From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 12:54:23 +0800
To: Jim Burnes <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: Cyberpunks Signal-to-Noise Ratio
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980917130032.438B-100000@jb3.fastrans.net>
Message-ID: <v03130300b2284d3fb7a3@[209.66.100.84]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 12:02 PM -0700 9/17/98, Jim Burnes wrote:
>Far be it from me to complain about the content-free
>nature of others postings, but has anyone else noticed
>that the signal on cypherpunks is being lost in the noise?
>

Complaining about, or even just commenting on, the problems with the
Cypherpunks list does no good.

* the clueless hotmail, sixdegrees, AOL, etc. posters will not even _read_
the comments, let alone understand them, let alone care. They will continue
to ramble on about warez, band stickers, where their shoes are, kool bandz,
etc.

* as the list is not filtered, censored, moderated or otherwise controlled,
how can a complaint about S/N do anything? Are you asking for someone to
filter out the noise posts? Are you commissioning the writing of more
signal posts?

* the list has had several bouts in the past with bombardment by noise
posts. Cf. Detweiler (tentacles, snakes of medusa, etc.), Vulis, Toto, etc.
Toto's extremely long, incoherent rants consumed far more bandwidth than
the current noise constitutes.

 In short, the _only_ route to fix the S/N is to increase signal. And that
happens not be exhorting others to write more signal, but by the act of
actually writing signal. And that tends to happen when a critical mass of
interested people are having a  discussion on topics of interest.

And that proceeds in spurts, not surprisingly, as topics come to the fore.

Meanwhile, complaining only adds to the noise.

--Tim May

(This space left blank pending determ. of acceptability to the gov't.)
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist         | black markets, collapse of governments.