learning curves

learning curves

Posted Nov 4, 2005 3:55 UTC (Fri) by giraffedata (subscriber, #1954)
In reply to: learning curves by roelofs
Parent article: The return of Minix

It's not only an interesting definition, but the original one, and the only one that makes semantic sense. The learning curve was invented by industrial engineers to describe mathematically the effect of making a change to a process (new worker, new machine, new rules, etc.).

But I agree that most non-IEs use "steep learning curve" to refer to a shallow one. We'll have to file it with all those other things where the majority uses a term incorrectly. E.g. "IDE" as an alternative to SCSI; "LUN" as a thing you put files on; "mortgage" as a loan.

I don't think they actually envision any graph, though. I think they envision climbing a hill.

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