Furthermore

Furthermore

Posted Sep 28, 2006 22:20 UTC (Thu) by felixfix (subscriber, #242)
In reply to: quantum leap by dark
Parent article: Google's Tesseract OCR engine is a quantum leap forward (Linux.com)

Anyone who knows what a quantum leap is AND has even rudimentary language skills (in any language) is will readily understand that it is not the size of the leap under consideration. It is a reference to nothing smaller being possible and of the importance of the change. If I say it is heads and shoulders above the competition, would any of you actually condescend to point out that OCR programs are not humans? If I say it is light years ahead of the competition, how many of you will belabor the obvious, that prorgams don't have physical distances between them?

Ice changes to water over a miniscule temperature rise, but anyone who knows what a phase change is will understand the importantance of that final small temperature difference compared to the previous same change. Anyone who has stood at the edge of a deck or roof or mountain will understand how important that last step is compared to the step before.

Only the truly arrogant and misinformed quibble about the meaning of "quantum leap" in every day usage, as opposed to a quantum mechanics environment. It is smugness at its worst.

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