Internet usage demographics report from Pew

December 30, 2005 9:25 AM

"Newbies" have become a rare breed and other interesting conclusions from the Pew Internet & American Life Project's very readable (if PDF) report on 'net usage demographics, published 10/5. [ty biri]
posted by scarabic (10 comments total)

Also see their Global Attitudes Project, a "series of worldwide public opinion surveys. More than 90,000 interviews in 50 countries have been conducted as part of the project"
posted by scarabic at 9:27 AM on December 30, 2005

Waht's a NEWBIE plz??

* * *

No, I kid.
posted by maxsparber at 9:30 AM on December 30, 2005

So you're saying that the majority of idiots on the internet are like that because they choose to be, not because of ignorance?
posted by blue_beetle at 9:41 AM on December 30, 2005

Not necessarily a matter of choice, just that they're old, worldly, experienced idiots.
posted by Wolfdog at 9:59 AM on December 30, 2005

-Courtesy of Penny Arcade

You mean you haven't seen this?
posted by Navek Rednam at 9:59 AM on December 30, 2005

...What internet are they studying? 'Cause I'm pretty sure it's not the same one I'm on.
posted by fujikosmurf at 10:07 AM on December 30, 2005

The newbie thing was just a little teaser, not the whole point. I just thought the report had some interesting broad-level data.

Clearly they are thinking of newbies as "new internet users" while we think of them as "those uninitiated in responsible use of the internet in a particular context."

In any case, shitcocks are certainly not a rare breed online.
posted by scarabic at 10:53 AM on December 30, 2005

fujiko - you know the internet you're on? Well, log off and take the fifth door on your right. Right down the hall, on the left, is the other one. Bring a few days' worth of pizza and preferably some condoms.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:24 AM on December 30, 2005

Too bad--I used to love teaching Internet skills to newbies. They knew they knew nothing, so they were all excited about learning. People who don't know how little they know are a lot less fun to teach.
posted by gillyflower at 2:10 PM on December 30, 2005

Newbies have been gone for a long time. n00bs are still endemic as far as I can tell.
posted by baphomet at 5:28 PM on December 30, 2005