Heartbeat: Measuring active user base and potential user interest in FLOSS projects

Andrea Wiggins, James Howison, Kevin Crowston

Research output: Chapter in Book/Entry/PoemConference contribution

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a novel method and algorithm to measure the size of an open source project’s user base and the level of potential user interest that it generates. Previously unavailable download data at a daily resolution confirms hypothesized patterns related to release cycles. In short, regular users rapidly download the software after a new release giving a way to measure the active user base. In contrast, potential new users download the application independently of the release cycle, and the daily download figures tend to plateau at this rate when a release has not been made for some time. An algorithm for estimating these measures from download time series is demonstrated and the measures are examined over time in two open source projects.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOpen Source Ecosystems
Subtitle of host publicationDiverse Communities Interacting - 5th IFIP WG 2.13 International Conference on Open Source Systems, OSS 2009, Proceedings
EditorsCornelia Boldyreff, Kevin Crowston, Bjorn Lundell, Anthony I. Wasserman
PublisherSpringer New York LLC
Pages94-104
Number of pages11
ISBN (Print)9783642020315
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Event5th IFIP WG 2.13 International Conference on Open Source Systems, OSS 2009 - Skovde, Sweden
Duration: Jun 3 2009Jun 6 2009

Publication series

NameIFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume299
ISSN (Print)1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)1868-422X

Other

Other5th IFIP WG 2.13 International Conference on Open Source Systems, OSS 2009
Country/TerritorySweden
CitySkovde
Period6/3/096/6/09

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Information Systems
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Information Systems and Management

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