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Thread: Did the online USA census form, poorly designed format

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Did the online USA census form, poorly designed format

    I just did the online USA census form. took about five minutes. Whoever designed the setup needs to go back to school and learn how computers work these days not ten years ago.
    The first question was to type in your your 12 DIGIT secret code that came in the mail. Problem is it is not 12 DIGITS. Many will be confused since it is 12 CHARECTERS. About half of the digits are letters.
    Each page where you enter dates you can not type in the date, you have to curse down and highlight the date, then click it to fill in the box. All typing it does is curse down the list to the correct date but not insert it until you click it again.
    One of the biggest time wasters was the fact that most questions are on the left 1/4 of the page or so. But you have to curse all the way down to the lower right corner to hit the continue box after each page.
    Bil lD.

  2. #2
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    Brought to you by the folks who design our voting systems :-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    On the bright side Califorina, home of silicon valley, does not allow voting machines to be hooked to the internet. The info is stored onboard in a removable storage unit. After voting is over this unit is removed and taken to a county voting headquarters where it is read by a stand alone computer. I have no idea how these results are reported to the state headquarters.
    Bill D.

    PS: Corona is a town in southern California, headquarters for Fender guitar.

  4. #4
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    I just completed it online. Very smooth. All pages worked as expected. No confusion on the code when I signed in. It's the only thing on the form that could be used as a code.I'm not sure what you had issue with Bill.

  5. #5
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    I filled it out yesterday no problem understanding it or filling it out. You just have to be smarter then the easy questions

  6. #6
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    Ronald

    Bill is saying that the online form is clumsy. Which it is.
    There is still a very large population of folks in the US that are not computer literate, and a form like this could cause confusion for them.
    I'm still trying to figure out why I'm getting it again? We did the zillion page census form last year.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  7. #7
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    What dastardly deed will befall one if it is not replied to?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Thompson View Post
    What dastardly deed will befall one if it is not replied to?
    I think they said they'd have to send someone to interview you. The real cost is that if you aren't counted it reduces your congressional representatives (versus other states.) Census data is also often used when allocating federal funds.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by David Bassett View Post
    I think they said they'd have to send someone to interview you. The real cost is that if you aren't counted it reduces your congressional representatives (versus other states.) Census data is also often used when allocating federal funds.
    Yep- this is one thing you can do that will bring more money & political clout to your state.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Brought to you by the folks who design our voting systems :-)
    And the Obamacare website...yuk..

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Daily View Post
    And the Obamacare website...yuk..
    I remember signing in to the healthcare.gov site a few years ago. After putting my username I was then informed that my password was expired. So I had to answer the security questions.

    It certainly was convenient that the answers for the security questions were already filled in for me when the questions appeared on the screen. Saved me a lot of typing!

    Tom

  12. #12
    I got three forms in the mail with three different codes. Guess I'll have to fill it out three times.

  13. #13
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    It not only helps your state but even your representative district for state and federal representation if you state or county has more then one house member.
    Bill D

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    But you have to curse all the way down to the lower right corner...
    What curse words work the best to move the cursor the quickest? (....sorry, I couldn't resist! )

  15. #15
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    I noticed all the issues Bill point out except the 12 "digit" thing. Found the fill in date issue particularly stupid. On another note there was no postage prepaid envelope in my mailed packet as stated on the instructions.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

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