1999 Information Technology Survey of Washington Cities and Towns
See a detailed count below the summary
See summary of previous years' (1997
and 1998) technology
surveys
Sixty-nine percent of Washington's 277 cities and towns responded to the 1999 (fourth annual) MRSC Information Technology Survey (67% responded in 1998). Of those responding, 32% of the cities are less than 1,000 in population, 29% between 1,000 and 5,000, 17% between 5,000 and 10,000, and 21% 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. Eighty-three percent of cities and towns now have Internet access, up from 64% in 1998, 55% in 1997 and 28% in 1996. Among cities less than 1,000 in population, 66% of the responding cities had Internet access (compared to 33% in 1998 and 8% in 1997) while among cities more than 10,000 in population, 100% now have Internet access.
The movement toward Microsoft software marches ever forward with 76% of cities now using Microsoft Office and 81% using some version of Word compared to 17% using some version of WordPerfect. 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 found that 84% use some version of Word and 30% user some version of WordPerfect.
For network operating systems, Novell NetWare remains most prevalent but is also losing ground to Microsoft: 45% use some version of NetWare while 40% use some version of Windows NT. Last year, 50% used some version of NetWare while 28% used Microsoft NT (in 1997, 65% and 21% respectively)
Forty percent of cities use some type of Geographic Information System with AutoCAD, ARC/INFO and ArcView remaining most prevalent. Last year, 23% had GIS systems, also most often running some version of ARC/INFO or AutoCAD.
Regarding the Year 2000 computer problem, 64% of the respondents said that their city or town is more than 75% along in evaluating and fixing the problem (as of April1999) with 39% expecting to complete their fixes by June 30, 1999. Sixty-eight percent had begun developing a contingency plan in the event of utility or other Year 2000-related system failures.
1999 Information Technology Survey
Please help us understand your current Information Technology environment by answering the following questions. (Check all that apply.)
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 190.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| DOS | 32 | 17% |
| Macintosh OS | 5 | 3% |
| Windows 3x | 26 | 14% |
| Windows '95 | 150 | 79% |
| Windows '98 | 72 | 38% |
| Windows NT Workstation | 49 | 26% |
| UNIX based | 12 | 6% |
| None | 3 | 2% |
| Other | 1 | 1% |
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 170.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| Novell NetWare 3x | 33 | 19% |
| Novell NetWare 4x | 35 | 21% |
| Novell IntranetWare | 9 | 5% |
| Windows NT Server | 68 | 40% |
| UNIX based | 15 | 9% |
| AppleShare | 2 | 1% |
| Banyan Vines | 0 | 0% |
| None | 40 | 24% |
| Other | 14 | 8% |
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 130.)
|
Operating System |
Number |
Percentage |
| OS/400 | 3 | 2% |
| VAX/VMS | 1 | 1% |
| VM | 0 | 0% |
| MVS | 0 | 0% |
| HP MPE | 4 | 3% |
| Unix | 8 | 6% |
| HP-UX | 6 | 5% |
| AS400 | 8 | 6% |
| None | 105 | 81% |
| Other | 5 | 4% |
2. Which software product does your city primarily use for each of the following functions? (Check only one.)
a. Word Processing (The total number of responses for this question was 188.)
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Microsoft Word for DOS | 1 | 1% |
| Microsoft Word for Windows | 141 | 75% |
| Microsoft Works | 9 | 5% |
| WordPerfect for DOS | 7 | 4% |
| WordPerfect for Windows | 24 | 13% |
| None | 3 | 2% |
| Other | 3 | 2% |
b. Spreadsheets (The total number of responses for this question was 179.)
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Microsoft Excel | 152 | 85% |
| Lotus 1-2-3 | 10 | 6% |
| Corel Quattro Pro | 13 | 7% |
| Other | 4 | 2% |
c. PC Databases ( The total number of responses for this question was 152.)
|
PC Databases |
Number |
Percentage |
| Sybase | 3 | 2% |
| Dbase | 8 | 5% |
| Filemaker Pro | 6 | 4% |
| Paradox | 5 | 3% |
| Oracle | 6 | 4% |
| Access | 70 | 46% |
| Approach | 1 | 1% |
| None | 45 | 30% |
| Other | 8 | 5% |
d. Software Suites (The total number of responses for this question was 184.)
|
Software Suites |
Number |
Percentage |
| Microsoft Office | 139 | 76% |
| Microsoft Works | 11 | 6% |
| Corel Office Professional | 15 | 8% |
| None | 19 | 10% |
| Other | 0 | 0% |
e. Permit Processing Software (The total number of responses for this question was 168.)
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| Tidemark | 8 | 5% |
| Permit Track | 1 | 1% |
| Sierra | 9 | 5% |
| None | 116 | 69% |
| Other | 34 | 20% |
f. Geographic Information Systems (The total number of responses for this question was 171.)
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| ArcInfo | 13 | 8% |
| ArcView | 16 | 9% |
| Autocad | 31 | 18% |
| Map-Info | 3 | 2% |
| None | 103 | 60% |
| Other | 5 | 3% |
g. Financial System (The total number of responses for this question was 186.)
|
Software |
Number |
Percentage |
| ASP | 99 | 53% |
| Eden Systems | 32 | 17% |
| None | 15 | 8% |
| Other | 40 | 22% |
Year 2000 Compliance
2. How far along are you in evaluating and fixing computers and information systems with Year 2000 problems? The total number of responses for this question was 179.)
|
|
Number |
Percentage |
| Less than 25% | 5 | 3% |
| 25 to 49% | 25 | 14% |
| 50 to 75% | 34 | 19% |
| Greater than 75% | 115 | 64% |
3. By what date do you expect that your computer and information systems will be Year 2000 compliant? (The total number of responses for this question was 176.)
|
Date |
Number |
Percentage |
| By June 30, 1999% | 69 | 39% |
| By September 30, 1999 | 74 | 42% |
| By December 31, 1999 | 24 | 14% |
| After January 1, 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| We are not taking action at this time | 8 | 5% |
4. How far along are you in evaluating and fixing embedded chips (utility equipment, emergency management systems, traffic systems, etc.) in computers with Year 2000 problems? (The total number of responses for this question was 161.)
|
|
Number |
Percentage |
| Less than 25% | 12 | 7% |
| 25 to 49% | 20 | 12% |
| 50 to 75% | 38 | 24% |
| Greater than 75% | 91 | 57% |
5. By what date do you expect that your embedded chip systems will be Year 2000 compliant? (The total number of responses for this question was 163.)
|
Date |
Number |
Percentage |
| By June 30, 1999% | 60 | 37% |
| By September 30, 1999 | 58 | 36% |
| By December 31, 1999 | 29 | 18% |
| After January 1, 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| We are not taking action at this time | 15 | 9% |
6. Has your city or town begun to develop a contingency plan in the eent of utility or other Year 2000-related system failures? (The total number of responses for this question was 183.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 125 | 68% |
| No | 58 | 32% |
7. If yes, by when do you expect to have the contingency plan completed? (The total number of responses for this question was 142.)
|
Date |
Number |
Percentage |
| By June 30, 1999% | 34 | 24% |
| By September 30, 1999 | 74 | 52% |
| By December 31, 1999 | 17 | 12% |
| We are not developing a contingency plan | 17 | 12% |
Internet
10. Does your city have access to the Internet? (The total number of responses for this question was 190.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 156 | 82% |
| No | 34 | 18% |
11. If your city does have access to the internet, is it available: (The total number of responses for this question was 152.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| via the city's computer network | 52 | 34% |
| at more than one individual workstation | 59 | 39% |
| at one workstation only | 41 | 27% |
12. Has your city or town adopted an ordinance providing regulations for the siting of wireless telecommunications antennas? (The total number of responses for this question was 172.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 56 | 33% |
| No | 116 | 67% |
13. Has your city or town used a consultant to develop a Web site? (The total number of responses for this question was 190.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 37 | 19% |
| No | 153 | 81% |
15. Does your city have any of the following:
RFP for new financial system (The total number of responses for this question was 179.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 8 | 4% |
| No | 171 | 96% |
RFP for Web site development (The total number of responses for this question was 178.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 1 | 1% |
| No | 177 | 99% |
Year 2000 Contingency Plan (The total number of responses for this question was 174.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 35 | 20% |
| No | 139 | 80% |
Year 2000 Citizen Education Materials (The total number of responses for this question was 178.)
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
| Yes | 32 | 18% |
| No | 146 | 82% |
17. Population (The total number of responses for this question was 189.)
|
Population |
Number |
Percentage |
| Less than 1,000 | 61 | 32% |
| 1,001 - 5,000 | 55 | 29% |
| 5,001 - 10,000 | 32 | 17% |
| 10,001 - 25,000 | 16 | 8% |
| Greater than 25,000 | 25 | 13% |
Cross Tab - #10 Does your city have access to the Internet? with #17 Population (The total number of responses for this question was 189.)
|
|
Yes |
No |
Total |
| Less than 1,000 | 40 = 66% | 21 = 34% | 61 = 100% |
| 1,001 - 5,000 | 46 = 84% | 9 = 16% | 55 = 100% |
| 5,001 - 10,000 | 29 = 91% | 3 = 9% | 32 = 100% |
| 10,001 - 25,000 | 16 = 100% | 0 = 0% | 16 = 100% |
| Greater than 25,000 | 25 = 100% | 0 = 0% | 25 = 100% |
| Total | 156 = 83% | 33 = 17% | 189 = 100% |