From: Dale Thorn <dthorn@gte.net>
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 21:11:55 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: [STATS] Cypherpunks subscriptions on and off
Message-ID: <32D30EFB.5F8@gte.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


The following table shows cypherpunks subscription activity
for the period 12 Oct 1996 thru 07 January 1996.

Date    ~Days   #Subs   Gain   Loss   Gain / day   Loss / day
-----   -----   -----   ----   ----   ----------   ----------
10/12     n/a    1361    n/a    n/a          n/a          n/a
11/04      23    1353    211    219          9.2          9.5
11/30      26    1299    173    227          6.7          8.7
12/18      18    1262    120    157          6.7          8.7
01/07      20    1291    151    122          7.6          6.1
        -----   -----   ----   ----   ----------   ----------
Totals:    87            655    725          7.5          8.3

Interpretation:

Unless the reversal of gain/loss in the 5th data row is permanent,
c-punks are losing 0.8 bodies per day, or 294 subscribers per year.

Actually, the constant high turnover suggests something else:
Many people join the list and get back off again due to the high
volume and their own personal time constraints.  Unless Sandy can
cut *way* back on the number of posts to the list, i.e. excise a *lot*
more postings than just the blatant Spam and "Timmy is a....." posts,
it won't make any difference to those people who come and go.

In effect, Sandy is going to have to cut the number of daily posts
(to the moderated list) from, say, 100 per day down to, say, 20 or
25 per day.  This would certainly be a goal of his, since most of the
subscriber comments I've heard indicate that even 50 posts per day of
"relevant political/social commentary" is way too high for them.

As to the net loss in subscribers, the moderation of the list could
have a substantial effect on the number of subscribers short-term,
but whatever trend we have here will continue regardless, since the
real value and character of the list is not determined by the posts
which are removed (unless it were that some of the character and value
is going to be removed), but by long-term factors which are to be
expected when the principals get older, less involved, and less
contentious (like Sandy, wanting to avoid conflict).