Beagleman Loc: Indiana

I get it Captain. That was easy, err I mean steep, if you are used to graphs.

But your avatar gets to me. Can't you give us just a teeny weeny smile? And those eyes...they drill me. If I were your student I would be scared to death, and at 85 I'm usually not scared of anything.

It is evident that you are a master at portraits.

--Beagleman John

farmerjim Loc: Rugby, England

Steep learning curve means it's difficult to most people and no-one ever says shallow learning curve. That's the way it is, end of :)

ocbeyer Loc: Baltimore

Thanks Captain. Good to know.

NOTLguy Loc: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

Maybe a slightly different take on the subject, but I have always associated "steep learning curve" with the amount of information to be absorbed in order to acquire new skills, rather than the time it took to acquire those skills.

Some people learn quickly, others not so quickly, but they may have both experienced a steep learning curve.

Or maybe it's just been a very "shallow learning curve" for me to understand the concept of "steep learning curve"

:lol:

Bruce M. Loc: Longueuil, Quebec, CANADA

Hang in there CaptainC, time cures all ills, they seem to be on a Very Shallow learning curve.

Yooper 2 Loc: Ironwood, MI

It would take me a heck of a lot longer to climb a steep cliff than it would take me to climb out of a shallow ditch.

ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!

The problem, dear Captain, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are mortal. We know (psychologically) that at the start it is hard -- and hard has been translated in our minds to steep.

But we really mean to indicate (learning effort)/(acquired unit of skill) as time passes. It is high at first, and then falls over time.

So really our learning curve should not be plotted with the axes you specified (in red, above). Rather it should be plotted:
(Time) on X-axis, and (Learning effort)/(acquired unit of skill) on Y-axis.
This curve starts high (i.e. hard or steep) and falls over time.

So our usage should be "having a high learning ratio".

I believe the dictionaries will have to come around to common usage regarding this.

I have to say, though, you really made me think. Good job.
.

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

STEEP LEARNING CURVE - http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/steep.html
_______________________________________
The phrase “steep learning curve” to describe a difficult-to-master skill is mathematical nonsense. If the horizontal axis of the graph represents time, then the vertical axis is probably supposed to represent effort expended. If a task begins by being very difficult and continues being so for a long time, then the curve would begin high above the zero point on the vertical axis and descend very gradually, producing a shallow learning curve, not a steep one.


Most people imagine a steep learning curve as describing a sharply inclined slope beginning at zero, but logically that sort of curve would describe a task that begins by being very easy and which rapidly becomes harder and harder—not what people mean. The confusion is caused by people’s tendency to think of the curve as if it were a hill to be climbed.


An alternative way of understanding this phrase would be to imagine that the vertical axis represents degree of mastery; but in that case a difficult task would begin at zero and rise very slowly over time—again a shallow curve, not a steep one.


The problem is that most people’s interpretation begins with the vertical axis measuring mastery achieved (zero to begin with), but as they move along the horizontal axis in time they unconsciously switch to its opposite: remaining mastery needed (a lot, right away). This makes no sense. The line needs to stand for the same variable along its whole length to make a sensible chart.


There’s little hope of abolishing this ubiquitous bit of pretentious jargon, but you should avoid using it around mathematically sophisticated people.


[quote=CaptainC]OK, I admit it- I cannot stand it any longer. EVERYONE uses the term wrong....

bersharbp Loc: Texas

Wikipedia has a very complete definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_curve

Bruce M. Loc: Longueuil, Quebec, CANADA

Let's start this over and discuss Flammable and Inflammable.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I remember your explaining this to us several months ago, and that has stuck with me. Unfortunately, "steep" mean difficult to most people. Peddling a bike downhill is easier than peddling it uphill. Perhaps a serious mathematician would associate "steep learning curve" with ease, but most people have trouble accepting that.

As for people misusing words, it seems to be getting worse. Even professionals on TV misuse and mispronounce on a regular basis. The more they do it, the more people think that wrong is right. Very annoying.

By the way, using brackets in a post thoroughly messes up the Quote Reply system.

ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!

Yeah, so you gotta switch the brackets to braces or paretheses when you want to reply with quote. Ain't too hard though.

Peter Boyd Loc: Blyth nr. Newcastle U.K.

You're wrong there - the Captain says it!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bangbangclub Loc: Just Living

Hi CaptainC - Life is too short for this kind of thing - you should get out more and take some pictures :)