Related articles
Edit |
Discuss Article
ComparisonA comparison is an evaluation of similarities and differences - described by Gregory Bateson in his book Mind and Nature as the two quanta of experience.
In computer programming
In computer programming, when one compares the two values x and y, a negative number often indicates x < y, zero x == y and a postive number x > y. Even when two values are not integers, e.g. literal strings, this convention is largely adopted. For example, strcmp returns -1, 0, or 1 according to the lexigraphical order, and qsort expects the comparison function to return values according to this convention. This is because it is efficient to do the subtraction x - y resulting in the directional signs above. In sorting algorithms, the efficiency of comparison code is critical since it is one of the major factors of sorting performance.
Sometimes, particularly in object-oriented programming, the comparison raises questions of datatypes and inheritance, equality and identity. It is often necessary to distinguish between:
- two objects with different datatypes both related to another datatype, e.g. an orange and a lemon, both being citrus fruit
- two different objects of the same type, e.g. two hands
- two objects being equal but distinct, e.g. two $10 banknotes
- two different references to the same object, e.g. two nicknames for the same person
Sameness and difference can be relative or graduated as well as absolute, particularly in fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence, signal processing, lossy data compression and pattern recognition.
See also: regular expression
In grammar
Comparison, in grammar, is a property of adjectives and adverbs in most languages; it describes systems that distinguish the degree to which the modifier modifies its complement.
English, due to the complex etymology of its lexicon, has two parallel systems of comparison. One involves the suffixes -er (the "comparative") and -est (the "superlative"). These inflections are of Indo-European origin, and are cognate with the Latin suffixes -ior and -issimus. These inflections are typically added to shorter words, words of Anglo-Saxon origin, and borrowed words that have been fully assimilated into the English vocabulary. Usually the words that take these inflections have fewer than three syllables. This system contains a number of irregular forms, some of which, like good, better, best, contain suppletive forms. These irregular forms include:
good better best
well better best
bad worse worst
far farther farthest
far further furthest
little less(er) least (also has regular forms)
many more most
The second system of comparison in English appends the grammatical particles more and most, themselves the irregular comparatives of many, to the adjective or adverb being modified. This series can be compared to a system containing the diminutives less and least. This system is most commonly used with words of French or Latin derivation; adjectives and adverbs formed with suffixes other than -ly (e.g. beautiful); and with longer, technical, or infrequently used words. Knowing which words fall into which system is a highly idiomatic issue in English syntax. Some words require the suffixing system: e.g. taller is required; *more tall is not idiomatic English. Some words (e.g. difficult) require more and most. Some words (e.g. polite) can be used with either system; curiously, while polite can go either way, the derived word impolite requires more and most. The general rule is that words with one syllable require the suffix, words with three or more syllables require more or most and words with two syllables can go either way.
A perennial issue in English usage involves the comparison of so called "absolute" adjectives, the use of terms of comparison with words that in logic are not thought to admit of comparison. There are, of course, many adjectives that admit of no comparison, chiefly because the qualities they name are either present or absent; nothing is *more Cretaceous or *more igneous. The issue arises with words such as perfect, which according to the prescriptivists is another quality that does not admit of comparison; either something is perfect or it is not. Since true perfection is unachievable in the sublunary sphere, people like the drafters of the Constitution of the United States are constantly saying things like form a more perfect union; what they mean, of course, is more nearly perfect, and this is what the usage prescriptivists think they should have written. Since good writers and important leaders have used the contested form, the prescriptivists are bucking a well established usage here; in practice, the contested form is understood without error.
Source | Copyright
|
 |
 |
|
Webmasters: Add your website here:
Readers: Edit |
Undo |
Discuss Listings
CNET Shopper
Searches for the lowest prices on computers, software, office products and electronics.
http://shopper.cnet.com
BuyPath
An online comparison shopping guide with shopping community to share experiences.
http://www.buypath.com/
PriceComparison.com
Compare prices for any online shoppers using 6+ million products and 6000 online stores.
http://www.pricecomparison.com PriceGrabber
Comparison shopping. Features product reviews as well as shipping and sales tax information.
http://www.pricegrabber.com
MetaPrices
Compare prices on books, music, movies and software. Offering personal shopping and wish lists.
http://www.metaprices.com/
ActivShopper
A web browser add-on that automatically scans, locates and compares prices for any item selected at an e-commerce site. Eliminates price comparison tables and the need to jump from site to site to find the best price.
http://www.activshopper.com/
Best Buy Finder: Software
A software program that simultaneously searches the top online comparison shopping sites for the lowest prices.
http://www.bestbuyall.com
Gridlink
Items for green living
http://www.gridlink.net/
AimLower
Compares prices on computers, electronics, appliances, video games from many stores.
http://www.AimLower.com
StreetPrices
PC component, PDA, and digital camera price index with graphs of prices over time. Includes e-mail alerts when an item drops below the price specified.
http://www.streetprices.com/
FindAll
Price comparison in various categories from toys to computers and electronics to health.
http://www.findall.com/
Froogle
Product search engine which shows photographs of relevant products. Searches can be restricted by price, type of good, and retailer.
http://froogle.google.com/froogle/
Citibay shopping
Compare products, pricing, from a searchable database of toys, books, videos and music.
http://www.citibay.com/citibay/subhome/template/shopaffil/shopaffil.html
PriceMix
Compare prices and specifications on a variety of products.
http://www.PriceMix.com
mySimon
Comparison shopping site presenting product listings from stores, organized categorically.
http://www.mysimon.com/
PriceVariety
Price comparison shopping for books, music, movies, software, electronics, toys and games.
http://www.pricevariety.com
PriceWatch
Searches for the lowest prices on computers, computer components, software and electronics.
http://www.pricewatch.com/
Best Web Buys
Comparison shopping services for books, bikes, music and videos.
http://www.bestwebbuys.com
DVD Price Search
Price comparison of online music retailers.
http://www.dvdpricesearch.com/
Nextag.com
Price, tax and shipping comparison guide. Product and seller reviews.
http://www.nextag.com/
DealTime
Compare products, prices, stores, services, and read reviews.
http://www.gtmci.com
ValueCompare.com
Offers price comparison and search for new and used books, textbooks and DVDs.
http://www.valuecompare.com/
BuyBuddy
Offers buy recommendations for books, computers, electronics, games, movies and music. Based in Canada.
http://www.buybuddy.com/
CompareSite.com
Compare prices on books, clothing, collectibles, computers, electronics, home and garden, Internet services, movies, music, office products, video games. Includes reviews.
http://electronics.comparesite.com/
Bookfinder.US
Offers book search and price comparison at over 60 sites. Search by title, author, keywords and ISBN number.
http://www.bookfinder.us
Compare Store Prices UK
Compare prices on thousands of products for UK delivery. Includes the most popular searches.
http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/
ShoppingAisles.com
Compare prices on music, DVDs, VHS, books, magazines and video games.
http://www.shoppingaisles.com
Yahoo! Shopping
Includes product information, price comparisons and merchant reviews.
http://shopping.yahoo.com
ShoppingSpot
Shopping and consumer information portal that simplifies the search for shopping sites by category, product reviews, comparison shopping sites and coupons.
http://www.shoppingspot.com
Compare123
Compare prices on computers, digital cameras, home electronics, DVDs, and music.
http://www.compare123.com
.
|
