I agree with you generally, but the "spreadsheet masquerading as a privately-owned algorithm" point is not a strong point. I know 'algorithm' sounds fancy, but if you look up definitions of algorithm you will see that 'french grade + danger + padmodifier = grade' is certainly an algorithm - just not a complex one - and calculating it in a spreadsheet doesn't change anything about the algorithm itself compared to calculating it via some other programming or statistical language. "We also expose the eGrader algorithm as actually being an excel spreadsheet" sounds totally ridiculous to any technically minded person who has implemented complex algorithms in spreadsheets. I don't say this to attack you, and feel free to delete my comment after reading, I just feel you could change the wording to better reflect what they're doing - I think they probably *are* using the word 'algorithm' to make it sound more complex than it is, but the point of attack is that 'french grade + danger + padmodifier = grade' is an extremely simplistic algorithm that doesn't need to be kept secret, and doesn't incorporate current E-grades in any way, and other criticisms you've put forward. The problem is not the fact that it can be/is calculated in a spreadsheet.
I agree with your points about eGrader, but I think your “democratic creative endeavor rooted in history” isn’t much of a gold standard. Surely it’s better than eGrader, but it seems a little narrow to not address how this system is already being abused by its users and companies to sell training plans, inflate egos, etc..
I agree with you generally, but the "spreadsheet masquerading as a privately-owned algorithm" point is not a strong point. I know 'algorithm' sounds fancy, but if you look up definitions of algorithm you will see that 'french grade + danger + padmodifier = grade' is certainly an algorithm - just not a complex one - and calculating it in a spreadsheet doesn't change anything about the algorithm itself compared to calculating it via some other programming or statistical language. "We also expose the eGrader algorithm as actually being an excel spreadsheet" sounds totally ridiculous to any technically minded person who has implemented complex algorithms in spreadsheets. I don't say this to attack you, and feel free to delete my comment after reading, I just feel you could change the wording to better reflect what they're doing - I think they probably *are* using the word 'algorithm' to make it sound more complex than it is, but the point of attack is that 'french grade + danger + padmodifier = grade' is an extremely simplistic algorithm that doesn't need to be kept secret, and doesn't incorporate current E-grades in any way, and other criticisms you've put forward. The problem is not the fact that it can be/is calculated in a spreadsheet.
I agree with your points about eGrader, but I think your “democratic creative endeavor rooted in history” isn’t much of a gold standard. Surely it’s better than eGrader, but it seems a little narrow to not address how this system is already being abused by its users and companies to sell training plans, inflate egos, etc..