Re: List Filtration (a.k.a.: Signal to Noise Ratio)

Lee Daniel Crocker (lcrocker@calweb.com)
Thu, 26 Dec 1996 15:37:49 -0800 (PST)


> I think I proposed that open list members submit a set of 5 of their
> posts to the open list, this submission going to a jury of 3 randomly
> selected closed list members. This minimizes the reading load of
> closed list members.

If a limited list has inherent value, why not take the obvious,
simple, and fair approach of charging for it? Only those with
enough serious interest to participate and support the list would
join, and that level of participation could be adjusted by price.
That would also prevent a scheme like that above from excluding
valuable participants with unpopular views or confrontational
rhetoric, and prevent uninterested trolls from sneaking in by
feeding 5 quick short simple posts, then flaming away.

The official sanction of the Extropy institute is a valuable
commodity for such a list, and I think it would be immoral not
to profit from that, and to give the institute itself complete
freedom to sanction and do business with whomever they choose.
If they do a bad job, well then let the free market create
another list to do better.