Cecil Moore wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
What are we to make of it--that people generally take the easiest
route to something?

When one is dealing with a governmental licensing
bureau, there is no "easiest route". Only one route
is offered by the rule *makers* for each license
class.

That's correct, but almost everyone *starts* with a license class having
less difficult requirements. You did it. I did it. Jim did it.

The *takers* of the exam cannot be blamed
for the present licensing structure.

....and I haven't blamed them. They took the exams which were available
to them.

How can a new
general class ham be considered to be inferior to
an older general class ham when each ham took the
one and only exam available at his particular time
of testing?

Now you're asking something different. Such a General Class licensee
could easily be considered to have learned less material since less
material is required in order to pass the exam. Surely you can see that.

Incidentally, mice that take the easiest route
to the cheese hidden in a maze are considered
to be the most intelligent. :-)

The easiest way might not be the fastest way--and mice don't take
amateur radio exams.

Dave K8MN