john@frog.UUCP (John Woods) (10/31/89)
Well, I seem to have missed this one first time around, but since it has landed in my mailbox, I'll reply now. In article <971@csisles.Bristol.AC.UK>, mackeown@compsci.bristol.ac.uk writes: > [ what he purports to be a poll on namespace renaming ] Real pollsters know a number of things to avoid in designing polls, and top of their list is bias, conscious or unconscious. > Subject: was On the Creation of Wrongly Named Newsgroups, eg. SCI.AQUARIA So right here, we know that this poll is biased, conducted by someone who knows exactly what result is supposed to happen (and who, very likely, will not bother counting the "wrong" votes (or probably any at all) so as to ensure that the posted results match expectations). Several anti-sci.aquaria people have managed to propose newsgroup renaming concepts without putting it in the context of their BURNING NEED to nuke sci.aquaria. Mackeown didn't. And shouldn't have bothered. > This poll will not by itself determine how/whether a renaming takes > place, but the results will probably influence future events/discussions. > I will post the results on Friday 3 November 17:00 GMT. I will also mail > the results to the following in case they miss the posting. > Gene Spafford (spaf@uther.cs.purdue.edu) > Chuq von Rospach (chuq@apple.com) > Greg Woods (woods@handies.ucar.edu) I think these people are all smart enough to discard your "poll". Regardless of whether or not they agree with the result you cook up. So, folks, just for maximum accuracy, when you want to do something like this, please replace the phrase "opinion poll" (or just "poll") with "ranting, blithering screed", as in "A RANTING, BLITHERING SCREED on the subject of RENAMING THE NEWSGROUPS is running from now until Doomsday (inclusive). If you have an opinion about renaming newsgroups, this is your chance to influence the outcome of this ranting, blithering screed." Network lossage ate the original version of this article, a version much less tolerant. But one last kick: > B) Marine or freshwater biologists study LIFE ITSELF and its interactions Next time you meet a freshwater biologist, ask if they have a spare LIFE you can borrow. You clearly need to get one.