It's quite interesting, as the following quote makes clear:
So, what does this tell us about iTunes and the way it handles ratings? As a hobbyist coder,21 there is one big surprise for me. I would have thought that the easiest way to code for the 'bias' toward higher rated songs would be to just use the numeric value that is stored as the rating. Clearly, this is not the case, as a 99-rated song plays about as many times as an 80-rated track. Therefore, the algorithm must convert the rating to a number of stars.
The simplest method to do this conversion would be something like: int(rating/20) in python.22 However, as int(19/20) gives 0, a special case coded in for rating==0 must have been used to result in the linear relationship observed between played_count and int(rating/20).
"Kurt Gödel (how could I forget him?) is one of the gods of the voodoo science pantheon. Gödel is certainly the most often quoted yet inconsequential mathematician of the world. He is known for his incompleteness theorem, the most non-scientific, chicken-feather-voodoo nonsense ever penned by a member of the human species. In 1949, Gödel announced to the world that Einstein's general theory of relativity allows time travel to the past via "closed time-like curves." The only thing Gödel proved, in my opinion, was the incompleteness of his frontal lobe."
The guy is an idiot. Godel is amazing. He did a hell of a lot of work. He is not inconsequential at all, he is very important. Just because all your hear about him about is his incomplete theorem, does not mean he didn't do anything else. You mostly only hear about Newton for gravity. And the incompleteness theorem is scientific, just because you read a book which was stupid, does not mean it is stupid. People like this just make me angry... just because they don't understand, does not mean anything. Urgh.
I think Benjamin Franklin was very good, and I am glad to see him remembered.
Something I got from the website www.politicalcompass.org/:
Q: Which founding father said of the proposed American Constitution This is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other ?
A: Benjamin Franklin in a speech to delegates to the US Constitutional Convention prior to the final vote.
Where is the journal part of it, out of interest? (I don't doubt it's existance, I'd just like to use it!)
"But the Euros have a healthy dose of nationalism" -- I don't think that is really true, especially compared to American nationalism. Perhaps a little bit in France. There is a fair bit of Anti-Americanism (to make up a word), but that isn't quite the same thing...
Also, you can complain to your MP (or whatever the french have, I cannot recall at the moment.) if something like that were to happen. Also government censorship is in some cases illegal.
So there you go. Grandparent is obviously one of those Americans who seem to think capitalism and the free market solves *everything* and gives people *total freedom*. Hum.
I agree with it up till the end of the paragraph that ends "The biggest potential for information is when it is freely shared, instead of going through a toll-booth.", however the rest was good nonetheless.
I wasn't implying you didn't know, it was just for anyone reading in general (and it made most sense to reply to you).
Sorry for that misunderstanding.
I don't dispute your point, by the way. Certainly it is definitions, and I personally would go further as to say do not actually feel there is much 'natural' about these sorts of things at all. I consider them all man-made.
Yes I agree, you can pick up any popular science book and have a false idea of what the Schroedinger Equation is, but to really understand it seems quite unlikely. If he knew at all what it really meant (I mean, he knew the mathematics involved, and not just 'knew' the mathematics involved, or even just 'knew' what it 'means') then that is impressive, but in that case you'd have to put it more down to those who were teaching him.
I think it does give you that right actually. If you modify it a bit then it sort of is your own... I'm not actually that sure about that though and I agree with what you are saying.
I think a student would get in trouble because the whole point of them doing it is to do it themselves.
Hey the example intrested me, so I gave it a search. It is actually the Guinea Worm, and you're damn right it is horrible. A good article on it is here. I don't think Wikipedia is quite as good on this topic though.
I get the impression that the reason the person goes to the water is because they want to stop their leg hurting, it dooesn't actually make them attracted to water. I don't know that for sure though because I couldn't find any specific information about the water bit.
The Thread Worm I think makes people itch their ass (where there are eggs), which puts eggs onto their fingers, which when ingested starts the cycle again. I got that from Wikipedia also.
This should have started happening in schools years ago.
Why?
There isn't really any advantage in learning from a computer. In fact, most people won't like it as much because physical books are easier to read. If you don't understand something it is much easier to read and reread a text book than to read and reread a PDF document. The article only mentions that they don't want teachers teaching straight from textbooks anymore. I'm not sure what is stopping them teaching straight from the computer material.
I've really no idea why this is considered a good thing. I like computer and so forth but still I wouldn't want this. I've been given a Physics CD-ROM from school but still use the text book for everything.
And think of the cost! There aren't so many people at this school though so that isn't so bad.
I wish I had mod points because you don't deserve troll in any of your posts. Obviously people don't get what a troll is, and seem to want to force there (in my opinion, thoughtless) opinions on everyone else.
Slashdot Mirror
It's not really anything to do with liberty though, is it?
I'm not for it, but only because of the cost. I do not think it takes away any of our right, or makes us less free in any way.
+5 Insightful.
I think it is legal, and it would be in America also. (This is not an expert opinion.)
"Britain's already willing to pull out of the european convention on human rights so they can deport people to be tortured overseas."
WHAT? That is not even nearly true!
"Kurt Gödel (how could I forget him?) is one of the gods of the voodoo science pantheon. Gödel is certainly the most often quoted yet inconsequential mathematician of the world. He is known for his incompleteness theorem, the most non-scientific, chicken-feather-voodoo nonsense ever penned by a member of the human species. In 1949, Gödel announced to the world that Einstein's general theory of relativity allows time travel to the past via "closed time-like curves." The only thing Gödel proved, in my opinion, was the incompleteness of his frontal lobe."
The guy is an idiot. Godel is amazing. He did a hell of a lot of work. He is not inconsequential at all, he is very important. Just because all your hear about him about is his incomplete theorem, does not mean he didn't do anything else. You mostly only hear about Newton for gravity. And the incompleteness theorem is scientific, just because you read a book which was stupid, does not mean it is stupid. People like this just make me angry... just because they don't understand, does not mean anything. Urgh.
In what way is it a `` "all shall have prizes" culture``?
400,000 files is very impressive achievement. I've only ever listed to sounds on Wikicommons a few times though; I don't think they are too useful.
Anyway, I think the following page is worth a visit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sunrise
Out of interest, what sorts of things don't they know which you'd prefer them to?
That is merely your opinion. Do not state it as fact.
I think Benjamin Franklin was very good, and I am glad to see him remembered.
... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other ?
Something I got from the website www.politicalcompass.org/:
Q:
Which founding father said of the proposed American Constitution This is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism
A:
Benjamin Franklin in a speech to delegates to the US Constitutional Convention prior to the final vote.
Where is the journal part of it, out of interest? (I don't doubt it's existance, I'd just like to use it!)
"But the Euros have a healthy dose of nationalism" -- I don't think that is really true, especially compared to American nationalism. Perhaps a little bit in France. There is a fair bit of Anti-Americanism (to make up a word), but that isn't quite the same thing...
Also, you can complain to your MP (or whatever the french have, I cannot recall at the moment.) if something like that were to happen. Also government censorship is in some cases illegal.
So there you go. Grandparent is obviously one of those Americans who seem to think capitalism and the free market solves *everything* and gives people *total freedom*. Hum.
I think maths is hard.
On the whole, when people think an area of maths is simple and understandable, they haven't thought about it enough.
I would've been okay with the whole thing if they hadn't done Milton. Paradise Lost is too beautiful for this.
And too beautiful to be studied in schools, for that matter...
Very good post.
I agree with it up till the end of the paragraph that ends "The biggest potential for information is when it is freely shared, instead of going through a toll-booth.", however the rest was good nonetheless.
I wasn't implying you didn't know, it was just for anyone reading in general (and it made most sense to reply to you).
Sorry for that misunderstanding.
I don't dispute your point, by the way. Certainly it is definitions, and I personally would go further as to say do not actually feel there is much 'natural' about these sorts of things at all. I consider them all man-made.
Oh, no! I cannot resist pointing out an article I have recently written: Sets and Such.
:-D Enjoy!
Look at section 8, "The Foundations of Numbers", to see why 1 + 1 = 2
Yes I agree, you can pick up any popular science book and have a false idea of what the Schroedinger Equation is, but to really understand it seems quite unlikely. If he knew at all what it really meant (I mean, he knew the mathematics involved, and not just 'knew' the mathematics involved, or even just 'knew' what it 'means') then that is impressive, but in that case you'd have to put it more down to those who were teaching him.
There is no such thing as a genius till 21.
"It would seriously harm advertising industry, if spam would be banned. No responsible jugde would allow this to happen."
That is not the judge's choice. He only interprets laws, he cannot invent it. You are thinking of America, I think?
"Okay, tell me where to find all these archived Dr. Who episodes and other brit stuff I like to watch. For free."
You, sir, are an idiot.
I think it does give you that right actually. If you modify it a bit then it sort of is your own... I'm not actually that sure about that though and I agree with what you are saying.
I think a student would get in trouble because the whole point of them doing it is to do it themselves.
American government things are public domain aren't they, so it is okay?
Hey the example intrested me, so I gave it a search. It is actually the Guinea Worm, and you're damn right it is horrible. A good article on it is here. I don't think Wikipedia is quite as good on this topic though.
I get the impression that the reason the person goes to the water is because they want to stop their leg hurting, it dooesn't actually make them attracted to water. I don't know that for sure though because I couldn't find any specific information about the water bit.
The Thread Worm I think makes people itch their ass (where there are eggs), which puts eggs onto their fingers, which when ingested starts the cycle again. I got that from Wikipedia also.
Anyway, interesting stuff. Scary stuff too, really horrible.
This should have started happening in schools years ago.
Why?
There isn't really any advantage in learning from a computer. In fact, most people won't like it as much because physical books are easier to read. If you don't understand something it is much easier to read and reread a text book than to read and reread a PDF document. The article only mentions that they don't want teachers teaching straight from textbooks anymore. I'm not sure what is stopping them teaching straight from the computer material.
I've really no idea why this is considered a good thing. I like computer and so forth but still I wouldn't want this. I've been given a Physics CD-ROM from school but still use the text book for everything.
And think of the cost! There aren't so many people at this school though so that isn't so bad.
I wish I had mod points because you don't deserve troll in any of your posts. Obviously people don't get what a troll is, and seem to want to force there (in my opinion, thoughtless) opinions on everyone else.
I agree with you, however.