E wrote:
Dear all programmable thermostat users/owners,

Hi, I am a college student who is doing a project about programmable
thermostats. I have difficulty to find people who use or own a
programmable thermostat, and I am so desperate that I am asking for
help in this group. The questionnaire is mainly about your experience
and opinions about programmable thermostats. It won't take long to
fill out the questionnaire and I really really really appeciate your
help.

Here is the questionnai

Programmable Thermostat Questionnaire (for users/owners)

1. What is the brand and model of your programmable thermostat? (You
can leave out the model if you do not remember)

Honeywell


2. How long have you owned or used a programmable thermostat?

Three years. No longer own them. Sold them to a fool on Ebay.


3. What kind of features does your programmable thermostat have?
**Please select the following item(s) that are applicable by putting
an "X" at the end of the item.
(1) Ability to store and repeat multiple settings (e.g. weekends
and weekdays)X
(2) Manual override to allow you to change the current temperature
without affecting the daily or weekly program.X
(3) Ability to operate normally with a battery backup during a
power outage or a battery failureX
(4) Ability to prevent unnecessary or unreasonable period of a
setting (e.g. a period of 1 minute)
(5) Digital DisplayX
(6) Keyboard Lock to prevent unauthorized changes to the
preprogrammed settings
(7) Multiple Temperatures Display (Fahrenheit or Centigrade)
(8) Multiple Languages Support and Display
(9) Low Battery Indicator that indicates whether the battery used
to hold the programmed schedule is lowX
(10) Energy Monitor that keeps track of number of hours the
heating/cooling system has run for any selected time period
(11) Filter Change Indicator that goes on after a preset time
period to remind when it is time to clean or replace the filter
(12) Temperature accuracy within one degree (plus or minus)
(13) Instructions printed on the inside cover
(14) Others:

4. Please scale the satisfaction level of your current programmable
thermostat? (1 - Not Satified and 8 - Completely Satisfied)

Can I use ZERO?


5. What feature(s) do you like about your programmable thermostat? And
why do you like it or them? If applicable, please write the number of
the item in Question 3, and explain for each item.

Frankly, I didn't like any of them.


6. What feature(s) do you dislike about your programmable thermostat?
Why do you dislike it or them? If applicable, please write the number
of the item in Question 3, and explain for each item.

It did what it was told to do. Most of the time, I didn't want it do be
doing that. This left two inconvenient choices: either over-ride the
programmed setting or re-program. If the latter, the same choices would be
presented tomorrow.


7. If you think that your programmable thermostat needs to be
improved, what kind of improvements should be made?

The concept of a programmable thermostat is similar to that of designer
water. Absolutely useless.


8. Please scale (between 1 and 10) the importance of the following
requirements of a programmable thermostat: (1 - Least Important and 8
- Most Important)
** Please put the number at the end of the item.
· High Task efficiency - 1
· Low Error rates - 1
· Fast recovery time -1
· Easy to learn - 8
· Easy to use - 9
· Safe - 1 (I guess. My thermostats never attacked me or, to my knowledge,
attempted to posion my coffee)
· Good physical design - 1
· Good interface design (software) - 8
· Durable -1
· Ease of maintenance-1 (what maintenance?)
· Others:

9. How much time do you usually spend at most to perform a task, e.g.
to set a weekday program?

More than should be necessary.


10. If you can recall, how much time did you spend on performing a
task, e.g. to set a weekday program for the first time?

Ten minutes.


11. How well (a scale between 1 and 8) do you know about your
programmable thermostat in terms of features? (1 - not well and 8 -
very well)

2


12. How much time have you spent to learn to use the features of the
thermostat that fit your needs?

More, much more, than should have been necessary.


13. How much percentage (between 0% and 100%) of all features of the
thermostat have you learned using the time that you answered in the
previous question?

I have no idea. I distinctly remember forgetting everything I knew about
those evil devices.


14. Where do you use your programmable thermostat?
**Please select the following items that are applicable by putting an
"X" at the end of the item.
· Home - X
· Office - X
· Others:

15. Please indicate your age range
**Please put an "X" at the end of the item.
· 15-24
· 26-35
· 36-45
· 46-55
· 56-65
· Over 65

16. What is your occupation? (If you are a student or a professional,
please indicate your specific area)

President, software company.


***Thank you so much for your time to answer this questionnaire. I
really appreciate your help!

Estella

Estella, why are you involving yourself in this fruitless endeavor? I would
be embarassed.