Re: [Plplot-devel] Switching to SVN [was: Re: CVS server is back]

[Arjen M. <arj...@wl...>]

Rafael Laboissiere wrote:

>* Alan W. Irwin <ir...@be...> [2006-05-12 11:53]:
>
>  
>
>>On 2006-05-12 18:50+0200 Rafael Laboissiere wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>The learning curve is very steep.
>>>      
>>>
>>I presume/hope you meant _not_ very steep?  :-)
>>    
>>
>
>This is a language problem.  I have already seen the expression "steep
>learning curve" used to mean "hard to learn", which is obviously wrong
>for me.  Indeed, if a learnign curve is steep, this means that for
>smaller increments of time, larger gains in learning are accomplished.
>For something that is difficult to learn, I would use instead "shallow
>learning curve" or whatever.
>
>At any rate, English is not my native language and you probably know
>better than me.
>  
>
Rafael,

you are not the only one with that particular language problem :). I have
always wondered myself why this expression is used and not something like
"easy to learn", which seems more direct to me - steep usually has a ring
of difficult or dangerous to it ...

Regards,

Arjen