Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Fury
When Hitler gets brought up in a discussion on FR, you know it's getting a bit dicey.

This thread is over:

Goodwin's Law of Usenet

Professor Goodwin, U of Illinois, in 1981 made the observation that Usenet discussions gravitate downhill.

He postulated that as the length of a discussion thread grows, the probability approaches one (1) that one participant will introduce the terms "Hitler" or "Nazi".

The custom has evolved that the first party to utter "Hitler" or "Nazi" has lost the discussion, and the thread terminates.

252 posted on 12/20/2002 5:44:23 AM PST by Numbers Guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 248 | View Replies ]


To: Numbers Guy
Professor Goodwin, U of Illinois. Who cares what he said, he was a nazi.
255 posted on 12/20/2002 5:47:12 AM PST by Bluntpoint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 252 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson