[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 237 (Thursday, December 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68312-68314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32863]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Proposed Data Collection: Public's Views and Comments; Title of
Proposed Collection: Public Attitudes About Technology
The National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency, is
interested in obtaining the public's views and attitudes toward year
2000 computer readiness.
Specifically, we are seeking input and comments from all interested
persons on their views of the value of computer technology in their
lives, and in their familiarity with and level of comfort when using
computers and their familiarity with problems that may result from year
2000 computer conversion issues.
In an effort to obtain the public's input and useful information,
the National Science Foundation has developed the questions that
follow. Responses from the public will be used only in the aggregate,
and only to help NSF in its efforts to better explain itself and its
activities to the American public.
We hope you will provide us with your thoughts on the following
questions. Detailed comments are also welcome and greatly appreciated.
Responses and comments can be mailed to Public Attitudes about Year
2000 Conversion, c/o Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, National
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Room 1245, Arlington, VA 22230.
Comments can also be sent via email to nstw@nsf.gov, or faxed to (703)
306-1057.
All comments should be received by Monday, December 21, 1998.
Dated: December 4, 1998.
Julia Moore,
Director, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs.
Y2K Millennium Readiness Poll
December 9-13, 1998
1. As you may know, most computer systems around the world have to
be reprogrammed so that they can accurately recognize the date once we
reach the Year 2000. Do you think that computer mistakes due to the
Year-2000 issue will cause major problems, minor problems, or no
problems at all?
1 Major problems
2 Minor problems
3 No problems at all
4 CATASTROPHE/REALLY BIG PROBLEMS (vol.)
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
2. Do you think that computer mistakes due to the Year-2000 issue
will cause major problems, minor problems or no problems at all for you
personally?
1 Major problems
2 Minor problems
3 No problems at all
4 CATASTROPHE/REALLY BIG PROBLEMS (vol.)
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
3. How much have you seen or heard about the Year 2000 computer bug
problem, sometimes called the Millennium Bug or the Y-2-K bug, before
now-- a great deal, some, not much, or nothing at all?
1 A great deal
2 Some
3 Not much
4 Nothing at all
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
The rest of the questions on this survey will deal with Year 2000
computer issue. For convenience we will refer to it throughout the
survey as the ``Y2K'' computer bug.
4. Overall, how concerned are you about the Y2K computer bug
problem--[READ 1-4]?
1 Very concerned
2 Somewhat concerned
3 Not too concerned
4 Not at all concerned
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
5. To the extent Y2K computer problems occur, how long do you think
they will last--[FORM A: READ 1-4; FORM B: READ 4-1]?
1 For only a few days around January 1, 2000
2 For several weeks (or)
3 For several months to a year (or)
4 For more than a year
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
6. For each of the following, please say whether that is something
you probably will or will not do in order to protect yourself against
problems associated with the Y2K computer bug. How about... READ AND
ROTATE A-F
1 Yes
2 No
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
a. Obtain special confirmation or documentation of your bank account
balances, retirement funds, or other financial records
b. Stockpile food and water
[[Page 68313]]
c. Buy a generator or wood stove
d. Withdraw all your money from the bank
e. Withdraw and set aside a large amount of cash
f. Avoid travelling on airplanes on or around January 1, 2000
7. Thinking about the U.S. economy, which of the following
statements best describes the possible effect you think the Y2K bug
will have on the economy--[FORM A: READ 1-4; FORM B: READ 4-1]?
1 It will cause a total economic breakdown or catastrophe
2 It will cause serious problems in the economy such as slowing
production or creating a recession (or)
3 It will cause only minor problems in the economy (or)
4 It will have no negative impact on the economy
5 OTHER (vol.)
6 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
8. Thinking more generally about the kind of problems which could
possibly be created by the Y2K computer bug, which of the following
best describes how serious these problems will be in the United
States--[FORM A: READ 1-4; FORM B: READ 4-1]?
1 Y2K will result in disasters which could cause the loss of human
life
2 Y2K will cause economic and social disruptions, but will not be life
threatening
3 Y2K will cause only minor disruptions and inconveniences
4 Y2K will have no negative impact on people's lives
5 OTHER (vol.)
6 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
9. Next I'm going to read some specific problems. As I read each
one, please say whether you think it likely or unlikely to occur as a
result of Y2K. First, ... Next, ... READ AND ROTATE A-H:
1 Likely
2 Unlikely
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
a. Air traffic control systems will fail, putting air travel in
jeopardy
b. Banking and accounting systems will fail, possibly causing errors in
employee paychecks, government payments, and other automated financial
transactions
c. Food and retail distribution systems will fail, possibly causing
grocery and other store shortages
d. Household appliances such as VCR's, video cameras and air
conditioning systems will fail to turn on or work properly
e. Hospital equipment and services will fail, putting patients at risk
f. City or county emergency ``911'' communication systems will fail,
putting citizens at risk
g. Passenger cars and trucks will fail to work properly, possibly
causing social and economic disruption
h. Nuclear power or defense systems could fail, causing a major
accident
10. As you may know, efforts are currently underway throughout the
country to upgrade computer systems in order to correct the Y2K
computer problem. We'd like to know whether you are generally confident
or NOT confident that each of the following levels of government and
business will have upgraded their computer systems before any Y2K
problems can occur. = How about... READ AND ROTATE A-G:
1 Yes, confident they will have upgraded
2 No, not confident
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
a. The U.S. government, including all federal offices and agencies
b. Your state government
c. Your local government
d. U.S. corporations and large businesses
e. Small U.S. businesses
f. Foreign governments of other developed and industrialized countries
g. Foreign governments of Third World and other less developed
countries
11. Do you have a personal computer in your household, or not?
1 Yes continue
2 No skip to q. 13
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
12. If have computer in household (Q. 11 `1'): Do you, personally,
use your home computer to connect to the Internet or an online service
such as Prodigy or America Online?
1 Yes
2 No
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
13. Do you use a computer at work or school?
1 Yes continue
2 No
3 DON'T WORK/GO TO SCHOOL skip to note before q. 15
4 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
14. If use computer at work or school (Q. 13 `1'): Do you,
personally, use the Internet or other computer on-line service at your
place of work or school?
1 Yes
2 No
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
If Q. 11 `1' continue; all others skip to Q. 17
15. Do you know for sure whether your home computer or computers
are programmed to comprehend the Year 2000 date field correctly, or are
you unsure?
1 Yes, programmed correctly skip to q. 17
2 No, unsure continue
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
16. If not sure about home computer (Q. 15 `2,3'): Do you plan to
take steps to make sure your computer is programmed correctly or are
you going to wait and see what happens?
1 Yes, going to take steps
2 No, wait and see what happens
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
17. Which of the following currently applies to you--Are you READ
1-5:
1 Employed for pay continue
2 Unemployed
3 Retired
4 A Homemaker, or skip to demographics
5 A Student
6 NONE/OTHER (vol.)
7 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
18. Is your employer or place of business taking sufficient steps
to correct any problems it might face because of Y2K problems, is it
NOT taking sufficient steps, or are you unsure?
1 Yes, taking sufficient steps
2 No, not taking sufficient steps
3 Unsure
4 REFUSED
(DEMOGRAPHICS START HERE)
That completes the interview. I'd just like to ask you a few
questions for background and statistical purposes only.
this is the samePLEASE RECORD AND VERIFY PHONE NUMBER: +______+
+______+ +______+ =A632=A633=A634=A6 - =A635=A636=A637=A6 -
=A638=A639=A640=A641=A6 +______+ +______+ +________+
AREA CODE EXCHANGE NUMBER
D1. CHECK RESPONDENT'S SEX:
1 Male=20
2 Female
D2. What is your age? =20
1 1 =20
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
0=3D Don't know
D3. What is the last grade or class that you completed in
school?=09
1 None, or grade 1-4
2 Grades 5, 6 or 7=20
3 Grade 8
[[Page 68314]]
4 High school incomplete (Grades 9-11)
5 High school graduate, Grade 12
6 Technical, trade, or business after high school
7 College/university incomplete
8 College/university graduate or more
9 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
D3a. If College grad (D3 `8') Do you have any post-graduate
education beyond a 4-year bachelors degree?
1 Yes (includes masters degree, doctorate, law degree, etc.)
2 No
3 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
D4. Are you, yourself of Hispanic origin or descent, such as
Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Spanish background?
1 Yes
2 No
3 DON'T KNOW
4 REFUSED
D4a. What is your race? Are you white, African-American, or some
other race?
01 Other (list)
02 (DK)
03 (Refused)
04 HOLD
05 HOLD
06 White
07 African-American/Black
08 (Hispanic)--(Continue)
D4b. (If code ``08'' in D4a, ask:) Do you consider yourself to be
white-Hispanic, or black-Hispanic?
01 Other (list)
02 (DK)
03 (Refused)
04 HOLD
05 HOLD
06 White-Hispanic
07 Black-Hispanic
08 (Hispanic/Respondent refuses to discriminate)
D5. Is your total annual household income before taxes $20,000 or
more or is it less than $20,000?
(IF ``UNDER'' ASK:) Is it over or under $15,000?
(IF ``UNDER'' ASK:) Is it over or under $10,000?
(IF ``OVER'' ASK:) Is it over or under $30,000?
(IF ``OVER'' ASK:) Is it over or under $50,000?
(IF ``OVER'' ASK:) Is it over or under $75,000?
01 Less than $10,000 05 $30,000-49,999
02 $10,000-14,999 06 $50,000-74,999
03 $15,000-19,999 07 $75,000 and over
04 $20,000-29,999 08 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
D6. How important would you say religion is in your own life--
extremely important, very important, fairly important, or not very
important?
1 Extremely important
2 Very important
3 Fairly important
4 Not very important
5 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
D7. Next, we need to record how many different residential phone
lines you have in your household--that is, the number of different
phone numbers that are used by adult members of your household. Please
do not count phone lines that are used primarily for business purposes,
for children, or for electronic equipment--such as computers and fax
machines. How many residential phone numbers are there in your
household?
1 One
2 Two
3 Three
4 Four
5 Five or more
6 DON'T KNOW
7 REFUSED
Programmer Note: Collect 50 Names
D8. This completes the interview, however, Gallup is working with
USA Today on this poll and they would like to talk further with a few
survey participants about the topics we've discussed. So that reporters
can choose from a cross-section of people, Gallup would provide them
with background information which may include any or all of the answers
you've given in this poll. Would you be willing to talk with a reporter
at a later date?
1 Yes
2 No/(Ref)
IF YES TO BE RE-INTERVIEWED READ:
So that a reporter might reach you more easily, may I please have
your name?
[FR Doc. 98-32863 Filed 12-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
