Re: List Filtration (a.k.a.: Signal to Noise Ratio)
Robin Hanson (hanson@hss.caltech.edu)
Thu, 26 Dec 1996 20:16:46 -0800 (PST)
"Lee Daniel Crocker" writes:
>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, ...
You might similarly argue that there are too many trash books
published, so let's put a tax on authors. The value isn't in limiting
the number of posts in any ole way, it's in somehow increasing the
average (reader-perceived) quality of posts.
Robin D. Hanson hanson@hss.caltech.edu http://hss.caltech.edu/~hanson/