Microtab offers freeware, new crosstab package
Microtab, Inc., a Roswell, Ga., software and data analysis firm, is offering, as freeware, a new program called Bit-Test. Bit-Test is a utility that reads and translates IBM 360 column binary data files. The program parses the file into card columns (2 bytes or 16 bits per column). The bit value and corresponding IBM 360 column binary punch equivalent(s) are displayed for each column. Users can page through the file to view data for each card within a record, and for each record within the file.
The firm has also released updates of its crosstabuJation software packages, The Professional Edition and The Professional Edition with Stat. The programs have been enhanced to include features such as batch deletion of records and automatic weight value calculations for sample balancing. Both Professional Editions now include a routine that automatically calculates RIM weighting (also referred to as sample balancing). After specifying the target weights, the program will automatically calculate individual weight values for each record. Eighteen different categories (i.e., age, income) can be weighted and, within each category, 18 unique groupings (18-24, 25-34, etc.) can be examined to develop the weight. The weight values that the computer calculates and assigns on a record by record basis are up to 10 digits in length and the decimal point is fixed at six places from the right.
Principia debuts Web survey product
Principia Products, Inc., a Paoli, Pa., software firm, has introduced Remark Web Survey, which joins the company's flagship product, Remark Office OMR, to enable users to create and administer interactive forms on the Internet or an intranet. Remark Web Survey was designed to help users create on-line surveys, evaluations, registrations, guest books, etc., for the Internet or for their intranet. The software uses wizards to help the user create and publish their forms, so no knowledge of HTML is required. Principia also designed Remark Web Survey to work with Remark Office OMR, the forms processing and tabulation software that uses common PC image scanners to collect data. Users can convert paper-based surveys into on-line surveys, and combine the results from both sources. Remark Office OMR then analyzes the data or exports it to virtually any statistics, spreadsheet or database package.
New CS program for college food services
Food Insights, Memphis, Tenn., is now offering an electronic research program to colleges and universities called SatisTrack that can gauge customer satisfaction at college and university food service operations. Participants are recruited on campus through a mystery diner promotion that offers incentives for feedback on the quality of meals and service at university dining operations via a survey on a special Web site and e-mail system. Since the data is collected electronically, Food Insights can supply a variety of reports almost immediately to the schools' administrative staff or food service operators via email or a secure Web site. The heart of the information generated by SatisTrack is presented in a month-end report provided to clients throughout the academic year. The report provides results in graphical and tabular formats and includes overall satisfaction for each two-week period to-date by each dining facility and overall; individual dining service feature performance scores for each two-week period to-date by each dining facility and overall; monthly gap analysis to-date for the individual dining service features evaluated; institution benchmarking against the industry average; verbatim open ended responses by dining facility; and complete crosstabs of all survey questions by dining facility. Bimonthly "flash reports" are also provided depicting participants' overall satisfaction with dining services as well as the performance scores for features related to food quality, menu, personnel, service and sanitation. Other customized reports can be provided upon request.
Nielsen service tracks computer purchases
Schaumburg, Ill.-based ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen Corporation, has launched Homescan Tech*Watch, a research service that tracks consumer purchases of computer hardware. Utilizing the company's Homescan consumer panel, Tech*Watch is a syndicated omnibus research service available to computer hardware retailers and manufacturers. Each quarter the service queries 26,000 households about their purchase of personal computers, monitors and printers. All purchasing channels are covered as well as price paid, intended use, whether the computer was purchased as a bundled package, brand loyalty and more. Complete demographic profiling is also available.
Scantron offers Web hosting services
Scantron Technologies, a Tustin, Calif., data management firm, is now offering eListen Web Hosting services for the eListen product, the company's electronic survey and data collection software system. Organizations interested in running Internet-based surveys, using Web technology, can now create and deploy customized surveys at www.elisten.com.
The eListen Web Hosting service allows users to quickly launch customized surveys within minutes. Users may choose to create a survey with the eListen software or retain Scantron Technologies for survey development. Once the survey instrument and secure on-line registration form are completed, users are sent an e-mail with the pertinent uniform resource locator (URL) links to view their survey, reports and administration preferences.
The eListen Web Hosting services offer multiple options to securely view and retrieve data collected online. Data is continuously pumped into a database where users may view online reports and download Microsoft Access data files directly to their personal computer. Upon request data files may also be transferred onto a CD-ROM.
First-time users can evaluate the eListen software and Web Hosting service free for the first 30 days by downloading the software at www.elisten.com. Users may then choose to purchase the software and the Web Hosting.
New survey tool from Saja
Saja Software Inc., Longmont, Col., has introduced Survey Select Expert, a survey software tool equipped with Internet, reporting and database capabilities. The software complments Saja's flagship product, Survey Select. and enables users to integrate interactive survey strategies into corporate human resources, consumer marketing or research initiatives.
Survey Select Expert utilizes Java, HTML, and XML technologies to provide customizable and functional survey design, administration. analysis and reporting/presentation capabilities. The software provides several approaches to conducting surveys, including intranets and Internets, local area networks (LAN), e-mail, floppy disks or hard copy.
The new software's network capabilities enable multi-user support of on-line survey strategies. Subsequently, unlimited users can be directly involved in survey design. administration, analysis and reporting, including transferring files and manipulating surveys, answer scales and topics. The product's survey design features allow one or more networked users to build surveys from customized question libraries on the fly using Survey Select Expert's "Quick Survey" feature. The product offers users dual-scale question design capabilities to measure both satisfaction and importance levels simultaneously. Additional formatting options and new scales are also added to the survey design process.
Once survey answers are compiled in the Survey Select Expert database, they can then be imported/exported directly to/from: Survey Select Expert's spreadsheet view, list view or data entry wizard for analysis; an SPSS statistical program for in-depth analysis: or ODBC databases for archiving. Users needing sophisticated reporting choices can customize reporting information with advanced graphing functions while other users wanting simplicity can generate common reports automatically utilizing Survey Select Expert's report wizard. The tool can then publish reports to a printer or in HTML, RTF and ASCII formats. A free, self-running demo and/or interactive trial version of Survey Select Expert is available by visiting the firm's Web site.
New site for Internet research
interneLcom LLC has launched AllNetResearch.com, an e-commerce site for buying and selling Internet industry research. The site currently offers Internet market research reports and newsletters from research organizations in North America and Europe. Early participants include CyberDialogue, PhoCusWright. Fletcher Research, Creative Good, HighText Verlag and the Association of Internet Professionals.
Internet research buyers will be able to buy reports on-line after retrieving descriptions of publications, tables of contents. and shipping information. AllNetResearch.com will receive promotional support from the internet.com network of 47 Web sites, including CyberAtlas, a compendium of Internet market research on the Web.
AllNetResearch.com is part of internet.com, the e-business and Internet Technology Network. The network includes 47 Web sites, 27 email newsletters, 19 on-line discussion forums, and 45 moderated email discussion lists for Internet industry and Internet technology professionals, Web developers, and sophisticated Internet users. internetcom sites include InternetNews.com, which provides daily Internet-specific news; The Electronic Commerce Guide; ServerWatch; The Web Developer's Virtual Library; SearchEngine Watch, and Jumbo.
Banner ad evaluation research tool launched
New York-based VRROOM, the Virtual Research Room has introduced the BANNERater to provide real-time evaluation of banner ads during on-line focus groups. Advertisers, clients, and developers will now have available a methodology to test banner ad effectiveness and help address growing concerns over declining click-through rates. BANNERater was developed jointly with Canada's Interactive Tracking Systems Inc. (i-tracks.com), a developer of Web application software.
Geo-based reports on-line from NDS
National Decision Systems, through its Web site, has now made standard geography-based reports available on-line. Users now have the expanded option of creating reports based on larger trade areas. The standard geography feature allows users to select from a list of geographies, and then guides them through a step-by-step process to complete their report. Users can choose from the following standard geographies: ZIP code, place, county. state. MSA and the U.S. Up to 30 geographies of the chosen selection type can be aggregated for display on the same report.