[LINK] Should we revert to analog TV or scrap wireless broadcasting all together?

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Stilgherrian
> Sent: Tuesday, 24 February 2009 6:56 PM
> To: The Link Institute
> Subject: Re: [LINK] Should we revert to analog TV or scrap 
> wireless broadcasting all together?

<snip>

> > The numbers come from several sources, however In my blog I 
> used the 
> > Whirlpool numbers. http://whirlpool.net.au/survey/2007/
> > They are confirmed at a slightly higher percentage by the Ipoque
> > numbers.
> 
> In other words, a self-selected survey of Whirlpool users. 
> This can't  
> be extrapolated to the general Internet population. 
> Interesting data,  
> but not for the "68% of Internet users". Maybe "68% of 
> Internet users  
> who are so deeply, deeply interested in discussing broadband  
> technologies that they hang out on Whirlpool the level at 
> which they'd  
> voluntarily participate in a survey".
> 
> In other words, it's "68% of opinionated old-fart geeks and  
> teenagers". ;) </troll>

The actual number of respondents make this survey a valuable insight
into Australian Internet users.

Year              2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
# of Responses   10335	13253	16000	19675	17881

(These numbers relate to non-discarded correctly responded to surveys.)

Actually - a representation of their users broadband choice would tend
to favour the early adopter crowd as evidenced by this list.

Our members use
#1  Internode
#2  iiNet
#3  TPG Internet
#4  OptusNet
#5  Telstra BigPond
#6  Exetel
#7  Netspace
#8  aaNet
#9  Westnet
#10  Adam Internet
#11  AAPT
#12  Amnet
#13  3
#14  iPrimus
#15  Virgin Broadband
#16  People Telecom
#17  Comcen Internet
#18  Spin Internet
#19  Dodo
#20  Vodafone

Internode for competition and ADSL2.
Iinet for ADSL2
TPG for internet TV not counted towards monthly download total.

I would expect this year with the new Telstra 3G pre-paid phone data
Broadband initiatives for telstra to creep up the list.

Which means - they aint all old farts and if you zip through the
whirlpool forums, there are an awful lot of "Im only 13, how do I....?"

However, what you are really saying, if I understood you correctly is
that:

1.	most people that use Whirlpool are opinionated. 
2.	the ABS tell us that that there is a higher level of internet
usage amongst the university level educated population.
3.	most educated people are not afraid of airing their opinions.
4.	therefore most whirlpool users are academics with strong
opinions with a desire to be published (vis the Survey)
5.	ergo - 68% of educated people use P2P.

There is another way of looking at. Most people are now happy with their
download speed and don't see any personal benefit to participate in a
survey.