Re: [ga] let's try to see this constructively... and not over rea

[Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>]

On Fri, Jun 15, 2001 at 03:50:14AM +0000, david@farrar.com wrote:
> Marilyn Cade wrote: 
>> Jonathan, and Michael and others...
>> 
>> Why not use the narrative questions to include other perspectives that you
>> think aren't included, as informational points?
> 
>This can certainly be done by the individuals who think of this but it still 
>means that the quantative data would have considerably less value than could 
>have been the case.

In fact, there is very little significance that can be attached to the
quantitiative data.  Right now people are treating the survey as a vote,
and busy trying to stuff the ballot by getting lots of people who think
like they do to fill out the form.  There is essentially no statistical
validity to that as a sampling method. 

> Instead of having the responses as essential, desirable and valueless it would 
> have been better to ask something like :
> 
> Please indicate whether for each data element below , you regard its inclusion 
> in WHOIS as
> 
> 1) Critically Important
> 2) Very Important
> 3) Moderately Important
> 4) Somewhat Important
> 5) Not at all Important
> 
> plus an option for Don't Know/No Opinion.
> 
> Another way to do it is just ask each data element to be ranked on a scale of 
> 1 - 10 where 1 is "Essential" and 10 is "Valueless".
> 
> Both of the above allow each data element to be given an average score which is 
> useful for compararative purposes.

Without a rigorous sampling methodology, such finesse is useless.  A
statement like "67% of those surveyed think that whois is essential" 
would be misleading, at best.

> Question 9 as written is not without value.  One can compare the % who mark 
> essential for each data element as a rough guide and ignore how the remainder 
> is split between desirable and valueless.
> 
> As with others I commend ICANN/NC for doing such a survey.

While I think your emphasis on the numerical aspects is completely
misguided, I also agree that the survey is a very positive development. 
While there is no doubt that it is essentially useless from a quantative
point of view, it remains true that a great deal of useful qualitative
information will come from such a survey.

-- 
Kent Crispin                               "Be good, and you will be
kent@songbird.com                           lonesome." -- Mark Twain
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