HKLNA Project - Graphs 96a, 96b Yes/No ratios in 2003

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Household computers and internet access in Hong Kong
Closing the household computer and internet access gaps in 2003

Note 1: The Yes/No ratio is useful, because it tells us about the relative presence and absence of a given entity within a specific population cohort. By way of example, consider the group of Hong Kongers age 25 to 34 with monthly earnings equal to or in excess of HK50,000. For about every 26 of these households, there is only one in the same group without a computer. In contrast, in Hong Kong households with monthly earnings under HK$10,000, whose household heads are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 55 and 64, there are more households without a computer than there are those with. (Note 1, table 96b)

Note 2: Comparing the number of households with and without a computer for each income level and age group reveals three distinct patterns: low income (red and orange), middle income (green and black), and high income (blue and purple). Higher income groups demonstrate higher Yes/No ratios than do lower income groups. The zero rating for those households with monthly earnings equal to HK$40,000 to HK$49,999 and household heads aged 15 to 24 is misleading, as there were no data available for this category. The general decline in the ratio of households with and without a computer as one moves from households with younger to older heads can be better explained by the age of computer technology than the age of the household head. Older Hong Kong residents are simply a technological generation or more behind. The vary high Yes /No ratio for the group with monthly earnings between HK$40,000 and HK$49,999 and household heads between the ages of 65 and over is probably due to sampling or measurement error. (Note 2, table 96b)

Note 3: "Personal computers refers to a computer designed for individual use. Personal computers includes desktop computer, laptop/notebook computer and Personal Digital Assistant. Servers, workstations and terminals of mainframe or minicomputer are not included. Personal computers may be connected to form a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN)." Source: Hong Kong Government. Census and Statistics Department. Information Technology and Telecommunications Statistics Section. 2003. Hong Kong as an Information Society. Appendix A - Terms and Definitions 1.3, p. 115. Comment: An email from the Social Survey Section of CSD confirmed that both sections used the same definition for the term personal computer in their respective reports.

Source: Hong Kong Government. Census and Statistics Department. Social Surveys Section. 2003. Thematic Household Survey. Information Technology Usage and Penetration. Data obtained by special request from the Social Surveys Section. EARTH's copy of the corresponding table is available on request.

Note 1: See note 1 table 96a for explanation of Yes/No ratio.

Note 2: The three distinct income groups observed in graph 96a above become muddled with respect to households connected to the internet. In addition there is a dramatic shift in the range of values over which the Yes/No ratio spans. In graph 96a we noted a 26 to 1 ratio for households with monthly earning HK$50,000 or above and household heads between the ages of 25 and 34. In graph 96b this ratio drops to about 13 to 1. Obviously there is more than montly income involved when it comes to connecting to the internet from one's home. The same aberrations observed in graph 96a for the HK$40,000 to HK$49,999 income group also occur in graphs 96b. Once again, there is a general decline in connectivity associated with age. See note 2, table 96a.

Note 3: "Internet is the world-wide public computer network, which provides access to a wide range of services including the world wide web, email, newsgroup and file transfer." Source: Hong Kong Government. Census and Statistics Department. Information Technology and Telecommunications Statistics Section. 2003. Hong Kong as an Information Society. Appendix A - Terms and Definitions 2.11, p. 117.

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