I've wondered about this too, as have some other people I've spoken with. The subject is addressed at Meta:SE, but I was only able to find information that I could understand about the first part of the question. I'm hoping someone will come along and explain the rest.

The first view of the question is attributed to the person who posted it, and happens as soon as you do so.

This answer to the SE Meta question What is that 1 view which automatically appears after submitting a question? explains that.

You are a user, and as soon as you submit your question you are shown your new question = 1 view.

 

So the first view count is you :)

The second part of the question's more confusing, because I don't understand the "techie" language that's used by the relevant posts.

Meta:SE's How are the number of views in a question calculated? offers some insight, and leads to other similar posts.

There are some posts which seem to infer that the views have to do with the IP address where the view originated. There are things put in place so people can't game the system by logging in and out repeatedly and adding view counts to their question. Some of the posts mention a 15-minute waiting period in a "cache" before something registers as a vote count. Again, I'm way out of my depth here!

I can tell you that this question was at 10 views when I saw it. I came in and out of it and refreshed it at least 15 times, for a total of 20 minutes before it registered an 11th view. That view could have been anyone though, so that doesn't necessarily prove anything.

Whether the main and meta sites are different, I can't answer that either. I tried to force an additional view on a question at the regular site, and the same thing happened. It took many times and then a wait of about 20 minutes before another view count registered.

I'm not sure what the difference was for you. The lack of a quick second view here might have been because it was your computer that viewed it again. The second view of the one you mentioned on the regular site might have been a second person who viewed it right away.

It might also have been because it was your own question. Again, I hope someone else helps you, and the rest of us, understand how it works.

I've wondered about this too, as have some other people I've spoken with. The subject is addressed at Meta:SE, but I was only able to find information that I could understand about the first part of the question. I'm hoping someone will come along and explain the rest.

The first view of the question is attributed to the person who posted it, and happens as soon as you do so.

This answer to the SE Meta question What is that 1 view which automatically appears after submitting a question? explains that.

You are a user, and as soon as you submit your question you are shown your new question = 1 view.

So the first view count is you :)

The second part of the question's more confusing, because I don't understand the "techie" language that's used by the relevant posts.

Meta:SE's How are the number of views in a question calculated? offers some insight, and leads to other similar posts.

There are some posts which seem to infer that the views have to do with the IP address where the view originated. There are things put in place so people can't game the system by logging in and out repeatedly and adding view counts to their question. Some of the posts mention a 15-minute waiting period in a "cache" before something registers as a vote count. Again, I'm way out of my depth here!

I can tell you that this question was at 10 views when I saw it. I came in and out of it and refreshed it at least 15 times, for a total of 20 minutes before it registered an 11th view. That view could have been anyone though, so that doesn't necessarily prove anything.

Whether the main and meta sites are different, I can't answer that either. I tried to force an additional view on a question at the regular site, and the same thing happened. It took many times and then a wait of about 20 minutes before another view count registered.

I'm not sure what the difference was for you. The lack of a quick second view here might have been because it was your computer that viewed it again. The second view of the one you mentioned on the regular site might have been a second person who viewed it right away.

It might also have been because it was your own question. Again, I hope someone else helps you, and the rest of us, understand how it works.