Re: ext3 journal on software raid (was Re: PROBLEM: Kernel 2.6.10 crashing repeatedly and hard)

On Monday January 3, aoga@ns.Linux-Consulting.com wrote:

quoted

quoted

think, the branch of mathematics that has the highest ratio of people
who think that understand it to people to actually do (witness the
success of lotteries).

ahh ... but the stock market is the worlds largest casino

and how many people do you know who make money on stock markets.
Now compare that with how many loose money on lotteries.
Find out the ratio and .....

quoted

Possibly. But not all of them teach probability at university level
(and did so when they were 21, at the University of Cambridge to boot,
and continued teaching pure math there at all subjects and all levels
until the age of twenty-eight - so puhleeeze don't bother!).

Apparently teaching probability at University doesn't necessary mean
that you understand it.  I cannot comment on your understanding, but
if you ask google about the Monty Hall problem  and include search
terms like "professor" or "maths department" you will find plenty of
(reported) cases of University staff not getting it.

e.g.  http://www25.brinkster.com/ranmath/marlright/montynyt.htm

 "Our math department had a good, self-righteous laugh at your
 expense," wrote Mary Jane Still, a professor at Palm Beach Junior
 College. Robert Sachs, a professor of mathematics at George Mason
 University in Fairfax, Va., expressed the prevailing view that there
 was no reason to switch doors. 

They were both wrong.

NeilBrown

Neil Brown [off-list ref] wrote:

On Monday January 3, aoga@ns.Linux-Consulting.com wrote:

quoted

quoted

quoted

think, the branch of mathematics that has the highest ratio of people
who think that understand it to people to actually do (witness the
success of lotteries).

ahh ... but the stock market is the worlds largest casino

and how many people do you know who make money on stock markets.

Ooh .. several mathematicians (pay is not very high!). 

Now compare that with how many loose money on lotteries.

I don't have to - I wouldn't place money in a lottery.  The expected
gain is negative whatever you do.  I stick to investments where I have
an expectation of a positive gain with at least some strategy.

Mind you, as Conway often said,  statistics don't apply to improbable
events. So you should bet on anything which is not likely to occur more
than once or twice a lifetime (theory - if you win, just don't try it
again; if you die first, well, you won't care).

Stick to someting more certain, like blackjack, if you want to  make $.

Apparently teaching probability at University doesn't necessary mean
that you understand it. 

Perhaps the problem is at your end?

I cannot comment on your understanding, but
if you ask google about the Monty Hall problem  and include search
terms like "professor" or "maths department" you will find plenty of
(reported) cases of University staff not getting it.

Who cares? It's easy to concoct problems that a person will get wrong
if they answer according to intuition. I can do that trick easily on
you! (or anyone).

They were both wrong.

What are you trying to "prove"? There is no need to be insulting.
Simply pick up the technical conversation!

Peter