In short, OJStat is a web-based application written in PHP and MySQL to estimate visit statistics of an OJS-based journal in order to provide an overview of how popular and useful a journal is to the scientific community in the world.
OJStat: among the other similar apps
We are now living in an era where journal statistics applications are scattered on the internet like mushrooms in the rainy season. From day to day, web programmers create and develop applications with the aim of capturing statistical information on a website or website-based journal. OJStat is just an app with the same purpose among modern and sophisticated similar apps like Matomo, Plausible, StatCounter, and so on.
In this opportunity, as a developer, I want to emphasize that OJStat was not written to compete but to contribute. I wrote OJStat as a contribution to our beloved Open Journal System users, because after all, users want to use a variety of journal statistics applications. OJStat is simply a free choice for anyone who wants to use it.
What OJStat Provides?
Journal Statistics
As the name suggests, this application is tasked with capturing visit statistics for an OJS-based journal. Unlike other similar applications that can be used to capture statistical information in general, this application is specifically designed to work with OJS-based journals.
The features in OJStat are constantly being developed from version to version to meet user needs. In the latest version (1.3), OJStat provides users with detailed statistical information which includes:
- Visits: Visit statistics which are divided into sections such as Daily Visits, Monthly Visits, Annual Visits, Unique Visits, and Returns.
- Pageviews: Page Viewability is estimated based on the number of readings for each journal article and its reading percentage among other articles.
- Country of visitors: displaying countries, cities, total number of visitors, number of unique visitors, and number of returning visitors.
- Operating system and device usage: this is useful for optimization to meet the needs of visitors with dominant operating systems and devices.
- Traffic Sources: this is useful to capture from which sources a journal is visited so that OJStat users know how the journal is indexed and displayed on other websites.
The statistical information mentioned above can be displayed either on a static page created in OJS (using widgets) or through the OJStat Metrics and Statistics page. In addition, users have complete control over what information visitors can see with easy configuration in OJStat.
Journal Ratings or Metrics
As a contribution, OJStat wants to have a plus that sets it apart from other similar applications. To achieve this passion, OJStat provides a feature to capture how useful a journal is by displaying the journal's metric information.
This simple application is able to capture the metrical information of a journal as long as the journal is indexed and cited by the authors whose articles are indexed on the internet. OJStat only needs the journal ID in order to find the right metrical information from scientific journal indexing websites such as Google Scholar, Copernicus Index, Scimago, Moraref, and CiteFactor. Recently, there has been an issue that CiteFactor is providing false metric information but I'm not removing it from OJStat. I think that users should remove this functionality from OJStat (version 1.3) if they don't use CiteFactor.
All statistical and metrical information of the journal is displayed both in tabular and graphical form. Users will be provided (or pampered) with interactive and representative charts and tables while all the data can be navigated and controlled very easily.
Why is OJStat Free?
Why not? Many similar apps provide free versions and even they are much more advanced than OJStat (I totally admit it). Compared to other similar apps that are more modern, OJStat is much simpler but that doesn't detract from the value of this app because it was built with love and a will to contribute.
It's true that writing OJStat, for me, is a job that requires a lot of energy, time, and money, especially since I'm not a licensed web programmer. With limited knowledge, experience, and resources, I have succeeded in making OJStat a useful add-on application for OJS users.
Is OJStat an OJS Plugin?
OJStat is not an OJS plugin but a standalone application. I can't develop OJStat as an OJS plugin because I can't predict if I can keep up with the developments and changes made by the OJS development team. Meanwhile, an OJS plugin must continue to be developed following the development of OJS that changes and improves from version to version.
Because OJStat is not an OJS plugin, its installation method also cannot follow the installation of ordinary OJS plugins. OJStat has its own installation method which is very easy for users to do. Please see the post on how to install OJStat on this blog.
Is OJStat developed in team?
I wish that I had a team of people with more reliable knowledge of web programming. Unfortunately, to date, I haven't managed to build a team of OJStat developers. Therefore, up to version 1.3, OJStat was developed by only one developer, me.
The limited number of OJStat developers makes it difficult for me to identify bugs in this application. I only get input from the PKP Forum and I admit that the input is very valuable even though the number is too limited.
Is OJStat an Open-Source App?
OJStat is an open-source application. Users can make changes to the OJStat they use without getting my permission. Nonetheless, allow me to request that the name of the application not be changed even though you have made major changes in the core file.
IS OJStat Free Forever?
Until now, I had no dreams of making a paid version of OJStat. Although OJStat will experience great feature development later on, I will just give it away for free without any difference between the free version and the premium version, whatever the term.
I hope that the presence of OJStat can provide benefits for all OJS users wherever they are. Let's spread some kind words about OJStat to let other OJS users know about it. I hope that my time, energy, and expense efforts will not be in vain. Thank you for visiting the official OJStat blog.