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[Please post this message on appropriate newsgroups and forward it to anyone
who might have an interest, especially folks who maintain archive sites on
the internet. Thanks.]
 
CENSUS DATA ONLINE ?
 
The census bureau has recently set up an internet host.  Some folks would
like to ftp public use data files to hundreds of sites (e.g. all state
universities, plus others) and all data could be online.  We would keep an
index or map showing users where to find each type of data and its basic
documentation.  We could also host a newsgroup and other forums to answer
users' questions and poll their needs.
 
Large national data sets containing detailed information for small geographic
areas (blocks, tracts, ZIP, places, counties) could be parsed by state and
sent to one or more archive sites in each state.  Small data sets containing
time series estimates on a specific subject (e.g. monthly employment
statistics from 1942 to present) could be sent to sites that have special
interests in that subject matter.
 
We have the following types of data (very rough size estimates):
 
1990 decennial census of population  (50 gigabytes)
1980, 1970, 1960 census  (30 gigabytes)
population and housing data at the block and tract level.
 
TIGER maps (20 gigabytes)
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoded Reference files
that produce maps at the block level; vector or raster data.
 
1992 census of agriculture, economy, and governments (5 gigabytes)
1987,1982,1977 census of ag/econ/gov (5 gibabytes)
 
National and state estimates from dozens of monthly surveys on a wide variety
of subjects (10 gigabytes).  Some subjects have many years of time series data.
 
International and foreign trade data (25 gigabytes)
 
To help us make the case for this plan, please answer the following questions
and send any additional advice you might have.
 
Thanks,
 
Bob Hammond
[log in to unmask]
U.S. Census, voice      301-763-1011     fax    301-763-2633
 
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QUESTIONNAIRE:  Please edit the following text and
send it to:             [log in to unmask]
 
Please answer as many questions as possible.  If some answers are
not easily available, make a guesstimate or leave blank.  Please
start your answer on a line beginning with 'A#' or place an 'x' in
front of the multiple choice answers.
 
Q1      Would you put census data on your ftp site? y/n
A1
 
Q2      How much disk space could you devote to census data? MB,GB
A2
 
Q3      Some folks don't yet understand the culture of the internet.
        They have asked why archive sites would want to put census data
        online; we have told them that most archive sites want to put as
        much useful data online as they can find to help their users.
        This is true, right?  Please provide a brief statement explaining
        why you would volunteer disk space for census data:
A3
 
Q4      Would you help relay the data out to other sites? y/n
        e.g. if we need to send a data set to 10 sites, could
        we send you a copy and you send it to one other site? y/n
A4
 
Q5      Please mark x before each service you offer
        anonymousftp
        archie
        gopher
        mosaic
        wais
        www
        other:
 
 
Q6      Please mark x before each that applies to you:
        fed library
        local library
        state data center
        state government
        state university
        private university
        commercial
        other, please indicate:
 
Q7      Please enter your affiliation:
        org:
        address1:
        address2:
        city:
        st:
        zip:
        voicephone:
        fax:
 
Q8      Are you the system administrator? y/n
A8
 
Q9      Can you decide what files are posted on your site? y/n
A9
 
Q10     If 'no' to either question above, please send email.addresses
        for the folks that we should contact about putting census data
        on your host:
A10
 
Q11     What format, archive and compression should we use?
        format:
        archive:
        compression:
 
Q12     How many different users did you have last month?
A12
 
Q13     How many user connects did you have last month from all users?
A13
 
Q14     How much time online did your users spend last month?
A14
 
Q15     How many hours were you offline last month?
A15
 
Q16     What operating system do you use?
A16
 
Q17     Where did you get this questionnaire?
        Please mark x before source:
        email from a friend
        email from [log in to unmask]
        email from [log in to unmask]
        ftp site:
        gopher server:
        newsgroup:
        other:
 
Q18 A list of topics describing various data sets contains almost
        200 entries.  Would you markup this list to show what data sets
        you would like to post on your site?  y/n  (if 'y' the list
        will be mailed to you.)
A18
 
Q19     Please list all hostnames that currently offer some census data
        online:
A19
 
Q20 Please provide any other advice, comments or suggestions below:
A20
 
Thanks for your support ...
 
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