From: Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 07:05:35 -0800 (PST)
To: dthorn@gte.net (Dale Thorn)
Subject: Re: [STATS] Cypherpunks subscriptions on and off
In-Reply-To: <32D30EFB.5F8@gte.net>
Message-ID: <199701081608.IAA16175@songbird.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Dale Thorn allegedly said:
> 
> The following table shows cypherpunks subscription activity
> for the period 12 Oct 1996 thru 07 January 1996.
[...]

> 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. 

As a relatively new subscriber I find the single factor most likely 
to get me to leave is the garbage on the list.

And a significant portion of the traffic is discussion about that garbage.

> 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.

No.  The blatant spam and "Timmy isa" posts are more annoying 
than the large volume, at least in my case.  
[...]

> 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).

Moderation may actually cause the list to grow at a faster pace.

While I don't agree with your analysis in the short run, in the long 
run volume on the list will be *the* problem -- just due to the 
growth of the net.  And in the long run, undoubtedly further 
structure will evolve -- there is no meaningful way to deal with say 
10000 messages per day without some way of structuring the flow.

-- 
Kent Crispin				"No reason to get excited",
kent@songbird.com,kc@llnl.gov		the thief he kindly spoke...
PGP fingerprint:   5A 16 DA 04 31 33 40 1E  87 DA 29 02 97 A3 46 2F