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bbleeker comments on The Up-Goer Five Game: Explaining hard ideas with simple words - Less Wrong Discussion

29 Post author: RobbBB 05 September 2013 05:54AM

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Comment author: bbleeker 06 September 2013 10:32:00AM 0 points [-]

In fact, I'm not sure what "give them a line" means. Give them a line like this ------------- instead of a box? From context, it could also mean 'just make something up'. (English is not my first language, in case you couldn't tell.)

**googles**

Yes, it turns out that "give someone a line" can mean "to lead someone on; to deceive someone with false talk" (or "send a person a brief note or letter", but that doesn't make sense in this context).

Still can't tell which type of line is meant.

Comment author: sixes_and_sevens 08 September 2013 10:42:37PM 3 points [-]

I was quoting a single sentence of my mini-essay. "Give them a line" probably doesn't make much sense out of context.

The original context was that a line segment is a degenerate case of a rectangle (one with zero width). You can absolutely say a line segment is a rectangle (albeit a degenerate case of one). However, if your partner really wanted a rectangle for their birthday, and you got them a line segment, they may very well be super-pissed with you, even if you're using the same definition of "line segment" and "rectangle".

If you're not using the same definition, or even if you're simply unsure whether you're using the same definition, then when you get your rectangle-wanting partner a line segment for their birthday, not only would they be pissed with you, but you may also be factually incorrect in your assertion that the line segment is a rectangle for all salient purposes.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 07 September 2013 06:07:08AM *  0 points [-]

There's also several meanings of "box", such as:

  • a package (as might be used to hold a gift)
  • to punch each other for sport (as in boxing)
  • a computer (in hobbyist or hacker usage)
  • a quadrilateral shape (as in the game Dots and Boxes)

... and the various Urban Dictionary senses, too.

(Heck, if one of my partners talked about getting a box, it might mean a booster box of Magic cards.)

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