I don't take it as being negative about the survey as all, Coboaltdream. In fact, I just responded (ynsaen time -- before interruption that lasted a few hours) to a series of posts elsewhere with some similar thoughts. Let me note that yes, you are right. It doesn't ask specifically what it is you are buying. This is mostly because, in order for any sort of meaningful community wide askign of that, there needs to be a general basis from which to compare and extrapolate when doing analysis. That's the purpose of this survey. In June, there will be a follow up (that takes many of the design lessons learned from this one into account to make it easier to fill out) that will address this a bit more specificaly, but requires, first and foremost, enough information to start from in order to make it effectve. Why wait until June? Well, for time to get this information that we're gathering now sorted, mostly. While it won't take long to collate and make it presentable and distibutable and do a general analysis of it, it will take a bit of time to do any sort of in depth study of it. This is a general overview of the market. As a public utility, one simply doesn't exist for everyone. That general overview is essential to have, becuase when you do get specific, you need to have something to correspond and reference with. Elements such as quality, promotional design (admittedly a failing of mine, personally, but one I'm working on :D), and behavior patterns are all worthless if you don't have the general market sussed out. All are important, and all will be included in the June survey, but first things first. As far as ODF is concerned, there's no doubt that I'll use some of this information in my own work, and that my parterns at ODF and I will do the same -- but this survey is most specifically not about ODF. IT's about my strange sense of helping the community to get things it lacks, and to help out in a different way than the norm. I carry that over into ODF as the easiest tool, often, but I'm really trying to step outside of it with things like this survey and the Magazine. Thanks though, for bringing this up. IT does help me to make sure that the survey's follow up will be the best possible one, and with everything I've already gotten so far, it's going to make sure that we have a significantly greater amount of information available to the public than ever before available. I think it'll be really cool. But, then again, I am...

thou and I, my friend, can, in the most flunkey world, make, each of us, one non-flunkey, one hero, if we like: that will be two heroes to begin with. (Carlyle)