7 ms·

No, but some of our software writes data to rotating directories named after the date, and while doing some manual debugging on a test system, it started failin

by pavon 3y ago

No, but some of our software writes data to rotating directories named after the date, and while doing some manual debugging on a test system, it started failing to create these directories the first time it rotated on Feb 29 UTC. Turns out it just happened to run out of disk space at that time, but I had myself convinced that it was a leap year bug for over an hour. :)

Imagenuity 3y ago
LOL, a good example of correlation does not equal causation.
- markb5 3y ago
  It's not. There was no correlation at hand here - this was just a coincidence
  - joks 3y ago
    I would think it's an edge case of correlation, but still correlation (100% of the time it has had this error, it was on a leap day, 0% of the time it was not)
    - markb5 3y ago
      It might appear as a correlation due to sampling error, but the two variables have no dependence with each other. There is no correlation with it being February 29 and the bug that was described.
      - sd9 3y ago
        I think that's exactly what OP is trying to say when they say 'correlation, not causation'. There is no causal link between 29th February and the bug, but they happened at the same time (were correlated, i.e. had the relationship that they happened at the same time). This is a fairly typical informal usage of the word correlation in my experience, and while it might not be _technically correct_ (I don't know, I'm not an expert), it's an often enough used idiom.
        markb5 3y ago
        "Correlation does not equal causation" is a very important and pertinent concept in statistics, and I think we should aim to actually understand the concept instead of just trying to warp the meaning of the words to fit the example The bug simply was not "a good example of correlation does not equal causation" as any statistician would use the phrase. That's my only point. OP is free to type whatever words he wants into the comment box and press send
  - cyanydeez 3y ago
    anecdote is the singular of date, a correlate is a coincidence.

by pavon 3y ago

Imagenuity 3y ago

LOL, a good example of correlation does not equal causation.

markb5 3y ago
It's not. There was no correlation at hand here - this was just a coincidence
- joks 3y ago
  I would think it's an edge case of correlation, but still correlation (100% of the time it has had this error, it was on a leap day, 0% of the time it was not)
  - markb5 3y ago
    It might appear as a correlation due to sampling error, but the two variables have no dependence with each other. There is no correlation with it being February 29 and the bug that was described.
    - sd9 3y ago
      I think that's exactly what OP is trying to say when they say 'correlation, not causation'. There is no causal link between 29th February and the bug, but they happened at the same time (were correlated, i.e. had the relationship that they happened at the same time). This is a fairly typical informal usage of the word correlation in my experience, and while it might not be _technically correct_ (I don't know, I'm not an expert), it's an often enough used idiom.
      - markb5 3y ago
        "Correlation does not equal causation" is a very important and pertinent concept in statistics, and I think we should aim to actually understand the concept instead of just trying to warp the meaning of the words to fit the example The bug simply was not "a good example of correlation does not equal causation" as any statistician would use the phrase. That's my only point. OP is free to type whatever words he wants into the comment box and press send
- cyanydeez 3y ago
  anecdote is the singular of date, a correlate is a coincidence.