The Thread Of Randomness

[thphwh]

Anyone seen/interested in the new Train Sim World DLC for the GWML? Simulation has been in a sorry state for so many years considering the engines and tools available. OpenBVE is still a viable and enjoyable alternative to DTG's Train Simulator, even after being abandoned and using routes created 5+ years ago. Let's see how this one turns out.

[Redirect Left]

Saw what can only be described as a peculiar sight this morning.

[orudge]

That is certainly unusual!

[Drury]

Saw what can only be described as a peculiar sight this morning.

no kidding, I don't think I've ever seen so much gum on a pavement before

[Chrill]

Are you my clever math friends?

I want to work out an average from a csv file that looks a bit like this:

X cases, Y days
1000, 3
900, 6
800, 2
700, 4
650, 8
620, 7
450, 5
etc.

What I want to find is the average value of Y, which in this case represents days. Basically, for this, 1000 cases took 3 days to complete, 900 cases took 6 days, etc. How long does a case last on average?

(These are pretend numbers, but used for a real life equation )

[Pyoro]

Instinctively I'd take the average for each pair and then the average of all averages.

But who knows whether that methodically is correct. Probably depends on what the results is desired to be ;p

[SkeedR]

Are you my clever math friends?

I want to work out an average from a csv file that looks a bit like this:

X cases, Y days
1000, 3
900, 6
800, 2
700, 4
650, 8
620, 7
450, 5
etc.

What I want to find is the average value of Y, which in this case represents days. Basically, for this, 1000 cases took 3 days to complete, 900 cases took 6 days, etc. How long does a case last on average?

(These are pretend numbers, but used for a real life equation )

You'd do SUM(Y)/COUNT(Y) where SUM is the total number of days and COUNT is the number of different totals of cases. So for your supplied data, without the "etc", you'd get;

Code: Select all

Cases  Days     Avg Case/Day
1000   3        333.3333333
900    6        150
800    2        400
700    4        175
650    8        81.25
620    7        88.57142857
450    5        90
____________________
5120   35       5 Days per case on average

[Transportman]

I would go with SUM(Y)/SUM(X). With your example-numbers, that would be around 0,007 days/case, or just under 10 minutes/case.

[Chrill]

I would go with SUM(Y)/SUM(X). With your example-numbers, that would be around 0,007 days/case, or just under 10 minutes/case.

I might have expressed myself incorrectly. These do not run after each other but simultaneously. SkeedR's number of 5ish days appear closer to what I'm after.

Thank you both

[kamnet]

According to my profile, I make half of 1% of all the posts on the site.

[Redirect Left]

North Korea is at it again, another missile fired once again over Japanese territory. It's almost like Kim Jong Un wants a war, though surely he knows hell lose quite badly!

[orudge]

According to my profile, I make half of 1% of all the posts on the site.

Clearly you need to post more.

For what it's worth, for a very long time, I wasn't the top poster on the site - I think Purno was for quite a while, and then spaceman-spiff. My post rate has slowed down considerably in recent years, eventually Dave may overtake me, in a decade or so!

[Redirect Left]

Random tech question;

a local store is selling a 1TB HDD for £37, or a 2TB external drive for £42, both are good prices, the latter is obviously better value though.
Has anyone ever taken an external drive apart? Is it just a normal SATA drive with a built in USB data/power adapter? If so, I can buy one, take it apart and put in the PC as a normal internal drive?

[Transportman]

Random tech question;

a local store is selling a 1TB HDD for £37, or a 2TB external drive for £42, both are good prices, the latter is obviously better value though.
Has anyone ever taken an external drive apart? Is it just a normal SATA drive with a built in USB data/power adapter? If so, I can buy one, take it apart and put in the PC as a normal internal drive?

The drives probably are the same, but I'm not sure if the connectors are some USB-SATA connector that you can easily use for your computer. You might also miss the holes and other small issues. Is there a reason not to use it just as an external drive anyways?

[Pyoro]

edit: I know this is the thread of randomness, but I'm still baffled how this post ended up in a completely different thread

editedit: coincidentally, I did dismantle some external drive once. It was a completely normal (low speed) drive inside. But whether this is always the case, no clue.

[Redirect Left]

Is there a reason not to use it just as an external drive anyways?

I don't have a spare USB slot 24/7, nor do i have space on my desk 24/7 for it. but if there is a decent chance i'll be able to slap it within the computer as a normal SATA drive, i'd go for it.

[orudge]

I don't have a spare USB slot 24/7, nor do i have space on my desk 24/7 for it. but if there is a decent chance i'll be able to slap it within the computer as a normal SATA drive, i'd go for it.

For the first problem, a simple USB hub ought to do the trick. Doesn't help with the second problem of course!

Performance is likely to be significantly better running a disk via SATA rather than USB, if you do have the option.

[Redirect Left]

I don't expect the HDD within to be of great performance, low RPM etc. But all i'd have it doing is storing media, and i have a low RPM (5200) 4TB drive storing my media currently and that reads fine for playback of all sizes and rates. Might be worth grabbing one to see.

[TimeLapse1357]

Random tech question;

a local store is selling a 1TB HDD for £37, or a 2TB external drive for £42, both are good prices, the latter is obviously better value though.
Has anyone ever taken an external drive apart? Is it just a normal SATA drive with a built in USB data/power adapter? If so, I can buy one, take it apart and put in the PC as a normal internal drive?

AFAK most external HDD's are just an internal HDD with a power/data converter inside a shell. however it is usually a laptop HDD since they can be powered directly from USB.
Check the specs of the external drive to see what the form factor, RPM and brand of the HDD inside.
As to taking the drive out of the shell and using it internally, that should not be a problem but you might need to reformat the drive. And there might be non-standard screws holding it together.

Have you considered using a USB hub to get more ports?

[Redirect Left]

I get the impression (perhaps wrongly?) that external drives, in their USB nature, are meant for occasional usage, and being in a 24/7 (this PC is rarely powered down) nature will reduce the lifespan somewhat drastically of it?


edit: just realised, if i took the HDD out and put it in as an internal drive, it'd be doing that anyway, so bit of a redundant argument!