Previous Polls
(February 1998)


Polls in this Section
(Click individual description to go to that poll)

Number Description Week Run
75 Email and Newsgroup Spam 02/23/98
74 Showdown With Iraq 02/16/98
73 Psychic Hotlines 02/09/98
72 Viewer Profiles (Ages, Gender, Employment, etc) 02/02/98




Week of February 23, 1998

Whether you're a veteran Net surfer or a newcomer to cyberspace, there's one thing you've likely been exposed to: unsolicited "junk" email, better known in the online world as "spam." If you've ever received email messages or seen newsgroup postings with subject lines like, "## MAKE MONEY NOW!!", you should have a good idea of what spam is all about.

This week we'd love to get your feedback on the increasing frequency of spam being used in the online industry. Please take part in our poll below and feel free to shout off in the message board (no spam, please! :-)



Total Respondents: 1633


On average, how many unsolicited email messages do you receive each day?

1 to 5 907 votes 56%
6 to 10 261 votes 16%
11 to 20 108 votes 7%
21 to 30 29 votes 2%
More than 30 23 votes 1%
I don't receive any unsolicited email 303 votes 19%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



When it comes to unsolicited email, would you say you:

Completely dislike it 641 votes 40%
Mostly dislike it 469 votes 29%
Somewhat dislike it 203 votes 13%
Are neutral toward it
(neither like nor dislike it)		 244 votes 15%
Somewhat like it 41 votes 3%
Mostly like it 13 votes 1%
Completely like it 10 votes 1%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



When it comes to unsolicited newsgroup postings, would you say you:

Completely dislike them 679 votes 42%
Mostly dislike them 339 votes 21%
Somewhat dislike them 170 votes 11%
Are neutral toward them
(neither like nor dislike them)		 376 votes 23%
Somewhat like them 26 votes 2%
Mostly like them 17 votes 1%
Completely like them 9 votes 1%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



In your opinion, what's worse, email spam or newsgroup spam?

Email spam is worse 594 votes 37%
Newsgroup spam is worse 296 votes 18%
They're both equally bad 610 votes 38%
Neither one is bad 110 votes 7%



Should online services (ISPs) make a greater effort to block spam?

Yes 1297 votes 80%
No 320 votes 20%



Does your ISP or online service automatically block or filter unsolicited email?

Yes 184 votes 11%
No 612 votes 38%
I'm not sure 825 votes 51%



Should tighter laws be designed to limit spam on the Internet?

Yes 1029 votes 64%
No 583 votes 36%



Have you ever purchased a product/service pitched to you in a spam email or post?

Yes 104 votes 6%
No 1508 votes 94%



Have you ever fired back a complaint response to a spammer (or bulk emailer)?

Yes 595 votes 37%
No 1022 votes 63%



Have you, yourself, ever spammed anyone?

Yes 60 votes 4%
No 1555 votes 96%



Do you use anti-spam software or Web services?

Yes 216 votes 13%
No 1392 votes 87%



Not including the Weekly Web Poll Reminder, do you subscribe to any mailing lists?

Yes 1302 votes 80%
No 316 votes 20%



Do you subscribe to the Weekly Web Poll Reminder (a NON-spam weekly mailing)?

Yes 1215 votes 75%
No 407 votes 25%



How often do you usually check your email?

Several times a day 1018 votes 63%
Once a day 479 votes 29%
A few times throughout the week 110 votes 7%
Once a week 11 votes 1%
A few times throughout the month 1 votes < 1%
Less than once a month 5 votes < 1%



Please rate this poll on a scale of 1 to 5.

5 274 votes 17%
4 818 votes 50%
3 422 votes 26%
2 80 votes 5%
1 28 votes 2%






Week of February 16, 1998

The tension with Iraq continues to mount and the possibility of a military strike draws closer. Are we headed for another war? Is military action a necessity at this point or do we need to devote more time to reaching diplomatic resolutions?



Total Respondents: 1839


Do you feel military action will be necessary to settle the showdown with Iraq?

Yes, military action will be necessary 1282 votes 70%
No, we can solve this diplomatically 542 votes 30%



Do you support military action against Iraq?

Yes 1270 votes 70%
No 551 votes 30%



Should George Bush have removed Saddam Hussein from power in the Gulf War?

Yes, he should have removed
Hussein from power		 1400 votes 77%
No, the original mission objectives
(to liberate Kuwait) had been met		 420 votes 23%



Do you believe Iraq has significant numbers of biological and chemical weapons?

Yes 1666 votes 92%
No 148 votes 8%



Should we wait for the support of other allies before initiating military action?

We should get more support from
our allies before striking militarily		 1175 votes 65%
We should carry on with our own
military objectives regardless		 628 votes 35%



Do you feel air strikes against Iraq will be effective by themselves?

Air strikes themselves
should be effective		 564 votes 31%
We need ground forces as well
as air strikes to be effective		 1007 votes 56%
Neither air strikes nor ground
troops will be effective		 241 votes 13%



Did you hear the president's public address (on Tuesday, 02/17) regarding Iraq?

Yes, I caught some or all of it 760 votes 42%
No, I didn't catch any of it 1061 votes 58%



Did the president make an effective case for military action in his speech?

Yes, he did 505 votes 28%
No, he did not 271 votes 15%
I didn't hear his speech on Tuesday 1037 votes 57%



Do you agree with Kofi Annan's diplomacy meetings with Iraqi officials?

Yes, the meetings may result in a
peaceful resolution to this crisis		 995 votes 55%
No, it will serve little purpose
and only complicate matters		 399 votes 22%
I don't really know Kofi Annan
or what his mission is about		 424 votes 23%



Please rate this week's poll on a scale of 1 to 5.

5 263 votes 14%
4 888 votes 49%
3 550 votes 30%
2 89 votes 5%
1 27 votes 1%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)






Week of February 9, 1998

Here's a topic many of you may be familiar with (whether you want to or not)... psychics and psychic hotlines! This week we'd like to get your many thoughts on this "90's" sensation so please jump right in and share your votes! Many thanks to one of our poll participants for suggesting this interesting theme!



Total Respondents: 2003


Do you believe that there are people in the world who are truly psychic?

Yes 1447 votes 73%
No 546 votes 27%



Do you believe the people seen on the psychic infomercials are real psychics?

Yes, the psychics seen on
the infomercials are real		 89 votes 4%
No, these people
are not true psychics		 1897 votes 96%



Do you believe the psychics that one gets to talk to on the phone are real?

Yes, the psychics you talk
to on the phone are genuine		 61 votes 3%
No, they are not true psychics 1926 votes 97%



Have you ever called a psychic from a tv hotline and if so, how was it?

I've called a psychic
hotline and it was great		 6 votes < 1%
I've called a psychic hotline and
it fell short of my expectations		 121 votes 6%
I've had both good & bad
experiences when calling
a psychic hotline		 24 votes 1%
I've never called a
psychic hotline before		 1841 votes 92%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



Have you ever consulted a psychic NOT affiliated with a tv infomercial?

I've consulted a psychic who was
not from tv and it was great 		163 votes 8%
I've consulted a "non tv" psychic
and it fell short of my expectations		 123 votes 6%
I've had both good & bad
experiences consulting a
"non tv" psychic		 127 votes 6%
I've never consulted a psychic
(who was not from tv) before		 1580 votes 79%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



Have you ever received services such as a palm, tarot or crystal ball reading?

Yes 712 votes 36%
No 1280 votes 64%



Do you respect celebrities (e.g., Dionne Warwick, soap stars) who promote psychic hotlines?

Sure, they're promoting a
worthy service to the public		 144 votes 7%
No, they're making
fools of themselves		 1833 votes 93%



Should tighter laws be placed on those who can advertise as being psychic?

Yes 1302 votes 66%
No 684 votes 34%



If you truly could peek into your future would you want to?

Yes, I would want to
look into my future		 977 votes 49%
No, I would rather not 1010 votes 51%



Please rate this week's poll on a scale of 1 to 5.

5 186 votes 9%
4 798 votes 40%
3 650 votes 33%
2 218 votes 11%
1 132 votes 7%






Week of February 2, 1998

Back in November of '96, we featured a neat little poll on the predominant ages of Net surfers. And last September, we had a poll on the predominant genders of Net surfers (there were more female Web surfers than male Web surfers back then who responded to our poll... check the results yourself and see!).

A good number of you have become regulars of the Weekly Web Poll since then and so we'd like to ask these questions again in an expanded "Viewer Profile" poll. Many thanks to one of our loyal poll fans, Patti Hanning, for suggesting this! Enjoy!

Please note, the results of this and all polls are always kept completely confidential and are designed for entertainment purposes only. Your vote is strictly anonymous and no one will ever know how you specifically voted.



Total Respondents: 1845


What age group do you currently fall under?

Under age 20 253 votes 14%
Age 20-29 373 votes 20%
Age 30-39 435 votes 24%
Age 40-49 440 votes 24%
Age 50-59 262 votes 14%
Age 60-70 76 votes 4%
Over age 70 10 votes 1%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



Are you a male Net surfer or a female Net surfer?

I'm a male Net surfer 817 votes 44%
I'm a female Net surfer 1021 votes 56%



Are you:

Married 931 votes 51%
Divorced 131 votes 7%
Separated 32 votes 2%
Widowed 29 votes 2%
Single 517 votes 28%
Involved 203 votes 11%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



Do you have children?

Yes, I have one child 282 votes 15%
Yes, I have 2 to 4 children 596 votes 32%
Yes, I have 5 to 8 children 57 votes 3%
Yes, I have more than 8 children 7 votes < 1%
No, I don't have any children 892 votes 49%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



What is your religion?

Catholic 419 votes 23%
Protestant 545 votes 30%
Jewish 71 votes 4%
Don't have one 435 votes 24%
Other 367 votes 20%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



Do you live in a:

House 1264 votes 69%
Apartment 354 votes 19%
Condominium 73 votes 4%
Other 141 votes 8%



How many people are in your household including yourself?

1 259 votes 14%
2-3 985 votes 54%
4-6 551 votes 30%
7 or more 35 votes 2%



Do you have one or more pets (dogs, cats, horses, birds, fish, etc)?

Yes 1305 votes 71%
No 526 votes 29%



Are you:

Employed full-time 917 votes 50%
Employed part-time 193 votes 11%
Unemployed 187 votes 10%
Retired/Disabled 188 votes 10%
A college/graduate student 194 votes 11%
A high school student 111 votes 6%
An elementary/middle school student 38 votes 2%



What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Some high school or less 163 votes 9%
Graduated high school 279 votes 15%
Some college 579 votes 32%
Graduated two year or technical college 210 votes 12%
Graduated four year college 294 votes 16%
Some post graduate 124 votes 7%
Completed graduate school or higher 173 votes 9%



Please rate this week's poll on a scale of 1 to 5.

5 154 votes 8%
4 948 votes 52%
3 582 votes 32%
2 91 votes 5%
1 44 votes 2%

(Please note: percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.)



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