Dear AIR'ers - I lost the email that was specifically referring to 'critical mass' and notions of quality, and wanted to add this: 'Critical mass' as I understand the concept is part of the theory of 'network effect' - quite well known by most on this list, but well worth a quick review. Network effect is the exponential effect or multiplier that works as new technology is added, node by node to an existing technological development. Just wanted to say that this specific effect has not informed quality, as I understand it, without an appropriate unit of analysis other than mass popularity (i.e., VHS vs. Beta). However, with a unit of analysis in place, this if PC/Mac monitor - this monitor is of a higher quality because it has more pixels (pixels being the unit of analysis). This works qualitatively as well, as in "this monitors looks better than this one" (yes/no) as long as there is some notion of a specific guideline informing the decision. Saying the internet is of a better quality than other communciative devices, I would want to know: 1) what is the unit of analysis? (more information, more images, more etc. does not necessarily indicate a communication device of any better quality) but rather, I guess, the ratio of signal/noise 2) how are we measuring this unit that indicates higher quality? Just some thoughts from Australia that reach you from 'tommorrow' to your 'today' - Denise ===== "I want to focus on my salad" (M. Stewart, 2002) Denise N. Rall, Sustainable Forestry Mentoring Coordinator & PhD student, School of Education, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW, 2480 Australia Phone +61-2-6624-8627 Fax +61-2-6624-8637 Office (Tuesdays) (02) 6620 3577 Mob 0438 233 344 http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/edu/research/deniserall/index.html __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/