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It does make sense. Consider the phrase "twice as cheap"

by parsadotsh 5y ago

boffinism 5y ago
What is 440% less than 1, then? In my book, it's -3.4.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
sascha_sl 5y ago
It should be percentage points, because "100% cheaper" would already be free. It probably means AWS is 440% more expensive.
- Rastonbury 5y ago
  Technically yes but no person is reading that and thinking backblaze is paying you or its free. Its a nitpick
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mulmen 5y ago
I have always found that phrasing to be confusing. Consider the reciprocal, “half as cheap”. Should that be interpreted as… double? Say “half the cost” or “cheaper by half”.
- Dylan16807 5y ago
  > Consider the reciprocal, “half as cheap”. Should that be interpreted as… double? If the phrasing makes it clear they're talking about a higher price, then yes that's a good interpretation. You get half as good a deal. Someone might say "half as cheap" to talk about a price drop by 50%, even though that's not really correct, but such is language.
Blahah 5y ago
It doesn't make sense. Consider the phrase "once as cheap". Multiply by two. That's twice as cheap. Meaningless.
- Dylan16807 5y ago
  Do you think "twice as expensive" is meaningless? Because by that same logic, if I start with "once as expensive" that's not a number and multiplying by two gives me a meaningless concept.
  - Blahah 5y ago
    Once as expensive is a number, it's 1 x the cost. Twice as expensive is 2x the cost. Once as cheap might arguably be 1x the cost, but twice as cheap is undefined.
    - Dylan16807 5y ago
      > Once as expensive is a number, it's 1 x the cost. Nobody says that. If someone said "once as expensive" I'd interpret "once" as talking about time. "Once" can be a counter but not a multiple.
      - Blahah 5y ago
        It seems like we're taking at cross purposes. I'm not trying to convince you that anyone says "once as X". I'm just saying "twice as cheap" is nonsensical. Because it's a multiple of something undefined.
wlesieutre 5y ago
I've considered it, and decided that "twice as cheap" is equally poor choice of words

It does make sense. Consider the phrase "twice as cheap"

boffinism 5y ago

What is 440% less than 1, then? In my book, it's -3.4.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

sascha_sl 5y ago

It should be percentage points, because "100% cheaper" would already be free. It probably means AWS is 440% more expensive.

Rastonbury 5y ago
Technically yes but no person is reading that and thinking backblaze is paying you or its free. Its a nitpick
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

mulmen 5y ago

I have always found that phrasing to be confusing. Consider the reciprocal, “half as cheap”. Should that be interpreted as… double? Say “half the cost” or “cheaper by half”.

Dylan16807 5y ago
> Consider the reciprocal, “half as cheap”. Should that be interpreted as… double? If the phrasing makes it clear they're talking about a higher price, then yes that's a good interpretation. You get half as good a deal. Someone might say "half as cheap" to talk about a price drop by 50%, even though that's not really correct, but such is language.

Blahah 5y ago

It doesn't make sense. Consider the phrase "once as cheap". Multiply by two. That's twice as cheap. Meaningless.

Dylan16807 5y ago
Do you think "twice as expensive" is meaningless? Because by that same logic, if I start with "once as expensive" that's not a number and multiplying by two gives me a meaningless concept.
- Blahah 5y ago
  Once as expensive is a number, it's 1 x the cost. Twice as expensive is 2x the cost. Once as cheap might arguably be 1x the cost, but twice as cheap is undefined.
  - Dylan16807 5y ago
    > Once as expensive is a number, it's 1 x the cost. Nobody says that. If someone said "once as expensive" I'd interpret "once" as talking about time. "Once" can be a counter but not a multiple.
    - Blahah 5y ago
      It seems like we're taking at cross purposes. I'm not trying to convince you that anyone says "once as X". I'm just saying "twice as cheap" is nonsensical. Because it's a multiple of something undefined.

wlesieutre 5y ago

I've considered it, and decided that "twice as cheap" is equally poor choice of words