On Wed, 25 Apr 2001, Iain Hunneybell wrote:
> I know and understand the hosts vs. visitors arguement well and the analog
> 'How the web works' document is excellent at explaining such issues to
> others keen for 'visitor counts', however...
>
> I've seen other discussion of analog vs. WebTrends and I've been doing some
> work to validate WT results with analog (I've even got close answers!).
> However, looking at the 'Distinct Hosts Served' figures vs. the equivalent
> WT 'Visits' and 'Unique Visitors' counts, I find analog gives a
> significantly (60%+) higher count than WT does for 'Unique Visitors'.
>
> This surprises me. I'd have thought that a strict 'Hosts count' - which I
> presume means unique IP - would give a _lower_ count than a WT 'visitors'
> count as WT might count as two or more 'visitors' the same IP if separated
> by a significant amount of time (like >30 mins).
>
> Anyone any ideas on why an analog 'Hosts count' should come out higher than
> a WT 'visitors' count?
>
Look for discussion of "AOL" in docs/webworks.html. It's possible for one
person to send requests from many hosts, as well as many people from one
host.
Of course, I can't say if that accounts for it all. You might like to test
them both with small invented logfiles to see if they're both reporting what
you think they should be.
--
Stephen Turner http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~sret1/
Statistical Laboratory, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, CB3 0WB, England
"Your account can only be used for a single internet session at any one
time and for no more than 24 hours in any one day." (NTL terms of use)
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