Comments on: Thinking about web statistics http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2006/08/19/thinking-about-web-statistics/ a blog about information Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:37:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Doc Searls http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2006/08/19/thinking-about-web-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-5235 Doc Searls Sun, 20 Aug 2006 05:11:33 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2006/08/19/thinking-about-web-statistics/#comment-5235 Well put, J.P. My take at the moment is that we're .X nanoseconds into the Big Bangs of many polyverses, and we're all just guessing about what's happening and where it's going. Galaxies will form, yes; but beyond that all bets are long. Somehow, when you add numbers to those bets, the odds get even longer. There's a principle in here somewhere, and I think you're hip to it. Meanwhile, it rocks to surf the bow wave of a ship too big to measure. Doc Well put, J.P.

My take at the moment is that we’re .X nanoseconds into the Big Bangs of many polyverses, and we’re all just guessing about what’s happening and where it’s going. Galaxies will form, yes; but beyond that all bets are long. Somehow, when you add numbers to those bets, the odds get even longer. There’s a principle in here somewhere, and I think you’re hip to it.

Meanwhile, it rocks to surf the bow wave of a ship too big to measure.

Doc

]]> By: alexis http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2006/08/19/thinking-about-web-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-5223 alexis Sat, 19 Aug 2006 11:01:44 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2006/08/19/thinking-about-web-statistics/#comment-5223 At present, there are more new accounts created per day on MySpace than there are 'hits' on most sites. This strongly affects the relative ranking of sites outside the top 10. I.e. The web is growing very fast and the volatility of the time series data associated with this is high, relative to the absolute size of most reported time series. Therefore, almost all statistics that you read about are useless BS because they are calculated and quoted out of context. Attribution - this is not my own thought, but due to a commenter in the Q&A session after this talk at OSCON: http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/os2006/view/e_sess/8751 Relative trend data comparing sites whose traffic is on a similar order of magnitude, averaged over long time periods, is useful. Reported revenues can also warrant merit, but companies can lie about those from time to time. So, yes, I agree the Numbers Will Get Better :-) At present, there are more new accounts created per day on MySpace than there are ‘hits’ on most sites. This strongly affects the relative ranking of sites outside the top 10.

I.e. The web is growing very fast and the volatility of the time series data associated with this is high, relative to the absolute size of most reported time series.

Therefore, almost all statistics that you read about are useless BS because they are calculated and quoted out of context.

Attribution – this is not my own thought, but due to a commenter in the Q&A session after this talk at OSCON:
http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/os2006/view/e_sess/8751

Relative trend data comparing sites whose traffic is on a similar order of magnitude, averaged over long time periods, is useful. Reported revenues can also warrant merit, but companies can lie about those from time to time.

So, yes, I agree the Numbers Will Get Better :-)

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