"Anon."  wrote 

> Incidentally, this is the definition of "sample" in 
> B.S. Everitt'S dictionary of statistics:
> "A selected subset of a population chosen by some 
> process usually with the objective of investigating 
> particular properties of the parent population."
> 
> Clearly the sampling in genetic drift does not have 
> one of those usual objectives.

It seems that yourself, myself, and Guy are in agreement 
on this point.  (What happened to "dopey.") :)

[dopey's note: I agree as well; I don't think teleology
should enter into it, but sure, the "sampling" in drift
has no objective at all. - JAH]

Jim
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 8/12/03 11:03:58 PM