Comments on: Bad Numbers http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:41:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sarita purple http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6248 Sarita purple Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:58:32 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6248 the extime bad number is 666. Its devins number the extime bad number is 666. Its devins number

]]> By: Nat Friedman http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6227 Nat Friedman Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:03:26 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6227 Sounds more likely, but Fortune sure implied otherwise. Sounds more likely, but Fortune sure implied otherwise.

]]> By: Adam http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6196 Adam Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:04:50 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6196 Farmville actually has two forms of in-game currency - "coins" and "cash". Both can be purchased with real money or earned in the game. However, coins are earned by planting and harvesting crops, trees or animals, and cash is earned at the rate of 1 Farmville dollar every time you "level up". Most small items can only be purchased with coins; on the other end, many special items can only be bought with Farmville dollars. And in the middle, several items can be purchased with either coins or cash. I wouldn't be surprised to find that a tractor costs 20 Farmville dollars (or, as Marius says, 30k coins). However, the point still stands - a casual reader who doesn't have any knowledge of Farmville would certainly confuse that with real money. And Fortune magazine made a serious error by not pointing that out. Farmville actually has two forms of in-game currency – “coins” and “cash”. Both can be purchased with real money or earned in the game. However, coins are earned by planting and harvesting crops, trees or animals, and cash is earned at the rate of 1 Farmville dollar every time you “level up”.

Most small items can only be purchased with coins; on the other end, many special items can only be bought with Farmville dollars. And in the middle, several items can be purchased with either coins or cash. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that a tractor costs 20 Farmville dollars (or, as Marius says, 30k coins).

However, the point still stands – a casual reader who doesn’t have any knowledge of Farmville would certainly confuse that with real money. And Fortune magazine made a serious error by not pointing that out.

]]> By: FH http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6135 FH Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:23:41 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6135 Grind that axe much? Grind that axe much?

]]> By: Albioner http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6130 Albioner Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:50:35 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6130 Right you are. My bad. Old school. Right you are. My bad. Old school.

]]> By: Ben http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6121 Ben Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:03:44 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6121 It's not just numbers that are falling to the editorial wayside. This quote is from Maxim. Anybody slightly familiar with Bangkok would know how messed up this is: ...A vast open-air sex market, the Patpong is a 20-minute walk from the hotel, past the U.S. and British embassies; an X-rated bazaar that looks like a psychedelic Bourbon Street. This is where they filmed The Deer Hunter to simulate wartime Saigon. The Patpong is divided into Soi 4, which is predominantly gay; Soi Cowboy, a note-perfect re-creation of pre-Disney Times Square, designed to cater to the Western tourist; and Nana Plaza, which is where they keep the kink. Girls in baby-doll nighties with numbers around their necks loll on red-velvet cushions behind a wall of glass, like a giant aquarium. In a far corner a Thai guy with a cash register on a rickety wooden table rings up the sales. Looking for answers at the dodgy Nana Hotel, I meet a striking-looking child bride who calls herself A. She pours herself into my lap. Like everyone I talk to in the Patpong, she doesn’t know anything about Carradine, but for 10,000 baht (roughly $300 in U.S. currency) she will come back to my hotel, tie me up, choke me, and stay the night. I take a rain check... It’s not just numbers that are falling to the editorial wayside. This quote is from Maxim. Anybody slightly familiar with Bangkok would know how messed up this is:

…A vast open-air sex market, the Patpong is a 20-minute walk from the hotel, past the U.S. and British embassies; an X-rated bazaar that looks like a psychedelic Bourbon Street. This is where they filmed The Deer Hunter to simulate wartime Saigon. The Patpong is divided into Soi 4, which is predominantly gay; Soi Cowboy, a note-perfect re-creation of pre-Disney Times Square, designed to cater to the Western tourist; and Nana Plaza, which is where they keep the kink. Girls in baby-doll nighties with numbers around their necks loll on red-velvet cushions behind a wall of glass, like a giant aquarium. In a far corner a Thai guy with a cash register on a rickety wooden table rings up the sales. Looking for answers at the dodgy Nana Hotel, I meet a striking-looking child bride who calls herself A. She pours herself into my lap. Like everyone I talk to in the Patpong, she doesn’t know anything about Carradine, but for 10,000 baht (roughly $300 in U.S. currency) she will come back to my hotel, tie me up, choke me, and stay the night. I take a rain check…

]]> By: mark http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6116 mark Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:43:57 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6116 That's like a bajillion combinations! That’s like a bajillion combinations!

]]> By: Neil http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6113 Neil Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:13:46 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6113 The UK traditionally uses the million/milliard system too, but for all practical purposes we now use the American system. Even government numbers are in US billions. The UK traditionally uses the million/milliard system too, but for all practical purposes we now use the American system. Even government numbers are in US billions.

]]> By: Nat Friedman http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6099 Nat Friedman Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:25:21 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6099 See, now that's very interesting. But it's not at all what the Fortune article implied. See, now that’s very interesting. But it’s not at all what the Fortune article implied.

]]> By: saxxon http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6098 saxxon Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:58:25 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6098 pive==live - typo, sorry pive==live – typo, sorry

]]> By: saxxon http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6097 saxxon Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:57:50 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6097 I pive in Sweden and because of you Americans (joke) the situation is even more mixed up. The en-US system is called the "short" system, and all numbers end in "-illion" for every added 3 zeroes: million billion trillion etc..illion The sv-SV system is the "long" system, where you reuse the leading part twice, and you switch between -ljon (=illion) and -ljard (=iliard if that existed): miljon miljard biljon biljard triljon triljard etc-ljon etc-ljard So, one Swedish Biljon = one US trillion. It's rather confusing and often it seems journalists aren't aware of this. And in IT where we use large numbers quite a lot (bytes for example) it's even worse. :-) I pive in Sweden and because of you Americans (joke) the situation is even more mixed up.

The en-US system is called the “short” system, and all numbers end in “-illion” for every added 3 zeroes:
million
billion
trillion
etc..illion

The sv-SV system is the “long” system, where you reuse the leading part twice, and you switch between -ljon (=illion) and -ljard (=iliard if that existed):
miljon
miljard
biljon
biljard
triljon
triljard
etc-ljon
etc-ljard

So, one Swedish Biljon = one US trillion.
It’s rather confusing and often it seems journalists aren’t aware of this. And in IT where we use large numbers quite a lot (bytes for example) it’s even worse. :-)

]]> By: Marius http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6094 Marius Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:56:49 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6094 I don't personally play farmville, but my girlfriend does, and she says a tractor costs around 30 000 coins (which is their in game money) and depending on your level that might be a lot or not very much at all. I don't know how much virtual money they give you for real money they spend, but I'd assume that tractors are mostly bought with in game money. In games like Pet Society there is in fact a large group of people who don't spend money on the game at all, which leads to rather sad selling values of "cash coins" versus the standard in game money. I don’t personally play farmville, but my girlfriend does, and she says a tractor costs around 30 000 coins (which is their in game money) and depending on your level that might be a lot or not very much at all. I don’t know how much virtual money they give you for real money they spend, but I’d assume that tractors are mostly bought with in game money. In games like Pet Society there is in fact a large group of people who don’t spend money on the game at all, which leads to rather sad selling values of “cash coins” versus the standard in game money.

]]> By: Gargantuan http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6093 Gargantuan Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:04:47 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6093 um...... what? um…… what?

]]> By: Grok http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6087 Grok Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:15:02 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6087 That's ok, the public doesn't know the difference between the sizes of the -illion numbers. Just look to the government and their tossing around of numbers and spending. Trillion, it's the new billion! Come one guys... Get with the times! That’s ok, the public doesn’t know the difference between the sizes of the -illion numbers. Just look to the government and their tossing around of numbers and spending.

Trillion, it’s the new billion! Come one guys… Get with the times!

]]> By: Anonymouse http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6085 Anonymouse Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:14:48 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6085 Is it $20 virtual? That'd make much more sense. I imagine Farmville has some sort of in-game currency. In the end, this is much ado about nothing as the problems with journalism run much deeper than a couple simple typos. Is it $20 virtual? That’d make much more sense. I imagine Farmville has some sort of in-game currency.

In the end, this is much ado about nothing as the problems with journalism run much deeper than a couple simple typos.

]]> By: Cornelius Bloomstrom http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6084 Cornelius Bloomstrom Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:07:31 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6084 No, "lead" is the original and traditional spelling. "Lede" is a corruption introduced by printers because they already used "lead" (the metal) to refer to the spacing between lines of typeset copy. No, “lead” is the original and traditional spelling. “Lede” is a corruption introduced by printers because they already used “lead” (the metal) to refer to the spacing between lines of typeset copy.

]]> By: Andrew http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6082 Andrew Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:50:54 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6082 The other "idiot check" on the photo number: 1.4 million photos per second, 24 * 60 * 60 = 86,400 seconds per day, = ~ 121,000 million photos per day. Users send 1.6 billion messages each day, but upload 121 billion photos in the same time period? Not likely. The other “idiot check” on the photo number:

1.4 million photos per second, 24 * 60 * 60 = 86,400 seconds per day, = ~ 121,000 million photos per day.

Users send 1.6 billion messages each day, but upload 121 billion photos in the same time period? Not likely.

]]> By: Matt http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6081 Matt Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:49:30 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6081 I don't know much about Farmville, but apparently those virtual tractors are being purchased with virtual dollars earned in the game as rewards for doing virtual things. The company may indeed be shuttling around 3.6 billion virtual dollars per year on tractors. Overall not _that_ different from the subprime real estate transactions of 2005 or so... I don’t know much about Farmville, but apparently those virtual tractors are being purchased with virtual dollars earned in the game as rewards for doing virtual things. The company may indeed be shuttling around 3.6 billion virtual dollars per year on tractors. Overall not _that_ different from the subprime real estate transactions of 2005 or so…

]]> By: Bret http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6077 Bret Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:37:09 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6077 Check out this article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10378353-36.html The reporter states that Twitter hit their five billionth tweet and that the user who posted the tweet is one "who formed its first loyal pack of users." As has been widely reported, Twitter increased their tweet ID twice, meaning the tweet with ID 5,000,000,000 isn't the five billionth tweet. In addition, the user who posted the tweet's account is only 1.5 years old when Twitter has been around over 3. Why is it acceptable to be so sloppy when reporting about numbers or technology? Check out this article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10378353-36.html

The reporter states that Twitter hit their five billionth tweet and that the user who posted the tweet is one “who formed its first loyal pack of users.”

As has been widely reported, Twitter increased their tweet ID twice, meaning the tweet with ID 5,000,000,000 isn’t the five billionth tweet.
In addition, the user who posted the tweet’s account is only 1.5 years old when Twitter has been around over 3.

Why is it acceptable to be so sloppy when reporting about numbers or technology?

]]> By: Scrimpy http://nat.org/blog/2009/12/bad-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6075 Scrimpy Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:29:03 +0000 http://nat.org/blog/?p=1454#comment-6075 Cutbacks in the news industry are making things worse all the time. You wouldn't believe the pressure reporters and editors are under to produce more with less. Against their own better judgement, they all too often find themselves cutting corners to fulfil the expectations of publishers. I'm not blaming anyone — it just seems to be the current reality. Readers can help by voicing their displeasure to those in charge, thus demonstrating that good quality journalism is important to their bottom line. Cutbacks in the news industry are making things worse all the time. You wouldn’t believe the pressure reporters and editors are under to produce more with less. Against their own better judgement, they all too often find themselves cutting corners to fulfil the expectations of publishers. I’m not blaming anyone — it just seems to be the current reality. Readers can help by voicing their displeasure to those in charge, thus demonstrating that good quality journalism is important to their bottom line.

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