Re: [Demexp-dev] Delegation and ocamlgraph: an example and a list of issues

[Thomas Petazzoni]

Hi,

David MENTRE a écrit :

> The example delegation graph is as followed. Delegate(n) is a delegate
> of id /n/. The same for Individual(n). Question(n, tag_list) is a
> question of id /n/ and with associated list of tags /tag_list/.
> Delegation(t) is a delegation over tag /t/.

Thanks for this explanation and diagram, this formalism really helps in
understanding conflicts in delegation chains, in my opinion.

>  - there is a conflict for Individual(4) as he delegates on tag "t" to
>    Delegate(2) that makes a vote on Question(1) and as he votes directly
>    on the same Question(1). This conflict is due to the fact that
>    Question(1) has two tags "t" and "u". This conflict should be solve
>    by asking Individual(4) to give a preference between "t" and "u", and
>    taking into account only one of the two votes;
> 
>  - there is a conflict for Individual(1) as he delegates on tag "t" to
>    Delegate(2) and also delegates on tag "u" to Delegate(5). Both
>    delegations are leading to a vote on Question(1). In the same way, as
>    previously, using a preference of Individual(1), one should take only
>    one of the two votes into account.

Just some quick thoughts about it.

First of all, I'm not sure, as a demexp user that I'd be able to tell
whether I would like to prefer tag "A" over tag "B". As a citizen, I
really don't know how I could make an absolute decision to tell whether
"Ecology" is more important than "Transport" for example. So, the tag
preference mechanism solves the algorithmic problem, but does it really
solves the political decision problem behind it ?

On a more general point of view, I think that the biggest issue the
demexp experience will face is the "human scalibility" problem. The
delegation mechanism system is supposed to solve the human scalibility
problem generated by the number of questions in the base. However, this
pushes back the problem to the number of tags, the management of the
delegations, and possibly the management of the tag preferences (to
solve the delegation conflicts discussed previously). Even if the tag
set is supposed to be far smaller than the question set, I think it'll
still be big enough to be hardly managed by an human person.

Your opinions ?

Sincerly,

Thomas
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