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Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!texbell!sugar!ficc!peter
From: peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: news.admin,news.groups
Subject: Re: Fixing the unbroken
Message-ID: <7172@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 1 Dec 89 13:15:02 GMT
References: <7139@ficc.uu.net> <479@scorn.sco.COM>
Reply-To: peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
Organization: Xenix Support, FICC
Lines: 58

In article <479@scorn.sco.COM> davidbe@sco.COM (The Cat in the Hat) writes:
> The problem with STV is complexity.  I've yet to see anyone give a clear
> explanation of how to tally such a vote.  All the explanations people have
> given so far look like something the defense department came up with.

I'll describe a procedure. It's longer than 25 lines, but it does contain
two shell scripts. First of all, set up a file that looks like so:

work-file:
------
name name name * user
...
------

Now run the following script:

step:
------
/bin/awk '{ votes[$1]++ }
  END { for(i in votes) print votes[i], i }' work-file |
    sort -n
------

You now have a list of the names in order, with the fewest votes first.
If the last name in this list wins, you're done. Otherwise, take the first
name on the list other than '*' or 'NO' and feed it to this script:

eliminate:
------
ed - work-file << EOF
g/^$1 /s///
w
q
EOF
------

Now go back and run 'step'. If you have a winner (>50% of the votes, more
than 100 votes over the NO vote, etc...), you're done. Otherwise go back
and run 'eliminate' again. Keep it up until you've got a winner or the vote
has failed.

> And the problem common to *both* proposals, is that they give "no" and
> no votes much less significance.  

Funny, there are other people complaining that STV gives "no" *more*
significance because it splits the "yes" vote. You can't win.

> Remember: any voting scheme should be understandable by a 3 year-old.  

"Pick the name you like best. OK, put it here. Now, Jimmy, let's go back
 to the pile. What do you like best..."

The voting part. I wouldn't expect a 3-year-old to *run* a vote.
-- 
`-_-' Peter da Silva <peter@ficc.uu.net> <peter@sugar.lonestar.org>.
 'U`  --------------  +1 713 274 5180.
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