When do you start counting it as an algoritm.
The current sorts (except new) are based on formulas, does suddenly adding a personal engagement variable into the formula make it an algorithm?
LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Nah. Algorithms, especially personalized as a way of sorting a feed are just a shite idea. Maybe one of the iOS apps will add something like that but if anything is being different is a selling point. I got two friends on fedi by telling them that “it has no algorithm” which is a simplification of course but you get the gist.
FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 days ago
LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
It’s arbitrary but something like
SELECT * FROM posts WHERE datePosted < ( currentDay() - 7) ORDER BY upvotes;doesn’t feel like an algorithm as it is now used in common parlance to me.A simple quantitative analysis of an existing metric and (upvotes in the above super simplified example) is just not really the same thing in practice as say: multiple linear regression of hidden backend engagement metrics gathered through things like cursor movements to pick a suggested video that is predicted to optimize the best for watch time and CTR from a list of videos on a balance of personalized and generalized (through tracking trends amongst demographics) favourites topics and other qualities classified and categorised by a whole other black box involving all sorts of classifier models from text to images and so on.
Idk, I didn’t take algorithms in CS at uni, so this is just a layman’s two cents. I’m happy to be explained to why this isn’t a valid perspective.
Elevator7009sAlt@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I did take Algorithms.
The definition we learned (let me know if I am wrong) is that an algorithm is a concrete set of steps to accomplish some goal in a finite amount of time given legitimate inputs.
Although in practice we use this more for stuff with a math formula and/or stuff you code. “Given the input of the world, if your eyes see it is raining outside, grab the umbrella from your closet. If you don’t see the umbrella, search for it. If the search takes 5+ minutes, just go to your destination” is an algorithm for trying to not get rained on, but in practice nobody’s going to be using that word that way.
I think the definition used online today is “some computer code that I can’t reliably determine the input/output of, that is used to my/society’s disadvantage in an exploitative way.”
Words evolve, and the word you learn in academia sometimes also gets used in real life and its usage changes in real life from what you would use in academia. And sometimes academia keeps using it that way, and real life keeps using it their different way, and so you use the same word while talking about slightly different concepts. And sometimes people in real life use it the academic way, others don’t, making things even more confusing… you just have to be aware people are using the same word to talk about two different things (or in this case, one group uses the word to talk about an unpleasant subset of the thing the other group uses the word to talk about) and clear up that misunderstanding.
MimicJar@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Algorithms are fine when an algorithm is open, clear and optional. The default sort for many apps/UI is “Active”, that’s an algorithm. It may be a simple one, but it’s an algorithm.