30 Years of the Digest ... founded August 21, 1981
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The Telecom Digest for January 10, 2012
Volume 31 : Issue 9 : "text" Format
====== 30 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ======
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Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the
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See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details
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Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:37:59 -0800
From: "Survey Analyst" survey@survey.dyndns-mail.com
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: LAST CALL for comments! Telecom Digest Survey
Message-ID: <E1RkXDT-0001kP-Rd@telecomdigest.net>
The submission period for responses to this survey is about to end.
If you have not responded yet, you are strongly encouraged to do so.
If you read this in a newsgroup -- 'comp.dcom.telecom' -- PLEASE, even
you do not chose to answer any of the questions in the survey, send a
minimal response to this message so that I can give the moderator
some idea of how many people actually read the newsgroup. At this point,
responses from newsgroup readers are a single-digit number. I hope
(and believe) there are many more of you out there than have been heard
from, so_far. That said, 'blind faith' has no place in statistics,
If you're out there, and find the content of the newsgroup useful, please
'stand up and be counted'. You don't have to answer any of the questions,
but please let me know you -do- exist.
A repeat of the original survey announcement is included below for your
conveience.
A note from the Moderator:
> To the Telecom Digest readers:
>
> In an effort to improve both the quality of The Telecom Digest and the
> skill of its moderator, you are invited to take part in a survey. The
> survey results will be used to help guide the Moderator's choices when
> he decides what posts are appropriate, and to give him a better idea of
> the interests, likes, dislikes, and tastes of the Digest audience.
>
> The introduction to the survey is somewhat lengthy, but please bear with
> it -- you are entitled to know how your responses will be handled, and that
> the confidentiality of your identity will be respected. Please keep
> these points in mind when filling out the survey, and let me thank you in
> advance for your time.
>
> ----
> Bill Horne
> Telecom Digest Moderator
>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Telecom Digest Reader Survey
January 2012
INTRODUCTION
------------
1. If you choose to respond to this survey, you need only reply to
this message: The Reply-To address ("survey@survey.dyndns-mail.com")
goes to a neutral third party who will analyze the results, summarize
comments, and report back to the Moderator after removing all traces
of identifying information from your answers.
2. If anyone wants an acknowledgment of receipt, they need to add the
tag [AUTOACK] to the Subject line. And, that if they do that, they
-must- use a "From:" line that is un-obfuscated -- the ack is
machine generated, and does -not- have the smarts to make any
alterations.
3. The survey analyst requests un-munged addresses, so that he can
contact people for clarifications/expansions if appropriate.
The survey analyst also requests: "Please don't send any attachments
or HTML-based email if you can avoid it."
4. I'm an adult: please be candid, forthright, and honest. I don't
have ESP, and I can't guess at your true meaning if you beat
around the bush.
All the usual rules about netiquette are waived: if you
think the Moderator is a horse's behind, say so. If you
think he is Jesus Christ incarnate (Aw, shucks ...), then
say that, too.
5. You opinions are important to me. Please provide a response for
all the questions, even if it is 'choose not to answer', or similar.
That way the analyst will know you didn't inadvertently skip it.
6. All responses will have all author identification stripped off
before summarization, and before any comments are passed to the
moderator.
7. The analyst will not retain any responding email addresses past the
end of the survey period, and the addresses will not be published
anywhere.
8. Your comments may be paraphrased if they are published, but they will
never be associated with you personally, since the Moderator won't know
who wrote them.
9. If one of the provided multiple-choice responses is a "close
fit" to your feelings, please use it. However, if none of
the alternatives fits, feel free to provide an 'alternate'
response.
10. In addition to making comments on any particular question, you are
expressly invited to voice your opinions (here's your chance!) about
the Moderator's performance, the direction the Telecom Digest should
take, the kinds of posts you would like to see more of or less of,
and anything_else you feel will be helpful. The Moderator will read
all of your comments, and he might publish some of them, so please
be careful not to leave any identifying information in them.
11. The survey will end on January 10, 2012. The email address
will be disabled at midnight, January 11.
THE SURVEY
----------
[ Before answering the first question, please flip a coin and note the ]
[ result. If the coin came up "heads", please answer question 1a. If the ]
[ coin came up "tails", please answer question 1b. Do not answer both ]
[ questions, and please do not pick one to answer by yourself: let the ]
[ coin toss tell you which to answer. ]
Q.1a What is your age?
A. under 21
B. between 21 and 30
C. between 30 and 40
D. between 40 and 50
E. 50+
Q.1b The Telecom Digest is ...
A. The only mailing list or Usenet group I read regularly
B. One of 2-3 mailing lists or Usenet groups that I read regularly
C. One of 4-8 mailing lists or Usenet groups that I read regularly
D. One of 9+ mailing lists or Usenet groups that I read regularly
D. I only read the Digest now and then
Q.2 What do you think of the level of technical detail in The Telecom Digest?
A. Not technical enough
B. Too technical
C. "just right", as Goldilocks might say.
Q.3 What do you think of the Moderator's performance in the past year?
A. He could do a better job
B. He has done a good job
C. He is too concerned with trivia like this
Q.4 What do you think about Telecom Digest coverage on the telecom
regulatory environment?
A. I'd like to see more on this subject
B. There's already too much on this subject
C. The current coverage is about right
Q.5 What do you think about Telecom Digest coverage on the technology of
telecommunications?
A. I'd like to see more on this subject
B. There's already too much on this subject
C. The current coverage is about right
Q.6 What do you think about Telecom Digest coverage on new telecom
concepts "VoIP", for example)?
A. I'd like to see more on these subjects
B. There's already too much on these subjects
C. The current coverage is about right
Q.7 What other subjects would you like to see more Telecom Digest
coverage of?
A. I can't think of any.
B. I'd like to see MORE on these (one or more) subjects:
Q.8 What other subjects do you think there is too much Telecom Digest
coverage of?
A. I can't think of any.
B. I'd like to see LESS on these (one or more) subjects:
Q.9 Should the Moderator be more ...
(check all that apply)
A. Humble.
B. Plain-spoken.
C. Willing to correct mistakes.
D. Tolerant of other's views
E. Willing to work with posters to make their posts clear and readable
F. Interested in what a post is saying, instead of how it says it
G. Other please specify :
Q.10 How would you rate the Moderator's performance?
A. Terrible
B. Poor
C. In need of improvement
D. Adequate
E. Above Average
F. Excellent
Q.11 Do you see the Moderator exhibiting bias regarding any group, religion,
political philosophy, or ethnicity? (if you answer in the affirmative,
please describe, or provide examples, if you can)
A. No
B. Sometimes
C. Yes
D. Hell, yes
Q.12 If you had to pick one thing you could change about the Telecom
Digest, would it be to?
A. Cut down on the number of posts and be more selective
B. Welcome more input and not be quite as choosy about what is published
C. Demand more citations and supporting material from contributors, so
that they can't just make things up.
D. Leave things alone -- the Telecom Digest is fine, it is.
E. Change something else, to wit (list one item only, please):
Q.13 Do you own a cellular telephone?
A. Yes
B. No (please skip to Q.18)
Q.14 If you answered 'Yes', is it your only phone?
A. Yes (please skip to Q.16)
B. No
Q.15 What other kind(s) of phone service do you have?
(please check all that apply)
A. 'traditional' land-line service
B. 'digital' phone service (e.g. ISDN) from a traditional phone company.
C. service from an 'alternative' carrier, such as a Cable TV company
D. VoIP phone service
E: Other please specify:
Q.16 If you use a cellular telephone, is it ...
A. A prepaid phone -- like 'Net10', 'Virgin Mobile", "Go Phone", etc. --
where the phone "stops working" if the money runs out.
B. A monthly or yearly plan where you're billed 'after the fact' for any
'excess usage'.
C. Paid for by my employer
Q.17 If you use a cellular telephone, do you have it turned off?
A. Most of the time. e.g. you turn it on only for your convenience
B. Only when you are at home (i.e. near your 'land line', if you have one)
C. Only when you are asked to -- meetings, hospitals, etc.
D. Practically never.
Q.18 Do you think the traditional "wireline" telephone industry will ...
A. Be gone in twenty years
B. Remain "as is" for the foreseeable future
C. Change into a hybrid that keeps old phones but uses new technologies
such as VoIP
D. Merge with the cellular network, so everyone has to have a cell phone
Q.19 If you ran the Telecom Digest, would you?
(please check all that apply)
A. Take weekends off
B. Be less anal about spelling and punctuation
C. Try to promote new ideas
D. Other please specify:
Q.20 What do you think the highest priority for telecom providers, in terms
of maintaining 'customer satisfaction', should be?
A. providing the lowest possible prices
B. providing the best quality service
C. providing the fastest Internet speeds
D. ensuring that your phone is always working
Q.21 Telecom operations, regulation, and deployment, are different in
different countries -- what country's telecom environment are you
primarily affected by?
Q.22 What operating system does the computer you use to read the Telecom
Digest use?
A. MS-Windows
B. MacOS
C. Something UNIX-like
D. Other
Please specify the O/S version/release:
Q.23 How do you read the Telecom Digest?
A. by email, as individual messages,
B. by email, in digest form,
C. on USENET, using a web-based interface, like "Google Groups",
i. what is the URL of the web-site you use the most often?
ii. what is the web-browser do you use the most often?
D. on USENET, using an actual 'newsreader' program.
i. what news-server do you use the most often?
ii. what newsreader software do you use the most often?
Q.24 How often do you submit posts to The Telecom Digest?
A. I've never submitted a post
B. About once a month
C. More than once a month
Q.25 What is your main occupational focus?
A. Member of technical staff
B. Technical manager
C. Non-technical manager
D. Telecom consultant
E. Student
F. Teacher/instructor/professor if so, what do you teach:
G. Other please specify:
Q.26 Regarding the focus, above, are you currently?
A. Actively employed in that area
B. Retired, but did work in that area
C. Seeking work in that area
D. Other please specify:
Q.27 What is your highest level of education?
A. not a H.S. graduate (or equivalent)
B. H.S. Graduate. (or equivalent)
C. Some college, but no degree
D. Associate (or other 2-year) degree
E. College degree (4-year, undergraduate)
F. Advanced College degree (5 or more years, e.g., Masters or Doctorate)
G. Post Doctorate course work
Q.28 How long have you been reading The Telecom Digest?
A. Less than 1 year
B. 1-5 years
C. 5-10 years
D. 10+ years
Q.29 What is your annual gross income (i.e. before taxes)?
(Please count only your income, not your spouse's or other family members)
A. Under $40,000
B. $40,001 - 60,000
C. $60,001 - 80,000
D. $80,001+
Q.30 Please add any additional comments you'd like to make, here:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecom-
munications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in
addition to Usenet, where it appears as the moderated newsgroup
'comp.dcom.telecom'.
TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational
service offered to the Internet by Bill Horne. All the contents
of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in
some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work
and that of the original author.
The Telecom Digest is moderated by Bill Horne.
This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm-
unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and
published continuously since then. Our archives are available for
your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list
on the internet in any category!
URL information: http://telecom-digest.org
Copyright (C) 2012 TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved.
Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA.
Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as
yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help
is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars
per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above.
Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing
your name to the mailing list.
All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the
author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only
and messages should not be considered any official expression by the
organization.
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