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From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.books
Subject: Sturgeon's Law
Message-ID: <11311@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 20-Jun-85 16:45:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11311
Posted: Thu Jun 20 16:45:04 1985
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There have been references to Theodore Sturgeon recently, and also a few
citations of the famous "Sturgeon's Law". I would like to trace down the
actual origin and exact text of this famous principle.

This is commonly quoted as "90% of *everything* is crap." However, I
have heard that percentage vary from "90%" to "95%" up to "99%". (As
a great truth, I lean toward the "99" being the more correct figure. :-)
(But here I am more interested in what Sturgeon really said.)

Also, the last word has varied from "crap" to "sh*t" (please excuse the
usage, but accuracy is more important here than nicety). 

What is the true wording of this famous phrase?

Can anyone cite the actual text where this originated? Or was it of
verbal origin, perhaps in a lecture or talk or in a conversation (maybe
at a con somewhere?) and entered the SF folklore via reporting and
repetition?

Thanks for your help!

Regards,
Will Martin

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