A Statistically Happy New Year!

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Author	Topic: A Statistically Happy New Year!
moonear Infiltrator Member # 5410	written Thursday, January 18 2007 07:42 Profile #25 quote: (The question is, if posting about post count is ironic, what about posting about the irony of posting about post count?) The answer is "no" and "no also". Demonic heathen -------------------- "Dikiyoba ... is demon ... drives people mad and ... do all sorts of strange things." "You Spiderwebbians are mad, mad, mad as March hares." Posts: 687 \| Registered: Wednesday, January 19 2005 08:00
Actaeon Shock Trooper Member # 5545	written Thursday, January 18 2007 08:47 Profile Homepage #26 quote: Originally written by Bismark: quote: (The question is, if posting about post count is ironic, what about posting about the irony of posting about post count?) The answer is "no" and "no also". Demonic heathen I am a mercenary. I have not had the opportunity yet to adapt to the rules of this no society... Given time, I will convert. Edit: Grammer [ Thursday, January 18, 2007 15:09: Message edited by: Cirion Actaeon ] -------------------- Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. Posts: 344* \| Registered: Friday, February 25 2005 08:00
Micawber Agent Member # 2759	written Thursday, January 18 2007 10:37 Profile Homepage #27 I'd like to see Aranbot calculate what percentage of posts are posts about posts, as opposed to proper posts. For example, this thread, any celebration threads, and all the discussion of monikers, titles and signatures. I assume there would be an appropriate level of challenge in designing the reg exp to capture all this accurately. -------------------- "I can't read this thread with that image. But then, that's not a complaint." -Scorpius Geneforge 4 stuff. Also, everything I know about Avernum \| Avernum 2 \| Avernum 3 \| Avernum 4 Posts: 1104 \| Registered: Monday, March 10 2003 08:00
moonear Infiltrator Member # 5410	written Thursday, January 18 2007 11:30 Profile #28 There are topics which are entirely spam filled but then there are also those that subtly (and not so at times) inject spam into properly righteous topics. I think the closest that the bot could do is to model the number of spam topics, with variables based on the percentage of spam produced by various individuals, at various rates of posting, what topics have received heavy posting (general vs. game topics, if general topics included a heavy proportion of spammy topics) proprtion of new vs. experienced postings (newbies tend to post more game questions) current world events, length of an individual topic, etc. However, being the devious webberians we are, SOMEONE (or more than one)(you know who I speak of) would delight in messing with this model, i.e. hiding spam in legitimate postings or other nefarious behaviour. So, it is doomed to failure. [ Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:32: Message edited by: Bismark* ] -------------------- "Dikiyoba ... is demon ... drives people mad and ... do all sorts of strange things." "You Spiderwebbians are mad, mad, mad as March hares." Posts: 687 \| Registered: Wednesday, January 19 2005 08:00
Amyth Shaper Member # 7472	written Thursday, January 18 2007 11:44 Profile Homepage #29 quote: Originally written by Bismark: There are topics which are entirely spam filled but then there are also those that subtly (and not so at times) inject spam into properly righteous topics.* Sort of like a seasoning injector for a turkey. Only, in this case, the spam doesn't make the turkey taste better. :) quote: However, being the devious webberians we are, SOMEONE (or more than one)(you know who I speak of) would delight in messing with this model, i.e. hiding spam in legitimate postings or other nefarious behaviour. So, it is doomed to failure. Am I one of those of whom you speak, or have I not reached that level of subtleness yet? :D -------------------- I tried to think of something witty to put here. Needless to say, I failed. Posts: 2686 \| Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00
moonear Infiltrator Member # 5410	written Thursday, January 18 2007 11:48 Profile #30 Nioca, quote: (you know who I speak of) Kelandon, would this be more properly stated "You know of whom I speak"? [ Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:48: Message edited by: Bismark* ] -------------------- "Dikiyoba ... is demon ... drives people mad and ... do all sorts of strange things." "You Spiderwebbians are mad, mad, mad as March hares." Posts: 687 \| Registered: Wednesday, January 19 2005 08:00
Zeviz Nuke and Pave Member # 24	written Thursday, January 18 2007 12:01 Profile Homepage #31 quote: Originally written by Micawber.: I'd like to see Aranbot calculate what percentage of posts are posts about posts, as opposed to proper posts. For example, this thread, any celebration threads, and all the discussion of monikers, titles and signatures. I assume there would be an appropriate level of challenge in designing the reg exp to capture all this accurately. There are three ways to do this. The simplest formula I've suggested a while ago is: if (postcount > 1000) { validPosts = (postcount % 1000) / 2; } else { validPosts = postcount % 100; } A more precise formula, that was suggested some time ago and is the most accurate approximation that can be achieved with reasonable ease is: valid_posts = (postcount - posts_in_general_forum - posts_in_game_threads_with_over_100_replies - 2posts_in_RWG_forum) / 2 Finally, the most sophisticated formula would take into account post length relative to thread average, presence of words such as "spam", "postcount", "karma", "turtle", and "superkalifragilisticexpialadosious"(sp?), along with weighted spam tendency calculated by hand for each poster. -------------------- Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword, For it too has the power to kill. However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword, Can also have the power to heal. Posts: 2649* \| Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
BainIhrno Infiltrator Member # 5132	written Thursday, January 18 2007 12:08 Profile Homepage #32 I'd blame my increase of activity on the fact that the Lyceum isn't used much anymore. -------------------- "Let us see what the new day brings." - Temas, Areni. Visit my realm! Rate My Scenarios! Fort Emerald Robbery The Nephils' Defense The Final Spire The Fifth Tower of Magi The Portal Posts: 626 \| Registered: Monday, October 25 2004 07:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Thursday, January 18 2007 14:26 Profile Homepage #33 Refusal to end with prepositions is nonsense up with which Churchill will not put. That said, it really should be whom, although that's also something that gets less and less attention nowadays. —Alorael, who in fact considers posts about posts more dignified than totally worthless spam. After all, you can prepend meta-, and meta-anything is always superior and probably snooty. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Amyth Shaper Member # 7472	written Thursday, January 18 2007 14:28 Profile Homepage #34 Pardon my ignorance, but what's meta-? -------------------- I tried to think of something witty to put here. Needless to say, I failed. Posts: 2686 \| Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00
Faint Piping of Two Demoniac Flutes Guardian Member # 5360	written Thursday, January 18 2007 14:35 Profile #35 An almost meaningless but nice sounding prefix. -------------------- May the fires of Undeath burn in your soul, and consume it. Posts: 1636 \| Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00
Dikiyoba Councilor Member # 6600	written Thursday, January 18 2007 14:36 Profile Homepage #36 quote: —Alorael, who in fact considers posts about posts more dignified than totally worthless spam. So where do posts about worthless spam fit into this hierarchy? Dikiyoba. Posts: 4346 \| Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00
Dintiradan Guardian Member # 6670	written Thursday, January 18 2007 14:42 Profile Homepage #37 A meta-spam post would be a post that deals with spam itself, much like this one. I pride myself on never posting spam, only meta-spam. -------------------- CIBC Loses Data on 470,000 Mutual Fund Customers Oops. EDIT: Misleading headline. They lost the data in a backup file, and they're investigating the possibility of an information leak. [ Thursday, January 18, 2007 14:44: Message edited by: Dintiradan ] Posts: 1509 \| Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Thursday, January 18 2007 20:51 Profile Homepage #38 Meta is two carbons away on a phenyl ring, of course! —Alorael, whose meta-reponse to your meta-question meta-exposes the meta-overuse of meta-prefixes in meta-discussions meta-everywhere. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Bob. Lifecrafter Member # 6700	written Thursday, January 18 2007 22:55 Profile Homepage #39 Looking over all of the wonderful new stuff at the Endeavor, Aran, I must say that it's wonderful and new. And wonderful. Very nice. I was wondering how Endeavorbot knew our Genders... And in postly news, I just set my all-time low. But this should change. -------------------- The Silent Assassin has constructed a replica of the battleship USS New Jersey made entirely out of discarded silverware in our testing chamber. The large capacitors that he is currently dragging in there have me concerned. -------------------- -Lenar Labs What's Your Destiny? Ushmushmeifa: Lenar's power is almighty and ineffable. All hail lord Noric, god of... well, something important, I'm sure. Posts: 735 \| Registered: Monday, January 16 2006 08:00
Gavin Lifecrafter Member # 7538	written Friday, January 19 2007 02:25 Profile Homepage #40 For a change of subject, I predict that my post count for this month won't be as high as last month's. This is partly because of being a week behind in classes that I've been in for a week, and partly because of Shadow Vale. Thanks a lot, Tyran. :rolleyes: :P -------------------- Do not provoke the turtles. They do not like being provoked. -Lenar My website: Nemesis' Refuge Posts: 743 \| Registered: Friday, September 29 2006 07:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Friday, January 19 2007 05:11 Profile Homepage #41 Is anyone taking bets on when the hype starts to subside and the place goes the way of all satellites? :P -------------------- Encyclopaedia Ermariana • Forum Archives • Forum Statistics • RSS [Topic / Forum] My Blog • Polaris • I eat novels for breakfast. Polaris is dead, long live Polaris. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Slarty Raven v. Writing Desk Member # 261	written Friday, January 19 2007 05:51 Profile Homepage #42 On the one hand, their word posting game reached "Slarty" in only 18 words. On the other hand, it took only two days (one day?) for a topic about genitalia length to appear. So the omens are mixed. I'll guess about one Tyranicus half-life, as measured by Dikiyoba. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 \| Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
Tyranicus. Dollop of Whipped Cream Member # 391	written Friday, January 19 2007 06:08 Profile Homepage #43 Instead of discussing it, why don't you join and post? That will keep it alive longer. :P -------------------- "Tyranicus is about the only one that still posts in the Nethergate Forum." —Randomizer Spiderweb Chat Room Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 562 \| Registered: Friday, December 14 2001 08:00
Kelandon Off With Their Heads Member # 4045	written Friday, January 19 2007 06:21 Profile Homepage #44 quote: Originally written by Bismark: Nioca, quote: (you know who I speak of) Kelandon, would this be more properly stated "You know of whom I speak"? Er, yes, although I'm not the only grammar demon around here, so anyone else could just as easily have answered this. It is true, however, that prepositions have always been taken much more closely with their verbs than with their objects (note Latin, Greek, etc., where they are prefixed to the verbs), and other Germanic languages (German, for one) have no problem with prepositions coming at the end of a sentence. But this is the rule in English, arbitrary as it may be. quote: Originally written by The Absolute Value of Nalyd is Zero: An almost meaningless but nice sounding prefix.* Not true! "Meta" often refers to "after"! Thus, Aristotle's Metaphysics was the stuff that came after his Physics! The way that "after" turned into "beyond" turned into "pompous" is an interesting feat of linguistic mutation. One of the greatest transitions in the entire Greek language (and, hilariously, the way that Xenophon's history of the Peloponnesian Wars begins) is "meta de tauta," "after these things." -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 \| Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Dikiyoba Councilor Member # 6600	written Friday, January 19 2007 07:20 Profile Homepage #45 Originally by Slartucker: quote: I'll guess about one Tyranicus half-life, as measured by Dikiyoba. It's already survived past the lower end of that spectrum. :P Dikiyoba. Posts: 4346 \| Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00
Slarty Raven v. Writing Desk Member # 261	written Friday, January 19 2007 11:10 Profile Homepage #46 quote: Originally written by Kelandon: quote: Originally written by Bismark: Kelandon, would this be more properly stated "You know of whom I speak"? Er, yes, although I'm not the only grammar demon around here, so anyone else could just as easily have answered this. It is true, however, that prepositions have always been taken much more closely with their verbs than with their objects (note Latin, Greek, etc., where they are prefixed to the verbs), and other Germanic languages (German, for one) have no problem with prepositions coming at the end of a sentence. But this is the rule in English, arbitrary as it may be. This isn't quite correct. Kel's explanation of how and why it is preferred, in many languages and situations, to put the preposition next to the verb, is right on. However, it simply is not* the rule in English. It once was. But under no stretch of the imagination can that be considered the case today. The vast majority of English speakers do not restrict preposition movement in that way whether in speech or in writing, casual or formal. So you can call it "more proper" if by "more proper" you mean "proper a lot longer ago." This is one step removed from saying that "whom did you ask to the dance?" is correct and "who did you ask to the dance?" is incorrect. The first sentence lines up better with the grammatical origins of English, of course, but to many of today's native speakers, it actually sounds wrong. [ Friday, January 19, 2007 11:11: Message edited by: Facepalming Hecatonchire ] -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 \| Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
Kelandon Off With Their Heads Member # 4045	written Friday, January 19 2007 11:26 Profile Homepage #47 quote: Originally written by Facepalming Hecatonchire: However, it simply is not the rule in English. It once was. But under no stretch of the imagination can that be considered the case today. The vast majority of English speakers do not restrict preposition movement in that way whether in speech or in writing, casual or formal. I can understand wanting to distinguish between rules that prescribe proper written English and rules that describe standard use in English, but simply denying the existence of the former seems weird to me. (You radical descriptivist. :P ) Moreover, your disagreement with me is over a matter of opinion. What you're describing is the point of view of a descriptivist. What I'm describing is the point of view of a prescriptivist. Unless you're a descriptivist who believes that others' opinions are simply wrong and does not think that they are merely not preferable (a hilarious hypocrisy, if so), you should simply point out that what I said is only true from one point of view (and "a long time ago" only has anything to do with it if you're a descriptivist). [ Friday, January 19, 2007 11:33: Message edited by: Kelandon ] -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 \| Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Andraste Agent Member # 1934	written Friday, January 19 2007 12:03 Profile Homepage #48 In entirely unrelated news, I would like to welcome our newest bot, FreeMovies. If you want free movies, you know where to go. :rolleyes: -------------------- You acquire an item: Radio Free Foil Posts: 1169 \| Registered: Monday, September 23 2002 07:00
Slarty Raven v. Writing Desk Member # 261	written Friday, January 19 2007 13:53 Profile Homepage #49 quote: Originally written by Kelandon: Moreover, your disagreement with me is over a matter of opinion. What you're describing is the point of view of a descriptivist. What I'm describing is the point of view of a prescriptivist. Unless you're a descriptivist who believes that others' opinions are simply wrong and does not think that they are merely not preferable (a hilarious hypocrisy, if so), you should simply point out that what I said is only true from one point of view (and "a long time ago" only has anything to do with it if you're a descriptivist). I guess that's true; I didn't disclose my bias any more than you did. Really we are in agreement except for how we define "English" (the language used by a diachronically arbitrary group of users of English, or the language prescribed by a synchronically arbitrary group of prescribers of English). That said, Hilarious Hypocrite wouldn't be a bad title for somebody. The typo gives it a certain cachet. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 \| Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00