[EM] Chris: ABF grading

[MIKE OSSIPOFF]

Chris:

You said:

Forest:

Why are your suggested grade options labelled A, C, F and not  A, C, E?

[endquote]

Because that's the school letter-grading system in the U.S.

A,B,C,D,F

Why do we skip "E"?  Probably because "E" can be construed to stand for 
"Excellent", and so "F" is used instead, to stand for "Failure".

Chris continued:

You can make the same wonderful argument that 2-slot ballots can work 
just as well as 3-slot ballots.

[endquote]

Oh, and is Chris saying that the randomization would then remain as simple for
the voter? :-)

Chris continued:

And why limit the voters to one coin-toss each per candidate?

[endquote]

How about because it's considerably easier and more familiar for most
people. People are used to flipping a coin. A randomization consisting
of a series of coin flips isn't quite the same thing.


Sure, Approval could simulate any Score Voting range, with the right 
randomizing method. People are used to deciding things by a single
coin flip.

Chris continues:

A voter 
who wishes to give candidate x a grade of  B on the scale A-B-C-D-E can 
first toss a coin to decide between A and C on an imaginary
A-C-E ballot  and if  that comes up A then approve x on the actual 
2-slot ballot but if it comes up C then toss the coin again to decide 
between approving x or not.

[endquote]

See above.

Now, someone could ask why not just have 5 slots, for A,B,C,D,F.

Because we already have 3-slot voting equipment. We already do 3-slog
voting when we vote on initiatives. The balloting system for that must
recognize 3 distinct ratings for an initiative: "Yes", "No", and neither.

So we already have 3-slot balloting. So A,B,F grading woudldn't require
new balloting technology or equipment.

Likewise, of course, because we already have 3-slot balloting, the following
methods likewise wouldn't need new balloting technology or equipment:

MTA, MCA, MTAC, MCAC, MTAOC, MCAOC, AOC (optional-conditional Approval), MMT, GMAT.

Mike Ossipoff



Chris Benham
 		 	   		  
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