Hey all,

My name is Dave, and I am a student in Birmingham, England.

I am writing an essay for my degree in interactive design and I would greatly appreciate your help. My essay is all about how 12 to 17 year olds interact with the Internet and instant messenger clients. If you are reading this, and you’re that age, keep reading.

Could you please fill in this questionnaire?
____________

Male or Female:
Your age (12-17):
Country:

• What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
  
  
• Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
  
  
• What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
  
  
• Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
  If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 13
Country: England.


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
It's cool, It's full of interesting things and people, and it's a great way to learn
    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Yes they are important, i participate in this forum, IM clients and maybe online games
    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
It's quick, easy and very popular.

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.


Nope, i dont/never have done. i have no webcam

Admin, move into T&T plzkthx.

Male or Female: Male
Your age : 14
Country: UK


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
Socializing, Information [For Homework, Hobbies] and downloading

    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Well, this one and 1 other forum, and it is important cos it's one of the oly things im enthusiastic about

    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
Friends and Familt that i may not see so much.

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
Yeah, it's cool because people who might have not see me in a long time get to see what i loo like and vice versa and some tex is impersonal.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 16
Country: Singapore

What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
To find inspirations.

Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Depending on what online community you are referring to.

What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
To communicate with friends and family, and getting to know more friends through introductions. It's a way of enlarging my circle of friends.

Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
No, I don't use it because I don't have a web camera. Even if I have got one, I will only use it for important stuffs, like meetings.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 14
Country: Portugal


What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?

• To Communicate with different people from different places, download stuff, search.

• Not really important,i just like it .I'm currently in This one some other boards and online games.

• Fast and simple communication with various persons.

• Yes, It's a very cool way to keep in touch, expecially with someone that you haven't seen in a while.

Name: Lourix
Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): Not Specified
Country: Spain




What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
To talk to my friends and learn new things!


Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Being part of an online community is great as its good to know whats happening all over the world. I mostly participate in shoutbox.menthix.net.


What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
I use Instant Messaging to talk to my friends when I am on the net. Also I need it to talk to them in other countries.


Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
I have in the past but I don't do it often mainly because the picture is a little rubbish and the picture is slow, sometimes it also freezes.

thank you very much for your help!
I greatly appreciate it

Male or Female: male
Your age (12-17): 15(almost)
Country: canada


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
interact with friends who dont have phones and such and to just talk without wasting phone billl, play games to waste time.

    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
yeah because here(only community I participate in) we talk.. learn more about eachother and get to know eachother more we even make plans to have meets throughout the world to meet who we've  been chatting with.

    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
the most important is to talk with friends and get to know people

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
yeah all the time with my friend(s) that have moved away or I haven't seen in awhile and its good because I know who I'm doing it with and its just too see how they look and how they're doing.



That’s all.
No problem helping.

Male or Female:
Your age: 14
Country: Mexico


* What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
chat with my friends, download tabs to play, try to help ppl on forums , etc.
   
* Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
yes, i participate in this comunity, also in the spanish one and in a psp forum
   
* What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
its free, also there are some features that i like of it
   
* Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
yes, i dont like to use it, with chatting is enough for me

What the hell, ohwell


male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 15
Country: UK


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
Keep in touch with my friends and family, forums, downloading stuff

    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?

Yes, i am a member of about 11 forums and a few sites, im not telling as i dont want stalkers

    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
Keep intouch with friends from my old school, family that live in Japan and New Zealand

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.

yes, its normally with my family and people that i know IRL.


There

Male or Female: MALE
Your age (12-17): 15
Country: England

• What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
  
  to talk to friends and family, research stuff, download stuffs, play, help other people on forums such as these
  
  
• Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
  
  Yes. I am a member of a number of forums.
  
  
• What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
  
  to chat with friends, and other friends that i couldn't talk to without IM because of distances
  
  
• Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
  If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
  
  Yes. Normally with people i know, it's fun and people can sees you!

Male or Female: Female
Your age (12-17): 15
Country: England.


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
Its a really good way to learn and to meet cool people like on here and myspace and stuff.
    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
The only online community I participate in is this forum and myspace.
    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
Its quick, free, easy to use and a good way to keep in touch.

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
      If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.


Yeah, really good and funny way to talk to friends. Don't use it all the time just with close friends.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 17
Country: England


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
For homework/research, but mainly for talking with friends and downloading music.

    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
I don't participate in this community as much as i used to, due to exams and such, but when i did it was really fun and important as i learnt a lot from this community.

    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
To talk to friends for free and its really easy. Also to keep in touch with family who live in other countries.


    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
I have used it to see some of my relatives who live abroad, but i don't use it that often.
I think its a great way to keep in touch and makes the conversation so much more real than when you can just see text in the window.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 17
Country: Turkey

What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?

Contact with friends,mp3 and learn eveything.[Google ]

I presented this to my neighbours' son...

Male, 16, Belgium

• What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
  => School, email, chatting, games
  
  
• Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
  => Depends. It is not _that_ important in life as I see my friends almost every day but it is fun and thus important to my relaxation after school.
  
  
• What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
  => fun
  
  
• Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
  If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
  => No. No need, is just maybe fun for a few times, but also slow.

Female
Your age (12-17): yeah im old but im not saying how old
Country: australia

• What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
  Because you can find pretty much anything and everything on the internet from recipes to directions.
  
  
• Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
  Its not very important to me but this is the community im most involved in
  
  
• What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
  because it's free and easy to use. you can message more than one person at once.
  
  
• Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
  If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
  yes i use it weekly to stay in touch with family. it rocks because it's free but it kinda sucks because its laggy and not the clearest thing in the world

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 13
Country: Canada

What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
I like talking too people, helping others, making videos


Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Yeah, it's important too me, it's like they are my 'in real life' friends important

What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
I like talking


Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
Yes.

Male or Female: Male
Your age (12-17): 14
Country: United Kingdom.

What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
Because otherwise i would get bored

Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
Its not that important, and here.

What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
Because i enjoy talking to friends


Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
No.

Male or Female:Male (changed back from other )
Your age (12-17): 13
Country: Canada


    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet? Because my life wouldn't be my life if there were no computers (thus no Internet)

    * Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in? Yes of course, mostly here, and some other minor ones which has few members/posts.

    * What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging? As an alternative to contacting friends and family.

    * Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch? Not to stay in touch.

P.S Results can be biased if you ask here because most members are regular computer users, and love Messenger Plus! more than almost anything.

Male or Female: Female
Your age (12-17): 17
Country: United Kingdom


What are some of the most important reasons why you use the Internet?
- Chat to friends
- Find information
- Entertainment
- Shopping

Is being part of an online community important to you? If so, what communities do you participate in?
- It's not THAT important but I like to being a part, getting to know more people etc. Mainly involved in here, deviantART and MySpace.

What are some of the most important reasons why you use instant messaging?
- Keep in touch with people
- Make plans
- General chit chat

Have you ever used video within instant messaging to stay in touch?
If so, explain what you thought of it, or why you don’t use it.
- Not to keep in touch I don't think. It's more of a fun thing. lol.