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From: cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Libertarianism and the Police
Message-ID: <398@kontron.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jul-85 12:38:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: kontron.398
Posted: Tue Jul 23 12:38:59 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Jul-85 03:47:23 EDT
References: <7800338@inmet.UUCP> <1340289@acf4.UUCP> <614@cybvax0.UUCP>
Organization: Kontron Electronics, Irvine, CA
Lines: 30

> In article <1340289@acf4.UUCP> mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) writes:
> > >/* mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) /  3:50 pm  Jul 11, 1985 */
> > 
> > >Second, no information that would allow comparison of client's products to
> > >those of others will be released unless it shows the client's product is
> > >better.  Non-profit groups don't have this problem.
> > 
> > What you don't appear to have considered is that people will probably tend
> > favor the products of those companies that willingly submit their products
> > for testing.  The stamp of approval of a testing agent would be a selling
> > point.  And if people don't favor such products, it means they don't care
> > so much about these safety considerations, and therefore shouldn't be
> > forced to support government safety enforcement agencies.
> 
> The testing organization you propose would not be in its business for
> philanthropy.  Its goal would be money.  It will charge for the service
> of rating a product.  Because a favorable rating will be of value to the
> producer (a selling point), and a bad rating will cost, there will be a
> strong financial interest in a "gentlemanly" contract for the service,
> where only favorable information is released.
> 
> I've heard this very complaint about camera magazines.  I've never read
> a bad review of a product in one.
> -- 
> 
> Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh

Do you ever read Consumer Reports?  Does Underwriter Labs approve every
product?  I think you need to get out of your ivory tower and see how
these functions are being performed *right now*.