2014-04-26 10:52:28 -04:00
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signal-to-noise ratio
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2014-04-26 11:54:15 -04:00
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n. [from analog electronics] Used by hackers in a generalization of its
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technical meaning. Signal refers to useful information conveyed by some
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communications medium, and noise to anything else on that medium. Hence a
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low ratio implies that it is not worth paying attention to the medium in
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question. Figures for such metaphorical ratios are never given. The term is
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most often applied to Usenet newsgroups during flame war s. Compare
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bandwidth. See also coefficient of X , lost in the noise.
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