Approved-By:  Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Tue, 13 Oct 1992 14:12:11 CDT
From:         Walt Crawford <BR.WCC@RLG.BITNET>
Subject:      Creativity & Connectedness: Results

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Herewith, the results of my brief "spot-check in the midst of the
evolution."

87 people responded. I've added my own responses for a total of 88.
That's a response rate of just under 2%. On the other hand, it
includes most of the active PACS-L correspondents.

The questions follow, with the numbers for each answer appearing
below the answer. The numbers sometimes add up to more than 88,
because some people (properly) provided more than one answer.
-------------
1. When (if) you do creative work related to the library field,
   do you normally do it: (a) Connected, (b) Disconnected, (c) Off.
                           52             33                7

2. When (if) you do other creative work, do you normally do it:
   (a) Connected, (b) Disconnected, (c) Off.
    28             43                26

3. Do you feel that you do your *best* work (in any field):
   (a) Connected, (b) Disconnected, (c) Off.
    38             41                13

4. Has being connected made you:
   (a) More productive, (b) Less productive, (c) Neither/don't know.
    60                   11                   20

5. Has being connected made you:
   (a) More creative, (b) Less creative, (c) Neither/don't know.
    55                 1                  33

6. Do you feel that being connected gives you:
   (a) More free time, (b) Less free time, (c) Neither/don't know.
    9                   63                  16

7. Do you feel that being connected makes you:
   (a) Better informed, (b) Less well-informed, (c) Neither/don't know.
    86                   1                       2
----------------
CONCLUSIONS AND COMMENTS: The responses speak for themselves.
I'm a bit surprised at the high number of "1a" answers, but probably
shouldn't be. Otherwise, the only thing I will note is that active
PACS-L folk aren't all "techno-nerds": there's a healthy and wide
range of "outside" activities represented in the 2b and 2c responses,
all the way from sermon-writing to ice skating.

This is neither a representative survey nor a "research project"
intended for later publication; it is only a spot-check on attitudes.
Thanks for your responses.
---------------------------------------------------
Following: commentaries received with survey responses
and explicitly marked for posting (excerpted in some cases).
(Some commentaries were not recognized as intended for posting,
and have been omitted.)
----------------------------
Being "connected" has made me more creatvie and productive.  If it weren't for
the net I would not be writing my first book, reviewing books related to
computers, and many other such things.  The best combination of equipmentfor
enhancing my creativity so far has just been reached with my getting a 486
desktop (I am now a confirmed Windows addict)for my office and our automation
project, my conncetion to our VAX over a terminal server instead of a modem (if
only I could get an ehternet connection and use PATHWORKS), and finally the
most important our connection to the internet.

Please feel fre to post my comments with my name attached.

Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill")   Serials/Reference/Computers Librarian
State University of New York  College of Agriculture and Technology
P.O. Box 902;  Morrisville, NY 13408-0902
BITNET: DREWWE@SNYMORVA Internet: DREWWE@SNYMORVA.CS.SNYMOR.EDU
Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060  Fax: (315)684-6115
Any opinions expressed here are mine and are subject to change without notice.
----------------
The chief advantage to being connected is that I am better informed.
Primarily, I am better informed about the Internet, and computer-mediated
communication, and the state-of-the-art in databases.  The chief
disadvantage of being connected is the onslaught of stupid messages from
people with too much spare time on their hands, like the idiot who is currently
posting pro-Bush messages to the LISTSERV-distributed group of the
American Library Association's Feminist Task Force, just because the
list is called "feminist" and because he's getting a rise out of some
of the group members. I hate wading through chit-chat messages, like the
endless discussion on the AUTOCAT LISTSERV group about the recipe that
was posted as an OCLC record.  I like people who are concise, and offer
information or thoughtful postings that stick to the defined topic of the
group; unfortunately, there are not enough of them; the ones who are
there make it worthwhile to wade through the fluff.  I like to make use
of the electronic bulletin board used in our department (the Graduate
School of Library and Information Science, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign).  I think of it as a newspaper that is in our hands -- no
restrictions on content, based on an editor's or advertiser's influence,
no time-delay for typesetting or printing -- true freedom of the press,
for those of use with access to computers and accounts on that system.
You may use my words, and sign my name to them.

                                      Patt Leonard
                              leonard@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
------------
I'm connected several times a day.  I'm frequently challenged, surprised,
and confused by the things that appear on my screen.  But, I am never
bored!
--Julia Shaw Kokot (JSK@MED.UNC.EDU)
------------
6. c    Being connected means that I spend more time on the computer
        than doing other things that I am interested in. So, I have
        less time to spend on other activites, but I _want_ to explore
        the Internet, so I guess "free time" needs defining.

7. a    Without a doubt, I am better informed being a part of the
        Internet than I would be if I wasn't. It is hard to imagine
        not having the speed/ease of email, USENET, etc.
Steven A. Stone                         Bradley University
Electronic Services Librarian           Peoria, Illinois 61625
stone@bradley.bradley.edu               (309) 677-2839
-----------------
Really creative work in the sense of bringing about something new,
something that's a synthesis of a bunch of ideas, is easiest to do
when there are few or no distractions.  the ideal writing environment
for this sort of thing is in a coffee shop with a laptop or some other
small portable device for putting things together.

i really do my best work on line and connected tho since there's very
little that anyone can do that's really *new* and *original* but there's
quite a bit more that is reference or collections development over the
nets, and for that being on line is absolutely essential.

being connected has given me more free time, in the sense that the set
of jobs that are open to me which don't include internet use as a
component of work per se are way too frustrating...

--Ed (Edward Vielmetti, EMV@MSEN.COM)
------------------------------
I've found that the discussions on The Net have helped me immensely as I
prepare for new courses or update lectures for existing courses.  Today,
out of 30 messages I forwarded 2 to a colleague who doesn't read PACS-L,
downloaded 3 for posting on my office door and incorporating into the
"what's new" part of next week's lectures.  Somehow, the discussions
seem to be on topics that are of immediate relevance and usefulness to
me.  I seldom choose to contribute, but I am a Faithful Reader.  Feel
free to quote (or not) any of this response.

Ellen Crosby, PhD, Assistant Professor
----------------
 The first thing I do when I arrive at the office is to switch my computer on
 and log in to the mainframe. It remains on all day and I am instantly aware of
 any incoming message from the Internet, Bitnet, other nets or internal - this
 is the case even when I am working on the pc locally (eg to do an online
 search or use a CD-ROM or use a scanner or whatever) as opposed to the
 mainframe.

 I tend to reply to incoming messages right away (or at least check to see who
 has sent me mail) thus my work flow on the mainframe, on the pc or at my desk
 doing reading or writing tends to be interupted - this is not a problem
 normally though and it is no different from answering the phone.

 If one subscribes to several lists then it does take up some time to scan the
 stuff, even if one just erases it. And because I am reading more (even if just
 out of interest rather than because it is vital to my work) then I have less
 free time - because I have to catch up on my "normal" work too!
 David Raitt
-------------
=Walt Crawford, br.wcc@rlg (BITNET), br.wcc@rlg.stanford.edu=
=Permission to forward or copy granted if signature retained=
=Usual disclaimers apply: my words, my opinions.=

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