This thread is clearly marked as a thread about keeping the show "Firefly" on the air. If you're not interested in the topic, you shouldn't have clicked on the thread. If you clicked on this thread in error, please move on to the next thread instead of informing us of the worthlessness of online petitions or dumping on the show.

Welcome to the forum, Nathan!

P.S. das, you score ten points for the Sports Night quote.

Thanks Static Cling. Appreciate you taking care of our little Troll problem.

Thanks for the welcome.

(Edited to add this link I just found with Google. It was well-written enough that I thought it should go to the top-- http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.htm )

My comment, for one, wasn't meant as a troll, but as a simple statement of fact.

Think about the logic behind ALL on-line petitions for ANY purpose, and the purpose a company chooses for discontinuing ANY product or service.

An on-line petition may make fans feel like they are "doing something" but it will never do anything more than that. Period. REAL petitions work when they represent distinct individuals who can vote against or for a candidate and cause real change in government, or possibly those who can force changes with the threat of a class-action suit. But THOSE are petitions where a 3rd party checks every name and verifies that it belongs to a single real person-- no multiple signers, no fake names. Those petitions don't "count" until the names are verified.

You simply cannot do that on-line. Any nitwit can make up 50 names for himself, sign those to the poll, and claim to be 50 different people. And FOX knows this. Plus, people can sign "just to be nice" because it DOES take virtually no effort, virtually no risk, and virtually no commitment to do so (as people on this very thread have stated that they would do). FOX knows this.

So, you put the time and effort into this poll, and in the end, what will you have? A list of names that may or may not be somewhat representative of a similar number or real people, who may or may not care about the issue at hand, and may or may not actually WATCH the show, AND BUY THE PRODUCTS ADVERTIZED ON THE SHOW-- because for networks, programming exists ONLY as filler between the commercials for the products, the selling of which commercials generate the profits for the network. Give it to FOX and they'll know that at least a few people liked the show they plan on canceling. But if the show was profitable enough for them, they wouldn't be thinking of canceling it in the first place, and keeping a money-losing show on the air just to please this list of some unknowable number of people with an unknowable level of commitment is NOT going to suddenly make a unprofitable show hemmoraging viewers suddenly be well watched or profitable.

If you want this petition to be taken seriously, you MUST give your name, physical address, and telephone number so that your signing can be verified, AND, if you want to REALLY show that you actually care about the issue and aren't signing it just because you were asked, there should be some charge for signing it. Say, $25. THEN give that to FOX. Show them that all the people on this list care enough about the show to make themselves open to contact by FOX and that they are willing to put their money where their mouths are.

You say that not many people would be willing to give all of their personal info and PAY to sign a petition? Well, you've just made my case for me.

Darren...you raise a number of good points and I think I've stated a couple of times that the petition, all on its own probably does little good but the thing for me is what it does in increasing awareness for something, in this case, Firefly. What the show needs now is viewers and since FOX has scheduled the show in their graveyard slot and done little in the way of advertising since its premiere its my hope that if a petition like this can gather enough signatures and pick up some steam, hopefully this can generate some degree of buzz which translates into people willing to seek the show out while there is still time. So in my way, I'm trying to put my money where my mouth is by doing something and trying to raise the profile of the show. If that is naive on my part is certainly debateable but it is what it is. Its not a life or death thing. I'm not trying to solve any of the world's problems...I'm just trying to keep a well written, enjoyable show on the air
Thanks

Also, when I sign a petition in person, I never, EVER put my home phone number. I either leave it blank or use my work number and I'm not getting any calls at home. When you sign an online petition, you also include your email address, which they can easily use to verify whether or not you signed the petition.

Plus, I think most of us understand that this isn't going to "save the show." I personally have written to Fox, as well as encouraging my friends to watch the show. Every little thing I can do to help, I will try.

Even if it's a waste of time, so what? What's the harm in it? Maybe it will do SOME good, but if it doesn't, who cares? I don't think anyone is pinning all their hopes on this one petition. It's just something that you can do to help contribute.

Check out the ad in Daily Variety paid for by Firefly fans:

Daily Variety Firefly ad