What you refer to as the firehose --- what people are exposed to in your scheme when they first register --- is also what is shown to people who have not regist

What you refer to as the firehose --- what people are exposed to in your scheme when they first register --- is also what is shown to people who have not registered. They are people who we would either like to register and join in (if they would improve the site) or not register (if they would detract from it). We want them to either be attracted or repelled by the mix of links and discussion on offer. If all that we see is personalised to us, we lose the ability to shape what they see, and we lose the ability to attract people who will contribute to the community we want to see.