Computing survey highlights and winners

University Computing thanks the 737 W&L students who took the time to
answer our survey about computing and network use.  611 undergrads
and 126 law students responded.

Congratulations to the four students whose names were selected in a
random drawing of the respondents.  A credit of $25 is being put on
their University cards.  The winners were

  Heyward Bouknight, Law Class of 2004
  Mary Harris, Undergrad Class of 2007
  Mitchell Greggs, Law Class of 2005
  Walter Keenan, Undergrad Class of 2007

The survey told us that 97% of responding undergrads and 98% of
responding law students said they own a computer. Overall, 14% said
they own more than one.  Among computer owners, 83% use a laptop as
their primary computer.  72% bought their primary computer from Dell,
with other vendors being HP?Compaq and Toshiba (both 5%), Apple and
Gateway (both 4%), plus a smattering of others.

The use of personal digital assistants (Palm Pilots and similar
devices) is not widespread, with only 14% reporting ownership of one
variety or another.

Those expressing an opinion of W&L's computing labs were generally
approving.  77% agreed or strongly agreed that lab computers were
generally available when needed and 78% that the labs had high
quality, up?to?date computers.

The survey came at the end of a period of instability in wireless
access in the fraternities, but of the 62% who said they had used the
wireless network, a coincidental 62% said they had been somewhat or
very satisfied with the service.  30% were somewhat or very
unsatisfied.

Only 7% of students reported using the Connect97 dial?in service
maintained by University Computing.  Of those, 29% said they were
always, 65% sometimes, and 6% never satisfied with the service.

Of those who had sought assistance from the UC Help Desk, only 5%
said they never received it promptly and 1% said they never were
treated courteously.  In the Law School, the same figures were 1% and
1%, respectively, for Law Technology Services.

Our thanks to all who helped us understand patterns of and opinions
about computing at W&L.

John Stuckey
Director of University Computing