Book Board Chat

Wellington, metrics (and the worm that tracks the metrics) has to do with people's view over a specified period of time.
Bodene continually gestured towards a whiteboard or screen to the side, off camera, as did the lady who mentioned the worms, where the metrics were apparantly displayed.
Bodene was saying they used the metrics to gauge eBayer's reactions to an eBay change, over time: When it was first announced, eBayers mainly hated it, then as it was being brought in, they liked it a bit better, and once it was up and running, the worm showed it was mainly 'loved'.
The worm is a squiggly line that moves above and below a zero, or neutral, line, depending on likes and dislikes.

In some countries including Australia (and that's why I know about it, lol), metrics is used in politiocal debates to see who 'won' the talkfest, and the worm moves either side of the zero line as the politician gabs.
They fill the studio audience with 'unaligned voters' who have joysticks, and they move the joysticks left for dislike and right for like.
I know you're on dial-up and probably can't watch video, but here's a debate, complete with on-screen metrics worm, from Britain ...

I promise you, Bodene's worm had nothing to do with eBayers being worked as though we're part of a worm farm, lol.