mess that you made.[/b] 😉

          But none the less I trust the Web Implicitly to [b]Screw Me Over at every chance.[/b]

          He tried to section me but first he wanted me to fix his computer. Apparently some people think that the Web is Safe. :^0 😀 :^0 😀

          Col

        • #2860234

          Of course, I have real-time protection

          by av . ·

          In reply to RE: If I ever clicked on his link I’d have to scan my PC with every malware

          I just don’t scan with every malware program out there daily unless I clicked on something suspicious.

          I trust the web as much as you do. Hence, I’m ready for a padded room. 😉

          AV

    • #2858565

      Admit it, ms09nk

      by bergenfx ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      … you must be having fun. I am, reading the jibes, barbs, local customs. Almost like a Stephen King movie; (I think he writes books, too). Maybe, next time, you should bring along an anthropologist and do a field study.

      • #2858564

        This place

        by boxfiddler ·

        In reply to Admit it, ms09nk

        is Social Science heaven.

        • #2858558

          naw boxy

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to This place

          it’s a mental asylum with voluntary residents. 😀

        • #2858557

          with PeeWee Herman

          by bergenfx ·

          In reply to naw boxy

          as Nurse Ratched

          edit for spelling

        • #2858556

          bergenfx

          by santeewelding ·

          In reply to with PeeWee Herman

          How the hell are you?

          And, who the hell are you?

          Seems I knew once in a way someone up by your way. You wouldn’t be him, would you?

          Regardless, you handle yourself — and I enjoy you — well.

        • #2858555

          and Santee

          by bergenfx ·

          In reply to bergenfx

          “How the hell are you?”

          I’m good most days, thanks for asking.

          “And, who the hell are you?”

          You do ask the tough ones, don’t you? I’ll let you know when I discover the answer. If you mean what do I do, (a much easier question) … Our first house was out in the country, in the woods. Every day, when we were building it I would pass a place. First I noticed they were selling pumpkins. A few weeks later it was squash and maize. Then it was Christmas trees, and then wood burning stoves, and then hot tubs and then quilts … It was always something different and often many things at once. I thought that was kind of cool … a very different economy from urban life. Well, that is kind of what I do now, only not quite so close to the earth. I obviously have an IT background and take opportunities in that when there is occasion. Sorry for the overly long answer, but you can’t ask that kind of question and expect otherwise … that is unless I gave you some kind of zen answer like, I am the fire that quenches the thirst.

          “Seems I knew once in a way someone up by your way. You wouldn’t be him, would you?”

          Probably not. You would remember me. If you were wearing your asbestos shorts, I would have bugged you with questions about welding till you escaped out of the side exit. One of a few regrets, never having learned to weld.

          “Regardless, you handle yourself — and I enjoy you — well.”

          I appreciate that. You are kind of like the Greek Chorus for TR, (not exactly that, but it is as close as I can come to a description), and I enjoy that.

        • #2858553
          Avatar photo

          But Welding is Welding

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to and Santee

          It’s not a Black Art like IT.

          It’s pretty straight forward. Take into account the type of Metal use the approbate device to join 2 or more bits of metal together. Be that a Stick Welder, Mig, Tig Oxy or whatever.

          Running a bead with a Stick welder is relatively easy it just takes a bit of practice. 😉

          The others are a bit more involved and you have to take into account the thickness of the material and what you want/need to do but with a bit of practice anyone can do it. Well almost anyone as I once ran across a guy who couldn’t be taught how to use a Screwdriver but he is the exception.

          However I also say the same thing about IT with enough practice anyone can do it. :^0

          Col

        • #2858552
          Avatar photo

          No Jaqui you are just so wrong there

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to naw boxy

          We are all Sectioned but we don’t mind because

          [b]WE RUN THE ASYLUM.[/b]

          After all if we where voluntary we could leave any time we want to and as no one wants to leave we are stuck here.

          We have however made it into a fun place so why would we want to leave now? :p

          Col

        • #2858532

          You can check out any time you like… No text.

          by charliespencer ·

          In reply to No Jaqui you are just so wrong there

          ?

        • #2858525

          but you can never leave. ~nt~

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to You can check out any time you like… No text.

          .

    • #2858523

      You do realize that if you post another “Dissertation project” on here…

      by peconet tietokoneet ·

      In reply to What is your experience of using TechRepublic?

      It will reported as spam.
      Just to give you a heads up.
      I am not into any kind of marketing (unless it is on my terms) of any kind. So for your question paper you will have to use your own brain to fathom out the answers. Some answers can not be answered by your paper, the answer is inside yourself, not by others. You have a paper to do, so go and do it, do not ask us to help you out while you sit back with the answers rolling in because you are too stupid/lazy/tired to fill in the answers yourself. What do they teach at school now-a-days, “How to do a questionnaire”? Go to a library and read some books on the subject in hand for your thesis.

      • #2860239
        Avatar photo

        RE you will have to use your own brain to fathom out the answers.

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to You do realize that if you post another “Dissertation project” on here…

        But in this case your Own Brain can not give you the answers. It is asking how people relate on Specialized Web Sites like TR so how can any single person know the answer for that type of question without asking others?

        It’s like the Mech Engineer doing a Thesis on Turbo Charged Boxer Engines without doing any Research.

        With all Uni Type Papers particularly Dissertations and the like [b]Research[/b] is the key to it all. Also the fact that these things end up as Public Domain most times also means that it’s free to anyone who cares to look and read when it’s eventually finished.

        Of course you do have to know where to look. :^0

        Col

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