From bw@ashbysolutions.com Sat Nov 30 07:55:24 2013
Subject:Re: Polls/Surveys - lets move on

As former lead moderator, I'd like to add my $0.02USD here ...

As Craig mentioned, being the moderator requires a bit of work. The
*best* possible outcome is that the moderator agonizes over decisions,
occasionally reprimands members, and reads dozens, if not hundreds, of
emails that he/she is not remotely interested in -- while everyone else
is blissfully unaware of the process. More often, the moderator is also
the dedicated bad guy or gal who has to 'tell the party members to turn
down the music,' so to speak.

Research polls are useful to answer some questions. How old is the
average member? What clone(s) do you own, and which one is your go-to
choice? How often do you perform in public? All of these are
collections of useful data for prospective buyers, and to help the
moderators decide what is on- or off-topic.

Opinion polls -- and the operative word here is *opinion*, not fact --
are less so. Humans, though, seem to like opinion/best polls:

- Ford or Chevy?
- Chinese takeout or Pizza?
- Les Paul or a Fender Strat?
- Who makes the best reverb -- Eventide, Lexicon, or TC Electronic?

The problems are: 1) the answers are subjective, so the results are a
popularity contest rather than a useful way to filter choices; and 2)
they often leave out other, valid alternatives. I can *only* choose a
Ford or a Chevy? What about Yamaha, Behringer, or Alesis reverbs?

Historically, we've had these, "Who makes the best clone?" debates
before, and they proved nothing, while raising tempers of some list
members. I, for one, have deleted every email related to the recent
poll, and would have continued to do so if the moderator had allowed the
poll to continue. But if I opened my email every day and found 200
Great Clone Poll emails, it would encourage me to stop checking in for a
few weeks. It's the old quantity-vs-quality debate; I lean towards quality.

I sympathize with list members who live in rural, isolated areas -- or
even smaller cities -- and have zero chance of auditioning several
clones before buying. But this list can only help you choose the most
popular clone through a poll. The *best* clone (for you) is a personal
choice, and you'll have to do your research.

Regards,

-BW

Bruce Wahler
Ashby Solutions.com™
bw@ashbysolutions.com
http://music.ashbysolutions.com
877.55.ASHBY (877.552.7429)

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