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What You Think of Us (1Mar94) (from KPNO, NOAO Newsletter No. 37, 1 March 1994) KPNO distributed a questionnaire last October to help us evaluate both how we are doing and how we can best meet the needs of the astronomical community. The questionnaire went via e-mail to the 520 non-NOAO proposal applicants from the last three years. We wish to thank the 166 respondents who returned completed forms. Several of the most significant results of the survey are listed below and in bar chart form. The complete detailed summary is available by anonymous ftp from ftp.noao.edu (140.252.1.24) in the kpno/question subdirectory as the file "summary". We are still in the process of extracting the many thoughtful comments that were often included in the returned surveys, and those will be made available when compiled. o 65% of our users are from universities, distributed nearly equally from graduate students to full professors. o The primary reason for using KPNO is reliable instrumentation. o 69% of our users paid for their recent runs with funding from either NSF or NASA, while 12% found their observing plans hampered by not having funding. o 91% felt the TAC process was fair most of the time. 81% felt the TAC comments they received on denied proposals were useful. o Observing runs at the 4-m should be kept to an average of length of 3 nights. o The response to problems at the telescope was at least adequate 95% of the time and excellent 72% of the time. o 95% of the respondents having experience at other observatories described KPNO telescopes as comparable or superior to those used elsewhere. o 28% of the respondents reported that their observing runs exceeded a 90% success rate, while 52% reported a success rate exceeding 70%. The reason most cited for lack of success was weather (55%). o IRAF is used as a primary system by 85% of our users. 92% find it sufficient for quick-look reductions at the telescope, and 90% were happy with the ICE control system for CCDs. [Bar charts not included] George Jacoby
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