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by natch 2184 days ago
These definitions are too vague by half. In a word, useless. “An aspect of the algorithm, a dial” so the same as a parameter then, according to your definition... the only distinction is it changes model production, but in my experience data does that too, so... no clarity here. You make them sound the same to the naive reader.

And you misunderstood my suggestion for the article as a request for your help. But thanks. I don’t doubt what you wrote is accurate and helpful in the same way that saying “a transom is a part of a building” is accurate and helpful.

2 comments

I had intended the term 'dial' to indicate that it is set by the practitioner. 'Data' is not.

Yes, both data and hyper-parameters are inputs to the algorithm.

I wasn't trying to offer anything more than a sketch of the terms for someone already semi-informed.

To "define" terms in a way that a person without any experience of the area could understand would require quite a long article.

My goal wasn't to answer you specifically but to take your observation as establishing a plausible interest in others for something like my comment.

I agree with your overall sentiment on the "definitions" offered but just fyi your tone is probably considered to be unnecessarily harsh by many.
Thanks for the call out, I’ll reflect on that.