Peter Rice (rice at de.embl-heidelberg) wrote:
: [...]
: > |> > We should keep in mind the old joke about bad marketing:
: > |> > to determine the demand for a new bridge, go to the river
: > |> > and count how many people swim across. The analogy is not
: > |> > exact, but the spirit is similar.
: > |>
: > |> But a biologist would ask: Why are they swimming across?
: >
: > But, there is nobody at all swimming across.
:: Are you trying to confuse me? You succeeded.
:: You count how many people swim across. You determine that nobody does. Then
: you build a bridge???
No, Peter: you count the number of people stood on the bank wondering
how they can get across without a bridge unless they swim (ie. you
assess the demand for a bridge not the number of people who succeed in
doing without it - they don't need a bridge anyway ...).
As the joke indicates - it is bad marketing to target the people who
don't need what you are trying to sell ;-(
Tony.
--
Dr. A.J.Travis, | JANET: <ajt at uk.ac.sari.rri>
Rowett Research Institute, | other: <ajt at rri.sari.ac.uk>
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, | phone: +44 (0)224 712751
Aberdeen, AB2 9SB. UK. | fax: +44 (0)224 715349
