 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Melb PC User Group Survey 1990 John Beck |
There were 838 replies to the survey. NSW sent 23, Queensland 10, South Australia 7, Western Australia 2, Tasmania 6, Victorian Country 135, no postcode 12, and 643 from greater Melbourne. These respondents are thanked for taking the trouble to complete and return their forms. This represents just over 20% of the membership at the time. The results will be used to give guidance in planning future activities. The data will be taken as representative of the membership, or at least of the ones who took the trouble to respond. This section will cover the questions which required a quantitative answer. In the next magazine will be the analysis of the qualitative or text replies. In some sections the results have been classified in terms of male and female, and expressed as a percentage, which will be recognised as they are quoted as numbers rounded to one decimal place. The remainder are actual numbers. A weighted average was taken of items 2, 5, and 18, and the order of listing changed to reflect the ranking.
| lowest |
highest |
||||||||
| 2. SERVICES (male) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| PC Update | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 4.6 | 11.3 | 73.3 |
| PD Library | 6.4 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 8.2 | 21.3 | 9.7 | 17.0 | 12.3 | 14.1 |
| BBS | 25.7 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 19.4 | 6.2 | 8.6 | 10.4 | 13.8 |
| SIGs | 18.7 | 6.8 | 9.2 | 6.0 | 21.7 | 8.0 | 11.1 | 7.7 | 9.8 |
| Disk sales (blank) | 21.0 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 18.8 | 7.7 | 10.2 | 9.6 | 10.4 |
| PD registrations | 17.2 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 31.1 | 7.9 | 9.8 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
| Monthly meetings | 25.1 | 6.4 | 9.7 | 7.8 | 22.7 | 7.0 | 9.2 | 6.1 | 4.8 |
| Help line | 13.4 | 7.5 | 9.3 | 7.5 | 15.5 | 7.7 | 10.1 | 7.4 | 9.7 |
| Training | 25.3 | 10.0 | 8.8 | 5.2 | 27.7 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 4.6 | 6.0 |
highest
This ranking is for males. The order for the
ladies is: Purchased PD, Help line, Bought disks, Monthly meetings, SIGs,
Attended training, logged onto BBS. Accessing BBS correlates well with expertise
claimed by the respondent (all the power users are men), but the activity does
not inspire the lady members.
Although both sexes give PC Update top billing, the ladies are less
impressed than the men. The written remarks might give an idea why
and steps will be taken to improve their appreciation. Training also
scores badly. This could be due to many members not attending our
courses, but if you are not satisfied in any way please let us know so
that they can be restructured.
236 Pay to use 180
About 77% of respondents will accept an increase in subscription
to advance the activities of the Group. This information is valuable
for when the committee are evaluating the many suggestions received
from members, and planning the implementation of alternatives.
145 188
This item gives an indication of the type of articles etc. which are
most popular, and in conjunction with remarks put forward will help the editorial team. The Hints and Tips are popular with both sexes.
Why not share with others the things which you have found to make your computer activities easier or more pleasant. Send them in on disk
or upload to the editorial BBS.
The bulk of our membership
irrespective of gender is between 31 and 50. The same situation exists in the
Canberra Group.
lowest
2. SERVICES (female)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
PC Update
1.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
11.6
3.3
5.0
8.3
70.0
PD Library
13.3
6.6
3.3
3.3
21.6
8.3
10.0
16.6
16.6
Disk sales (blank)
18.3
6.6
3.3
8.3
28.3
5.0
10.0
3.3
16.6
Monthly meetings
31.6
3.3
8.3
5.0
23.3
5.0
5.0
3.3
15.0
Help line
18.3
5.0
3.3
3.3
11.6
5.0
13.3
10.0
13.3
Training
23.3
6.6
8.3
1.6
33.3
11.6
10.0
0.0
5.0
SIGs
25.0
6.6
6.6
6.6
30.0
6.6
10.0
5.0
3.3
PD registrations
26.6
6.6
11.6
3.3
31.6
5.0
3.3
3.3
8.3
BBS
46.6
5.0
1.6
0.0
33.3
1.6
5.0
5.0
1.6
The magazine and PD library score well with both sexes, and have a comfortable
lead over the other services. Training scores very poorly, especially with
males. The low priority could explain why our training courses are not well patronised.
Strange that in comments a large number of respondents request articles for
beginners, and phone requests for assistance reflect that many members are
struggling. The quickest way to acquire expertise is to be shown how to do
things. Few are fortunate enough to be able to learn from books or articles.
4. SERVICES USED
male
female
Purchased PD
54.7
46.6
Logged onto BBS
39.7
6.6
Bought books
37.0
38.3
Monthly meetings
30.5
26.6
Used help line
30.4
43.3
SIGs
27.2
13.3
Attended training
5.0
6.6
5. RATINGS (male)
Excellent
V.Good
Good
Fair
Poor
PC Update presentation
45.8
39.2
12.2
1.6
0.3
PC Update content
25.9
48.3
20.3
4.6
0.2
PD library
13.7
29.8
48.9
4.6
2.3
Disk sales (blank)
11.3
18.7
60.7
6.2
2.3
Help line
9.7
15.0
68.6
4.3
1.6
SIGs
7.9
12.9
73.3
4.4
0.6
BBS
5.1
14.7
68.6
6.5
4.3
Monthly meeting content
1.6
12.9
74.5
8.4
1.7
Training
1.5
6.2
87.1
2.9
2.9
5. RATINGS (female)
Excellent
V.Good
Good
Fair
Poor
PC Update presentation
36.6
40.0
21.6
1.6
0.0
PC Update content
26.6
43.3
25.0
5.0
0.0
Help line
21.6
18.3
55.0
3.3
1.6
PD library
15.0
26.6
46.6
10.0
1.6
Disk sales (blank)
16.6
16.6
58.3
6.6
1.6
Monthly meeting content
3.3
10.0
76.6
6.6
3.3
SIGs
5.0
3.3
83.3
3.3
5.0
Training
1.6
8.3
80.0
8.3
1.6
BBS
1.6
3.3
90.0
0.0
3.3
6. Used BBS
292
2 - 5 times
140
6 - 10 times
41
over 10 times
21
Don't have modem
311
Not interested
25
Line busy
48
Don't know how
59
Long distance
39
Other
31
7. Interest in Usenet
8. Raise fees
$5
$10
$15
More
251
284
82
27
9. Use PC
At home
Business
Both
145
60
33
10. How
many PCs
More than 1 at home
More than 4 at business
11. Software applications
Personal
Business
Word process
721
589
Spreadsheet
428
456
Database
362
435
Comms/network
251
255
personal info
195
88
Desk top publishing
174
159
Graphics/art
198
136
Finance manager
215
213
Business applications
66
247
programming
358
267
Educational
201
98
Games
395
29
CAD
82
103
Other
26
54
12. Model type
Personal
Business
PC / XT
441
267
AT
276
396
PS/2
9
101
386 system
101
225
Macintosh
8
49
Amiga
16
6
Atari
8
4
Other
53
33
13. RAM
Personal
Business
256 kB or less
19
5
384 kB to 640 kB
450
290
704 kB to 1 MB
193
250
over 1 MB
144
272
14. HD Capacity
Personal
Business
No hard disk
82
37
10 MB
20
23
20 MB
293
206
30 to 40 MB
265
286
over 40 MB
154
252
More than one HD
51
89
15. Operating system
Personal
Business
DOS 2.x
47
27
DOS 3.x
610
522
DOS 4.x
128
152
O/S2 and
2
20
Unix / Xenix
9
43
Other
20
41
17. PC
Update Readers
1
2
3
4
5
6
More
524
205
63
14
7
8
17
18.
Articles read (male)
always
often
sometimes
never
Hints and tips
83.0
12.7
2.5
1.1
Editorial
66.3
20.5
10.1
2.4
Random access
66.8
19.7
8.6
4.2
PD reviews
62.2
26.2
8.8
2.1
Commercial reviews
59.7
26.6
11.1
1.9
Technical articles
61.6
22.8
10.6
4.2
President's page
60.4
23.5
11.8
3.7
Tutorials
56.8
27.2
10.4
5.0
PD additions
53.7
19.0
19.4
7.3
Training notes
36.2
25.3
26.0
11.8
SIG reports
33.0
23.7
31.8
10.7
18. Articles
read (female)
always
often
sometimes
never
Hints and tips
73.3
15.0
5.0
6.6
Editorial
60.0
28.3
15.0
6.6
Commercial reviews
55.0
25.0
11.6
8.3
President's page
55.0
21.6
11.6
11.6
Random access
56.6
16.6
16.6
10.0
Tutorials
48.3
30.0
10.0
11.6
PD reviews
43.3
30.0
21.6
5.0
PD additions
50.0
21.6
16.6
11.6
Training notes
43.3
25.0
16.6
15.0
Technical articles
43.3
16.6
23.3
16.6
SIG reports
28.3
15.0
30.0
26.6
19. How often PC Update
Quarterly
Bimonthly
Monthly
male
1.9
8.4
87.6
female
3.3
18.3
73.3
20.
Prowess at computing
Novice
Reasonable
Need help
Power user
48
453
127
204
21. Years a member
1
2 to 3
More
male
27.5
42.6
28.7
female
35.0
48.3
15.0
22. Age
Under 21
21 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
Over 60
male
2.5
12.4
30.8
26.3
17.3
9.8
female
3.3
16.6
33.3
31.6
10.0
5.0
23. Gender
Male
774
Female
60
Not
stated 4
24. Employment class
male
female
Private industry
42.2
35.0
Self employed
17.0
21.6
Retired
16.3
21.6
Federal Government
3.9
8.3
Student
8.2
6.6
State of Local Government
11.3
5.0
The ranking is for women, for men the order is: Private industry,
Self employed, Retired, State or Local Gov., Student, Federal Gov.
Reprinted from the November 1990 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
