NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270392,00.html

Well this is very intersting. I have to say that I am a little surprised by this but not to surprised.

What are your thoughts?

Nearly 50 percent of Americans are technophobs, I hear.

While 60% of Canadians have cellphones.

Quite the contrast isn't it?

EDIT - that should be 67% of Canadian households that use cellphones...
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/05/04/phone-statistics.html

Oddly enough, it was an internet poll. :eek:


;)

50% of Americans are trying to keep us behind the rest of the world in technological development.

It depends on what circles you run in, I suppose. I personally know only a handful of people who don't have cell phones, and everyone I know (even my grandma) uses the Internet.

50% of Americans are trying to keep us behind the rest of the world in technological development.

Aren't they the same bunch that voted for Bush? :p

This is the same FOX that did this right?
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3209/lolfoxqk4.png
I have no faith in their statistics

It depends on what circles you run in, I suppose. I personally know only a handful of people who don't have cell phones, and everyone I know (even my grandma) uses the Internet.

See I love the internet but hate cell phones. My mother the technophobe hates the internet and loves her cell phone.


Go figure.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270392,00.html

Well this is very intersting. I have to say that I am a little surprised by this but not to surprised.

What are your thoughts?

'Little use for the the Internet and mobile phones'?
What?

Since when have the Internet and mobile phones not been amongst the most universally useful things ever invented?!

Wait, I don't believe this. I'm sure there is some sort of "liberals are evil" idea behind this. I just do.

Aren't they the same bunch that voted for Bush? :p

Given that the portion of the voting-age population that actually voted for Bush last election is about 32%, you've still got another 18% to dredge up, there. :p

And they did this poll on the internet of all places. Fantastic.

I find it a little unbelievable, though.

I took the poll. Here's the results:

Where do you fit?
Your Results

Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Connectors typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic.

Connectors make up 7% of the American public.

Wow, I'm special.

Basic Description
The Connectors’ collection of information technology is used for a mix of one-to-one and one-to-many communication. They very much like how ICTs keep them in touch with family and friends and they like how ICTs let them work in community groups to which they belong. They are participants in cyberspace – many blog or have their own web pages – but not at the rate of Omnivores. They are not as sure-footed in their dealings with ICTs as Omnivores. Connectors suspect their gadgets could do more for them, and some need help in getting new technology to function properly.

What the fuck is an ICT? I don't run a website, or have a blog, and have never needed help "in getting new technology to function properly."

Defining Characteristics
Connectors combine a sense that information technology is good for social purposes with a clear recognition that online resources are a great way to learn new things. Their cell phones have a lot of features, and they also try new things with technology; more than half have watched TV programming on a device like a laptop computer or cell phone.

My cellphone is a Nokia 1100, which is the basic of the basic. I only watch TV shows online because I can download them and then watch at my leisure.

Who They Are
Connectors, which make up 7% of the population, have a median age of 38, with a majority (54%) in the 30-49 age range. Ethnically, it is mostly white (72%); 16% are Black and 12% are English-speaking Hispanics. The typical Connector has been online for 9 years, which suggests they were a second-wave of late 1990s adopters. Most are women (55%) and they rate above average in educational attainment and income.

Well, I am white, but am below average in education and income (I'm poor and ignorant in other words if you want to look at it like that). I'm not in their age range, and I'm not a woman.

That survey fucking sucked.

This is the same FOX that did this right?
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3209/lolfoxqk4.png
I have no faith in their statisticsYou would get those numbers if you asked three separate questions on whether they thought a candidate would make a good president, as opposed to asking some ones preference from a list. :p

And they did this poll on the internet of all places. Fantastic.

I find it a little unbelievable, though.

Oddly enough, it was an internet poll. :eek:


;)Uh... what... wait... I thought it said it was a telephone poll... :(

You would get those numbers if you asked three separate questions on whether they thought a candidate would make a good president, as opposed to asking some ones preference from a list. :p

I know, but I thought that this would be a good opportunity to paraphrase one of The Chaser's jokes.

Tsk! We all know why! We've all seen "Deliverence"! There was a survey a few years ago that said that in the mid west, 45 percent of males under 25 had had a sexual expierience with an animal! Yeeeha! You sure gotta pretty Horse!

Uh... what... wait... I thought it said it was a telephone poll... :(Shit, how'd I miss that.

Omnivores make up 8% of the American public.

Basic Description
Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.

Defining Characteristics
You might see them watching video on an iPod. They might talk about their video games or their participation in virtual worlds the way their parents talked about their favorite TV episode a generation ago. Much of this chatter will take place via instant messages, texting on a cell phone, or on personal blogs. Omnivores are particularly active in dealing with video content. Most have video or digital cameras, and most have tried watching TV on a non-television device, such as a laptop or a cell phone.

Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends.

Who They Are
They are young, ethnically diverse, and mostly male (70%). The median age is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. Over half are white (64%) and 11% are black (compared to 12% in the general population). English-speaking Hispanics make up 18% of this group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many (42% versus the 13% average) of Omnivores are students.

interesting.

the test sucked though, I don't use my cell phone to 'be more available' to other people, in fact only 3 people have the number, I use it to make calls when I am away from home, it's so I can reach other people not the other way around. (that was the only option on one of the questions, it was either "I like my cell phone because I am available to other people" or "I don't like my cell phone" or something stupid.......

If you think about it, the US has a fairly large area that is rural.

Rural areas have poor cellphone coverage - so you're not going to need a cellphone out there.

Rural areas don't have DSL, or cable, because no one is going to run a single DSL line or cable connection out to every farm 25 miles apart. So unless they enjoy dialup, they're not going to have an Internet connection.

I saw a show about some people running cattle in West Texas, and no one there had even heard of National Public Radio - only one radio station within range and it was a commercial station.

There is a LOT of room in the US...

If you think about it, the US has a fairly large area that is rural.

Rural areas have poor cellphone coverage - so you're not going to need a cellphone out there.

Rural areas don't have DSL, or cable, because no one is going to run a single DSL line or cable connection out to every farm 25 miles apart. So unless they enjoy dialup, they're not going to have an Internet connection.

I saw a show about some people running cattle in West Texas, and no one there had even heard of National Public Radio - only one radio station within range and it was a commercial station.

There is a LOT of room in the US...

Wot you mean is that there are too many people called "Billie Bo Jim Bob" or "Bubba" fantasising about Ned Beatty's arse. Wot they fail to realise is that there are plenty of pics of Ned Beatty's arse on the net!

I know, but I thought that this would be a good opportunity to paraphrase one of The Chaser's jokes.Who? I demand a link.

Wot you mean is that there are too many people called "Billie Bo Jim Bob" or "Bubba" fantasising about Ned Beatty's arse. Wot they fail to realise is that there are plenty of pics of Ned Beatty's arse on the net!

No, what I mean is that people like you make the false assumption that because someone doesn't have the Internet, or use a cellphone nonstop, that they are somehow ignorant.

Wot you mean is that there are too many people called "Billie Bo Jim Bob" or "Bubba" fantasising about Ned Beatty's arse. Wot they fail to realise is that there are plenty of pics of Ned Beatty's arse on the net!

I think you missed the point entirely.

No actually I think you missed the point! Sigh! I am trying to ridicule yanks by suggesting that most of them are inbred banjo plucking hicks! Thus I am having to explain this. Bloody colonials!:rolleyes:

No actually I think you missed the point! Sigh! I am trying to ridicule yanks by suggesting that most of them are inbred banjo plucking hicks! Thus I am having to explain this. Bloody colonials!:rolleyes:

Problem with that suggestion is that no one buys it. Not even most of Europe. It is very very very hard to stereotype all Americans into one category.

No actually I think you missed the point! Sigh! I am trying to ridicule yanks by suggesting that most of them are inbred banjo plucking hicks! Thus I am having to explain this. Bloody colonials!:rolleyes:

Most of us aren't, even in the rural areas. Maybe you need to go see a dentist about those rotten teeth of yours - it's affecting your brain.

Who? I demand a link.

I'll direct you to the site, but according to the bottom you downloading it's illegal because you don't live here. So you'll have to look at the highlights not including the part I mentioned and it's better on TV at full res... also it keeps beating House by 200,000 people or so which is awesome ... *isn't condoning anything*

EDIT: I might want to include the link -_-' (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war/)

Er.. You really think so? You don't know the British or Europe very well! Americans are perhaps the easiest people to stereotype. Christ, I've seen more stereotypical red necks on this site than you would believe! Nutters who want to shoot congressmen for saying bad things about the war in Iraq, NRA gun nuts, every nut in the box!

Most of us aren't, even in the rural areas. Maybe you need to go see a dentist about those rotten teeth of yours - it's affecting your brain.

No actually its all the operations you have in the USA to give you those fixed insane grins. Kills billions of brain cells every time! But who needs a mind when you got good teeth!:rolleyes:

And we burnt down the white house!:D

I'll direct you to the site, but according to the bottom you downloading it's illegal because you don't live here. So you'll have to look at the highlights not including the part I mentioned and it's better on TV at full res... also it keeps beating House by 200,000 people or so which is awesome ... *isn't condoning anything*

EDIT: I might want to include the link -_-' (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war/)Uh... dongers... what a charming little restaurent chain.

No actually I think you missed the point! Sigh! I am trying to ridicule yanks by suggesting that most of them are inbred banjo plucking hicks! Thus I am having to explain this. Bloody colonials!:rolleyes:

Oh, I get it. You're trolling. How cute.

Er.. You really think so? You don't know the British or Europe very well! Americans are perhaps the easiest people to stereotype. Christ, I've seen more stereotypical red necks on this site than you would believe! Nutters who want to shoot congressmen for saying bad things about the war in Iraq, NRA gun nuts, every nut in the box!

And French are not worthy to own a military as they surrender to their enemies. That is why people call them the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkies. OOPS!!! I just stereotyped the French. The Germans are World Conquering megalomanics with a superiority complex. OOPS There's the German stereotype.

All of Europe is stuck on welfare becacuse they are to lazy to actually get off their butts and work (as specified in their high unemployment rates) There's another stereotype.

Er.. You really think so? You don't know the British or Europe very well! Americans are perhaps the easiest people to stereotype. Christ, I've seen more stereotypical red necks on this site than you would believe! Nutters who want to shoot congressmen for saying bad things about the war in Iraq, NRA gun nuts, every nut in the box!And I've seen people who read the Daily Mail or the Sun!

And I've seen people who read the Daily Mail or the Sun!

That's nothing compared to the people who read Bild, or Weekly World News (which I feel must be secretly compiled by the same people, and translated to different audiences).

Then why the Hell is my county trying to socialize internet so everyone can get it for free?

Not everyone needs a celphone or internet. My grandparents managed to be very successful and have never had a cel-phone nor internet. Not everyone's going to be finding ways to drive horribly or look up internet porn.

Pfft, socializing internet. Everyone knows that that's a Communist plot to weaken the West by making it lazy and helpless without government support. Everyone knows that. That's why I have to pay for my internet. US government hates lazy tax payers. Not as easy to implement a successful socialistic government with 300 million people and democracy in the way. That's how China got so successful. They have only one party and that party has a monopoly on its citizens' lives.

Stupid lazy commies. Lazy is for kids, retirees, and politicians. Pay for your own crap. I need sleep.

Before I started freelancing I didn't have internet or a land phone much less a cell phone. I got my cell phone under duress. The thing pisses me off to no end at times.

The internet is largely wasted on me as I just look for work and come here. If it weren't for StumbleUpon I would hardly have any idea what to do with it.

It's perfectly possible and reasonable to give things like cell phones and the internet a pass and still function in society. It means you go meet with actual people to conduct your business and interact with the actual people you encounter when walking about.

I'll probably never own a cell-phone. Just don't need it.

The internet, though.. lots of free music and movies, and the best place to get news without all the t.v. ads and useless commentary. I'll keep the internet. :p

This is the same FOX that did this right?
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3209/lolfoxqk4.png
I have no faith in their statistics

Ahhh, the Chaser.

Er.. You really think so? You don't know the British or Europe very well! Americans are perhaps the easiest people to stereotype. Christ, I've seen more stereotypical red necks on this site than you would believe! Nutters who want to shoot congressmen for saying bad things about the war in Iraq, NRA gun nuts, every nut in the box!
Perhaps, but, in case you missed the OP, 50% of Americans barely even use the internet, let alone hang out on NSG, so you cannot claim to have seen every nut in our box. But thanks for playing! We have some lovely parting prizes. Pick 'em up on your way out.

I don't own a cell phone because they sound like crap and I don't want to be constantly connected. That only leads to more annoyances. For about 10 years now, I've been debating whether to go for a cheap pay-as-you-go phone so I can call people to let them know if I'm running late for a meeting, but my overall distate for shitty little appliances that barely work always wins out. Someday they'll work better and cost less and then I'll see.

As for the internet, I hate online shopping because it takes too damned long to complete a transaction and get the goods. It's boring and annoying. I don't surf just to find stuff -- also boring and annoying. I have several email accounts, two online hang-outs (here and a game), 1 shopping site, and two online services that I use. Everything else I do online is professional and minimal and mostly involves looking up arts events. I have a website -- my online portfolio -- and might have a few more in a few years, also professional.

I don't find the internet fun. It's dull. Sensorially dull. And it's inefficient. Like cell phones, someday the tech will improve, get faster, more interesting, more customizable, and then I will use it more and do more on it.

So maybe the reason so many people don't use this stuff is not the fault of the people, but the fault of the stuff.

Interesting.

Having looked through the test, it seems designed to categorize people on how `Web2.0ish' they are. No questions referring to browsing usenet, toying with Project Euler, lurking in IRC rooms debating the finer points of terminal emulators.

Meaning, of course, that people like me get dropped off the bottom of the curve, because it isn't designed to measure us. Some people consciously choose to use a text only browser, im client, irc client. How does that poll take them into account?

I have my doubts about the usefulness of this survey.

I'm not surprised. Most of the teachers in the school system in my county (and most of my coworkers, for that matter) have no idea what to do with the internet. They barely know how to wrestle with Microsoft Word. I predict that as these dinosaurs die out, those percentages are going to change big-time.