4 research outputs found
A complementary view on the growth of directory trees
Trees are a special sub-class of networks with unique properties, such as the level distribution which has often been overlooked. We analyse a general tree growth model proposed by Klemm etal.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 128701 (2005)] to explain the growth of user-generated directory structures in computers. The model has a single parameter q which interpolates between preferential attachment and random growth. Our analysis results in three contributions: first, we propose a more efficient estimation method for q based on the degree distribution, which is one specific representation of the model. Next, we introduce the concept of a level distribution and analytically solve the model for this representation. This allows for an alternative and independent measure of q. We argue that, to capture real growth processes, the q estimations from the degree and the level distributions should coincide. Thus, we finally apply both representations to validate the model with synthetically generated tree structures, as well as with collected data of user directories. In the case of real directory structures, we show that q measured from the level distribution are incompatible with q measured from the degree distribution. In contrast to this, we find perfect agreement in the case of simulated data. Thus, we conclude that the model is an incomplete description of the growth of real directory structures as it fails to reproduce the level distribution. This insight can be generalised to point out the importance of the level distribution for modeling tree growt
Sustainable growth in complex networks
Based on the empirical analysis of the dependency network in 18 Java
projects, we develop a novel model of network growth which considers both: an
attachment mechanism and the addition of new nodes with a heterogeneous
distribution of their initial degree, . Empirically we find that the
cumulative degree distributions of initial degrees and of the final network,
follow power-law behaviors: , and
, respectively. For the total number of links as a
function of the network size, we find empirically ,
where is (at the beginning of the network evolution) between 1.25 and
2, while converging to for large . This indicates a transition from
a growth regime with increasing network density towards a sustainable regime,
which revents a collapse because of ever increasing dependencies. Our
theoretical framework is able to predict relations between the exponents
, , , which also link issues of software engineering and
developer activity. These relations are verified by means of computer
simulations and empirical investigations. They indicate that the growth of real
Open Source Software networks occurs on the edge between two regimes, which are
either dominated by the initial degree distribution of added nodes, or by the
preferential attachment mechanism. Hence, the heterogeneous degree distribution
of newly added nodes, found empirically, is essential to describe the laws of
sustainable growth in networks.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl
Heterogeneity shapes groups growth in social online communities
Many complex systems are characterized by broad distributions capturing, for
example, the size of firms, the population of cities or the degree distribution
of complex networks. Typically this feature is explained by means of a
preferential growth mechanism. Although heterogeneity is expected to play a
role in the evolution it is usually not considered in the modeling probably due
to a lack of empirical evidence on how it is distributed. We characterize the
intrinsic heterogeneity of groups in an online community and then show that
together with a simple linear growth and an inhomogeneous birth rate it
explains the broad distribution of group members.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure panel
A complementary view on the growth of directory trees
Trees are a special sub-class of networks with unique properties, such as the
level distribution which has often been overlooked. We analyse a general tree
growth model proposed by Klemm {\em et. al.} (2005) to explain the growth of
user-generated directory structures in computers. The model has a single
parameter which interpolates between preferential attachment and random
growth. Our analysis results in three contributions: First, we propose a more
efficient estimation method for based on the degree distribution, which is
one specific representation of the model. Next, we introduce the concept of a
level distribution and analytically solve the model for this representation.
This allows for an alternative and independent measure of . We argue that,
to capture real growth processes, the estimations from the degree and the
level distributions should coincide. Thus, we finally apply both
representations to validate the model with synthetically generated tree
structures, as well as with collected data of user directories. In the case of
real directory structures, we show that measured from the level
distribution are incompatible with measured from the degree distribution.
In contrast to this, we find perfect agreement in the case of simulated data.
Thus, we conclude that the model is an incomplete description of the growth of
real directory structures as it fails to reproduce the level distribution. This
insight can be generalised to point out the importance of the level
distribution for modeling tree growth.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure