Ibexx & all, - "Poll - By 5-1 Margin, Americans Oppose Lawsuit Blocking Release of Windows 98"
PR Newswire - May 06, 1998 11:06
Pollsters Hart and Teeter say Americans Want Competition
in Computer Industry To Be Driven by Consumers and Marketplace,
Not the Government
WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- By more than a 5-to-1
margin, Americans oppose the idea of state Attorneys General
bringing a lawsuit to block the release of Windows 98,
according to a public opinion survey conducted by
nationally recognized pollsters Peter D. Hart and
Robert M. Teeter. By a similar 5-to-1 margin, Americans
believe the best way to ensure
competition in the computer industry is to let consumers and the market decide, rather than by Attorneys General trying to
impede the release of Windows 98, according to the survey.
The survey of 1,002 adults nationwide was conducted April
29-30 and had a margin of error of 3.2 percent. It was
commissioned by Microsoft. Hart, a
Democrat, and Teeter, a Republican, are best known
as the bipartisan pairing that conducts polls for
The Wall Street Journal and NBC News.
Peter Hart and Tom Riehle of Hart-Teeter Research
will be holding a conference call with reporters to
discuss the results of this survey at 2:30 p.m. (EDT)
on Wednesday, May 6. To participate in this call,
please call 1-888-286-6986. Please ask for the Microsoft
call. According to the survey, Americans believe --
by a margin of 68 percent to 13 percent -- that it's a bad
use of taxpayer dollars for Attorneys General to
bring a lawsuit that blocks Microsoft from releasing
Windows 98. They are equally convinced -- 68 percent
to 13 percent -- that state Attorneys General should
not try to force Microsoft to remove Internet
capabilities from Windows 98. "Americans see a role for
government regulation-in food, drugs, securities,
financial markets, consumer protection, and many other areas,"
said Hart. "In the minds of most Americans, however,
blocking the release of Windows 98 falls far outside
the area of appropriate government regulation.
Indeed, when we asked which of two statements comes
closer to their opinion, only 14 percent said their
state's Attorney General should block release of
Windows 98 in order to maintain competition in the
industry, while 77 percent said the best way to ensure
competition in this industry is to let consumers
and the market decide -- without government intervention."
According to Teeter: "Americans just do not see a need
for this dramatic action against a product poised for
release. Four out of five Americans credit Microsoft
with helping the economy, and three in four credit the
company with benefiting consumers. That's why only
13 percent think a lawsuit blocking the release of
Windows 98 is a good use of taxpayer dollars."
In other findings, 79 percent of Americans believe Microsoft
is contributing to the nation's economic growth, and an
even higher number, 87 percent, believe Microsoft's
success has helped stimulate the growth of the
computer industry in the U.S.
Among the questions asked in the survey were the following:
Do you think that your attorney general should
bring a lawsuit that blocks Microsoft from releasing
Windows 98 in your state, or should they not bring such a suit?
Should bring suit 12%
Should not bring suit 64%
Not Sure 24%
Do you think that it is a good use or bad use
of tax dollars for your attorney general to bring a lawsuit
that blocks Microsoft from releasing Windows 98 in your state.
Good use 13%
Bad use 68%
Neither 3%
Not sure 16%
Which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion on this issue:
Statement A: The attorney general in your state
should block the release of Windows 98 in order to
maintain competition in the industry.
Statement B: The best way to ensure competition in the
industry is to let consumers and the market decide without government intervention.
Statement A 14%
Statement B 77%
Not sure 9%
Should your attorney general bring a suit to try to
force Microsoft to remove the Internet capabilities from
the Windows 98 software sold in your state, or should they
not bring such a suit?
Should bring suit 13%
Should not bring suit 68%
Not sure 19%
Do you feel that Microsoft is currently contributing to economic growth in
the United States, or are they holding back economic growth?
Contributing 79%
Holding back 8%
Not sure 13%
Microsoft's success has helped stimulate the growth of the computer
industry in the U.S.
Strongly agree 62%
Somewhat agree 25%
Somewhat disagree 3%
Strongly disagree 2%
Not sure 8%
SOURCE Hart-Teeter Research
/CONTACT: Jennifer Curley, 202-326-1768, e-mail,
jennifer_curley@dc.edelman.com; or Adrienne Woodward, 202-326-1709, e-mail,
adrienne_woodward@dc.edelman.com, both for Hart-Teeter Research/ |
