Gregory Kohs wrote:

...

*Phil Nash* pn007a2145 at blueyonder.co.uk said:

++++++ Except of course, that such a survey would arguably not have "preconceived desires". So much for empiricism! ++++++

I offered to give some pro bono guidance on overcoming (to a degree) self-selection bias, even among an anonymity-heightened population. I didn't say that I would be involved in the actual design and execution of the survey. So much for civility!

I was not intending to be uncivil, merely to point out that surveys are often designed to elicit a particular response rather than cold, hard, facts. Apologies if I conveyed a contrary impression, but having been a serious victim of such a survey, I am somewhat sensitive to the weaknesses therein.