Re: Strawpoll on proper usage of @debian.org email address
On Mon, Jan 26, 2004 at 10:55:30AM +0100, Michael Banck wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 25, 2004 at 03:10:06PM -0600, John Goerzen wrote:
> > I further caution that it is dangerous to draw conclusions on the
> > feelings of the project based on the unauthenticated responses of only
> > a small minority of developers.
>
> More than 10% responded. AFAIK, that's way more than in any political
> survey. On the other hand, the "samples" in political surveys are
> usually better chosen to be representative.
>
> Still, I think a significant number of DDs has responded in order to
> make this strawpoll have a meaning.
I'm not disputing that there is meaning present. I am just saying that
the poll did not say that it was going to be used to develop policy, was
not announced in devel-announce, etc. The meaning the poll has is to
show this feelings of those surveyed. While those surveyed likely are
the ones that have been most active in the discussion, we cannot
necessarily extrapolate from that set to the developer body as a whole.
It is improper to say from this survey that "a majority of developers
support x." It is proper to say "a majority of those surveyed support
x."
-- John
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