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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, cjc@NOSPAMnewsguy.com (Mike Stanley) writes:
> Naji Norder <n.norderSPAMBLOCK@computer.org> wrote:
> > [...] I consider the lack of this in Lugnet's rules to
> > be an oversite, but if the majority feels differently, then a vote
> > should easily determine this.
>
> Not to pick nits, but as much as Todd has shown himself willing to
> adapt things to fit the needs and wants of his users, any kind of
> "vote" held by the people who use Lugnet won't necessarily have any
> effect on how things are done here. This is Todd & Suz's show, and it
> ain't necessarily a democracy.
That's right. Every LUGNET design and development decision is approached
with the overall near- and long-term needs of the community in mind (so
near as those needs can be understood) but in the end, it is a business
just as any other -- and definitely not a democracy.
Opinion polls can be great ways to collect, summarize, and present new or
old views, but the end results may not always agree with the fundamental
tenets of the system.
For example, if someone conducted a poll and discovered that 9 out of 10
LUGNET newsgroup users wished they didn't have to disclose their real-life
and wanted the option to identify themselves to others using only an
alias, this would be an example of a poll taken in vain, because a deep-
rooted tenet of LUGNET is that everyone be able to see the real-life name
of everyone else.
An example in the other direction: If someone conducted a poll and
discovered that a very large percentage of all LUGNET newsgroup users
would welcome auction announcements (not updates) in theme-specific
newsgroups (trains, starwars, etc.), then the results of a poll like that
would be taken seriously -- and the matter would likely be put to further
discussion.
In any case, this is a system created and operated by a small team of
human beings who attempt to understand the current needs of, and
proactively identify the future needs of, a large group of human beings.
The system will never suit everyone perfectly, nor will it ever be a pure
democracy, but you can be sure that the vast majority of issues will get
listened to and acted on by people who truly care and who often also want
to hear all 20 sides of the coin. I think it's a level of commitment that
you don't see many other places.
--Todd
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