In message 86bspnr6gn.fsf@tezcatlipoca.algonet.se, Calle Dybedahl calle@lysator.liu.se writes
The questionnaire is attached and I really appreciate you filling in the answers and returning it to me.
Note to other listmember: Normally I wouldn't have approved something carrying a binary like this, but I was getting tired of this person. Make sure to have your virus scanners updated and turned on before you open the attachment.
I did. I've appended what the Word document appeared to contain at the bottom of this post. I happen to be using a computer with Word and a virus checker on it at the moment, so I _was_ able to open it. Many people on this list can't, and many who can won't. There are these things called macro viruses.
Calle is quite correct in his comment about the survey being biased to the point of being valueless by this assumption that all congoers use Word. This survey has exactly the same flaw as the infamous survey in America early last century that used a telephone poll to predict the outcome of the Presidential election, and got it seriously wrong.
A good many of the online con-going fans not only do not use Word, they wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. These people form a significant sub-population, and may have different attitudes to cons than do the Word users. In my personal experience, many of them do.
I would suggest just cutting and pasting the text from Word to the email, but that doesn't always work when Microsoft word processors are involved. If it doesn't, either use a text editor like notepad, or create a text file in the word processor. This is how to create a text file in Word 2000:
File Save As... In the "Save As" dialogue box, select the "Save as type:" drop down menu Pick one of the text types. In this case, "text only" would work perfectly well. Save the file.
Note that even text attachments are viewed with suspicion. It is advisable to either cut and paste the text into the email, or use the email software's merge facility. Many email packages do have an option for merging an attached text file into the main body of the email.
Sci-fi Convention Questionnaire.
1. How old are you?
2. What is your occupation?
3. How many conventions have you been to? And which ones?
4. Who did you go with?
5. Why did you choose to go with these people/on your own?
6. Did you meet many new people/make new friends?
7. Were these people any different to the kinds of people you normally associate with?
8. What types of people did you see at the convention e.g. families, fanatics etc?
9. Did you expect to see these types of people?
10. What were your favourite activities at the convention(s)? E.g. talks, videos, meeting guests?
11. Was there a particular reason you wanted to go?
12. Did you see many children when you were there, and did they look to be enjoying themselves or not, and at which activities?
13. Are there any reasons that would influence your decision to come back or not?
14. In a short sentence please let me know your main reasons for going to a convention, do you think that the type of person you are affects the way you look at such events?
15. Did it bother you to see people who were really into the convention and would dress up as characters etc?