Talk:Signal
From Academic Kids
This is supposed to be a disambiguation page, so I moved this from article to Talk:
- Signal is a term variously used depending on contexts, but essentially associates the notion of information or more specifically message with the necessary physical support for it. For example the message "it is 8 o'clock" can be imbedded in black ink patterns on white paper, magnetic patterns on a tape, sound waves, etc. which correspond here respectively to optical, magnetic, or acoustic signals.
This is already the meaning assigned in sense #1 listed, and defined in signal (information theory), the information above should be merged to that article. --Lexor 12:03, 3 Nov 2003 (UTC)
Economics and bridge
Smack discussed a recent edit to this page in a comment on Wikipedia:Reference desk#Microeconomics question:
I've removed the following text from Signal, for ignorance of what else to do with it.
- (in a partnership card game) a player's choice of card to play at a particular time, which gives information to a partner, in a partnership card game (see signal (bridge)).
First I wanted to create a page entitled signal (cards), then I realized that it's more general than that, and signal (games) would be more appropriate, and then I decided that it relates somehow to signaling (economics). Could some economist figure out a way to work this in? --Smack (talk) 04:53, 10 May 2005 (UTC)
- My response: "Signal" generally refers to the conveying of information, especially with regard to suggesting a desired action, but the uses in economics and card games are significantly different contexts. The result of your edit is that the Signaling (economics) stub is linked to twice, while the much longer and more informative article about Signal (bridge) isn't linked to at all. As for creating Signal (cards), I think there were some conventions about signals in Whist when it was popular, so there presumably still are today, but the usage in bridge is now much more important than all other card game uses combined. I'm restoring that link. As I mentioned on the Reference Desk, though, I have nothing against your suggestion that an economist should work in any available information about relationships between the two meanings (presumably adding it to one or both articles, not to this dab page). JamesMLane 21:20, 11 May 2005 (UTC)
Spelling
I've come across two forms of spelling of the word "signalling" and "signaling". Its causing me headaches when trying to link to other pages! Wiktionary reckons it should have 2 ll's - so do I. Its probably a fair bit of housekeeping, but would be worthwhile standardising on one of these formats (I propose 2 ll's) and updating the pages/content/links to match.
