1998 Information Technology Survey of Washington Cities and Towns
See a detailed count below the summary
See summary of last
year's (1997) technology survey
Sixty-seven percent of Washington's 277 cities and towns responded to the 1998 (third annual) MRSC Information Technology Survey (43% responded in 1997). Of those responding, 36% of the cities are less than 1,000 in population, 27% between 1,000 and 5,000, 19% between 5,000 and 10,000, and 17% more than 10,000. (Compare to actual distribution of all cities: 34%, 33%, 14%, and 20% in the respective categories from small to large.)
Internet access continues to grow. Sixty-four percent of cities and towns now have Internet access, up from 55% in 1997 and 28% in 1996. Among cities less than 1,000 in population, 33% of the responding cities had Internet access (compared to 8% last year) while among cities more than 10,000 in population, 100% now have Internet access.
The movement toward Microsoft software continues. In the 1996 survey, we found a fairly even split between WordPerfect and Word, and in 1997 found that 66% of cities used Word, and 45% WordPerfect (some used both). In 1998, we find that 84% use some version of Word and 30% user some version of WordPerfect. Most cities have upgraded from Windows 3.x to Windows 95: 75% use Windows 95 on at least one computer. For network operating systems, however, Novell NetWare remains most prevalent: 50% use some version of Novell NetWare or IntraNetware while 28% use Microsoft NT (in 1997 65% of cities and towns used some version of Novell NetWare, and 21% used Microsoft NT.)
Fifty cities (26% of those responding) use some type of permit processing software including Black Bear Permit-Track, Tidemark Permit Plan, Sierra, and custom-programmed systems. Fifty-two (28%) use desktop publishing software, primarily Microsoft Publisher and Adobe PageMaker. And 44 (23%) have GIS systems, most often running some version of ARC/INFO or AutoCAD.
Regarding the Year 2000 computer problem, 28% of the respondents said that it is not an important issue in their city while 25% said that it is very important. But sixty-two percent of the cities said that they have begun to take steps to deal with the problem.
When asked about information technology needs, familiar issues continue with the most frequent responses including access to the Internet and E-mail, Year 2000 compliance, GIS, permit systems, hardware and software upgrades, and training.
1998 Information Technology Survey
Please help us understand your current Information Technology environment by answering the following questions.
1. What operating systems do you use in your city or town?
a. PC/Workstation Client Operating Systems (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 189.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| DOS | 54 | 28.57% |
| OS/2 | 5 | 2.64% |
| Macintosh OS | 10 | 5.29% |
| Windows 3x | 60 | 31.74% |
| Windows '95 | 143 | 75.66% |
| Windows NT Workstation | 38 | 20.10% |
| UNIX based | 11 | 5.82% |
| Other | 8 | 4.23% |
b. Network Operating Systems (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 176.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| None | 52 | 29.50% |
| Novell NetWare 2x | 2 | 1.13% |
| Novell NetWare 3x | 36 | 19.04% |
| Novell NetWare 4x | 37 | 19.57% |
| Novell IntranetWare | 15 | 8.52% |
| Windows NT Server | 50 | 28.40% |
| OS/2 Warp | 0 | 0.00% |
| IBM LanServer | 2 | 1.13% |
| Microsoft LanManager | 1 | 0.56% |
| UNIX based | 8 | 4.54% |
| AppleShare | 2 | 1.13% |
| Banyan Vines | 1 | 0.56% |
| Other | 12 | 6.81% |
c. Mainframe Operating Systems (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 119.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| OS/400 | 8 | 6.72% |
| VAX/VMS | 2 | 1.68% |
| VM | 1 | 0.84% |
| MVS | 1 | 0.84% |
| HP MPE | 5 | 4.20% |
| Unix | 4 | 3.36% |
| AS400 | 1 | 0.84% |
| IBM 6000 | 1 | 0.84% |
| ASP | 2 | 1.68% |
| Novell/Windows | 1 | 0.84% |
| BTOS | 1 | 0.84% |
| None | 96 | 80.67% |
2. Which software product does your city use for each of the following functions?
a. What type of word processing software? (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 187.)
|
WP Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Lotus Word Pro | 1 | 0.53% |
| Microsoft Word for DOS | 6 | 3.20% |
| Microsoft Word for Windows 2x | 1 | 0.53% |
| Microsoft Word for Windows 6x | 35 | 18.71% |
| Microsoft Word for Windows 95 | 66 | 35.29% |
| Microsoft Word for Windows 97 | 55 | 29.41% |
| Microsoft Works | 13 | 6.95% |
| WordPerfect for DOS | 17 | 9.09% |
| WordPerfect for Windows 6x | 28 | 14.97% |
| WordPerfect for Windows 7x | 11 | 5.88% |
| Other | 9 | 4.81% |
| None | 2 | 1.06% |
b. Spreadsheets (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 176.)
|
Spreadsheet Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Microsoft Excel | 146 | 82.95% |
| Lotus 1-2-3 | 18 | 10.22% |
| Borland Quattro Pro | 16 | 9.09% |
| Other | 9 | 5.11% |
| None | 2 | 1.13% |
c. E-mail (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 126.)
|
E-mail Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Lotus cc:Mail | 0 | 0.00% |
| Microsoft Mail | 31 | 24.60% |
| Internet Based Mail | 44 | 34.92% |
| Other | 28 | 22.22% |
| Novell Groupwise | 14 | 11.11% |
| None | 17 | 13.49% |
d. PC Databases (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 112.)
|
PC Databases |
Number |
Percentage |
| Alpha Five | 3 | 2.67% |
| Dbase | 12 | 10.71% |
| Paradox | 14 | 12.50% |
| FoxPro | 10 | 8.92% |
| Oracle | 7 | 6.25% |
| Access | 76 | 67.85% |
| Approach | 1 | 0.89% |
| Other | 16 | 14.28% |
| None | 8 | 7.14% |
e. Software Suites (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this question was 162.)
|
Software Suites |
Number |
Percentage |
| Microsoft Office | 125 | 77.16% |
| Corel Office Professional | 19 | 11.72% |
| Lotus SmartSuite | 3 | 1.85% |
| Other | 5 | 3.08% |
| None | 22 | 13.58% |
Do you use:
Permit Processing Software (The total number of responses for this question was 84.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 51 | 60.71% |
| No | 33 | 39.28% |
Software Used:
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Black Bear Permit-Tracking | 11 | 23.91% |
| Tidemark Permit Plan | 6 | 13.04% |
| Custom dbms | 15 | 32.60% |
| Sierra | 5 | 10.86% |
| Permit Pack | 3 | 6.52% |
| Other | 6 | 13.04% |
Desktop Publishing Software (The total number of responses for this question was 84.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 52 | 61.90% |
| No | 32 | 38.09% |
Software Used:
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| MS Publisher | 21 | 45.65% |
| PageMaker | 16 | 34.78% |
| Other | 9 | 19.56% |
Geographic Information Systems (The total number of responses for this question was 84.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 45 | 53.57% |
| No | 39 | 46.42% |
System Used:
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| ARC/Info | 22 | 53.65% |
| MapInfo | 4 | 9.75% |
| AUTOCAD | 14 | 34.14% |
Year 2000 Compliance
3. How important an issue do you think the Year 2000 computer problem is for your city? (1=not important ... 5=very important) (The total number of responses for this question was 188.)
|
Rank |
Number |
Percentage |
| 1 | 52 | 27.65% |
| 2 | 17 | 9.04% |
| 3 | 23 | 12.23% |
| 4 | 22 | 11.70% |
| 5 | 48 | 25.53% |
| Don't Know | 26 | 13.82% |
4. Has your city begun to take steps to deal with the Year 2000 computer problem? (The total number of responses for this question was 183.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 114 | 62.29% |
| No | 59 | 32.24% |
| Don't Know | 10 | 5.46% |
Internet
6. Does your city have access to the Internet? (The total number of responses for this question was 185.)
|
Population |
Percentage of Yes Responses |
| Less than 1,000 | 33% |
| 1,001 - 5,000 | 73% |
| 5,001 - 10,000 | 69% |
| 10,001 - 25,000 | 100% |
| More than 25,000 | 100% |
7. If your city does have access to the internet... what is it by way of? (The total number of responses for this question was 116.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| a dial-up circuit | 80 | 68.96% |
| a dedicated circuit | 36 | 31.03% |
8. If it is a dial-up, is it....? (The total number of responses for this question was 81.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| a local call | 80 | 98.76% |
| a toll call | 1 | 1.23% |
9. How is it available? (The total number of responses for this question was 114.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| via the city's computer network | 45 | 39.47% |
| At more than one individual work station | 47 | 41.22% |
| AT one workstation only | 34 | 29.82% |
Documents
10. Does your city have any of the following:
Strategic Plan for Information Services (The total number of responses for this question was 182.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 29 | 15.93% |
| No | 153 | 84.06% |
Year 2000 Plan (The total number of responses for this question was 177.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 26 | 14.68% |
| No | 151 | 85.31% |
Internet or E-mail usage policies (The total number of responses for this question was 183.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 45 | 24.54% |
| No | 138 | 75.40% |
12. Row: Does your city have access to the Internet?
Column: What is your city population?
(The total number of responses for these questions was 187.)
| Less than 1,000 | 1,000 to 5,000 | 5,001 to 10,000 | 10,001 to 25,000 | More than 25,000 | Total | |
| Yes | 22 | 38 | 24 | 14 | 19 | 117 |
| Percentage | 18.80% | 32.48% | 20.51% | 11.97% | 16.24% | 100.00% |
| No | 47 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 70 |
| Percentage | 67.14% | 17.14% | 15.71% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% |
| Total | 67 | 52 | 35 | 14 | 19 | 187 |
| Percentage | 35.82% | 27.80% | 18.71% | 7.48% | 10.16% | 100.00% |