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Published on 01/22/1996 All articles from this issue

LAH survey reports 50 percent of residents own a computer

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By Clyde Noel / Town Crier Staff Writer

In a report to the Los Altos Hills City Council last Wednesday, council member Bill Johnson said responses from a town questionnaire revealed 40-50 percent of the residents in Los Altos Hills own a computer.

Half the residents quoted in the survey own an Apple computer, and the other half own an IBM or an IBM compatible.

Johnson, chair of the town's Technology Improvement Committee, said the committee included a home computer survey questionnaire with a recent town newsletter in an attempt to get a sense of the availability of personal computers in town.

"If there is enough citizen interest in using computers to communicate, then we can establish a network between the town government and administration and the residents," Johnson said.

Questionnaires were sent to 3,000 homes and 420 responded. Only 7 percent said they had no computer at home. Those who have computers connected to modems use them for information utilities such as CompuServe or American Online, the Internet or their company computer.

More than 80 percent of the respondents said they would occasionally or frequently call a Los Altos Hills computer to obtain administrative or governmental information.

"One of the more interesting items suggested was a system like this could be used as a medium for communicating among the residents," Johnson said.

Not all comments were positive. Several cautionary comments were provided in the survey:

"I don't have a computer, don't desire one, and object to the use of my money to buy any of this technology."

"Town hall should be more proactive in bringing high speed interactive cable to Los Altos Hills. The cable TV is the worst in the Bay Area."

"I have concern over private data being available on on-line. Do you really want to ease the burden for burglars?"

"The town could use a system to explain why they have builders on the planning commission. My guess is they are all holding hands. Seems like the fox guarding the hen house."