Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Another rant about writing that makes no sense (to me).

This system uses three times less (memory, weight, time, space, effort, and whatever) than that system.

I understand what it means to use three times more weight (15 pounds instead of 5 pounds), but what does it mean to use three times less weight? I think this means to use a third of the weight (5 pounds instead of 15 pounds).

There is something wrong about increasing a decrease that makes no sense to me. At first I only saw this peculiar increase of a decrease from journalist and other illiterates who also never understand percent change in anything. Now I am reading this from supposedly well-educated scientist and engineers.

Did I fall into a deep sleep and awaken a century later in a place with a new brand of the English language and a redefinition of mathematics? Enough of an old man ranting. Let’s move on.