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That's the funny part, I was hoping we will be discuss the reason for the delay but I was way wrong.
cheers,
Super
------------------------------------------
Too much of good is bad,mix some evil in it
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But it's going to be the best bike shed ever. 
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Please read the life changing book called "How to conduct long and pointless meetings with no significance to real work whatsoever". 
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[ ^]
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Judging from the meetings I've been in, that book must be a best seller!
Everyone read it... 
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Looks like we are same boat. There have been cases where I have had meetings which took at least 3 times more time than work which was, for lack of better word, discussed in them.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[ ^]
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>Too much of good is bad, mix some evil in it.
Too much of good already contains bad within, so it's already a mix of evil, correct? Probably. 
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I always think like this: Possible has two states, either it is possible or not. While probability is something when you are not sure whether something is possible or not.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[ ^]
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agree
possible has two finite states: it can or it cant/wont - as a measurement only and ever: 0% or 100%
probability though can be expressed as anything including and between 0% and 100%.
and being pedantic: probability is not ever less than 0% nor ever beyond 100%
- that would be yield which is altogether a different animal.
so true: the OP should have used "probability" (or some contextual synonym like "chance.")
after many otherwise intelligent sounding suggestions that achieved nothing the nice folks at Technet said the only solution was to low level format my hard disk then reinstall my signature. Sadly, this still didn't fix the issue!
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Probability is what those aliens called mathematicians discuss.
Lesser mortals like us settle for possibility.
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If it is being quantified (even as a vague estimate) then it is a probability.
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Agreed. Also a possibility can't bei high. It either exists with a probability of that thing occurring being greater than zero and less than one. If it's impossible the probability ist exactly zero. If the probability is one then it is not a possibility but rather a certainty.
"I had the right to remain silent, but I didn't have the ability!"
Ron White, Comedian
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I think it depends on how you use the word. If you check the dictionary I think you will find a definition that fits with the way you use it:
For example[^]: "a chance that something may happen or be true."
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All of those examples treat possibility as a binary thing...it can be possible or not possible. None of them treat it as a gradient or scale, eg that a possibility can be "high". The reason for that is because possibility is not the word to use in this context, probability is.
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from link: The forecast said that there's a possibility of snow tonight
from link: There's a distinct possibility (that) I'll be asked to give a speech.
Both those examples clearly indicate that the possibility is unknown. i.e. cannot be guaranteed to be either true or false.
The first one especially is basically saying: "The forecast said that there's a chance of snow tonight".
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It's still a binary construct though, and not a scale. Possibility of snow....there will be snow (1), there won't be snow (0). I will have to speak (1), I will not have to speak (0). Neither of those examples indicate a range. The probability of snow is high. The probability of snow is low. The probability of snow is 50-50. The probability of snow is almost certain. The probability of snow is highly unlikely.
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Well by that logic, then the OP is correct in using possibility: Either they will miss the deadline (1), or they won't miss it (0).
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No, because the "possibility" was described as "high" which moves it from a binary construct to a scale.
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I don't see why that matters.. you are just basically saying "there is a high chance it will be (1) rather than (0)". The fact you are including the likeliness of it happening does not change the fact it either will happen or won't happen (binary).
Also, what about these examples[^]?
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If a possibility is high, it's a probability, so "the possibility of missing the deadline is very high" means the same as "there's a probability of missing the deadline" (the "high" is implied).
A possibility = and option or a chance.
A probability = likely to happen; a high possibility.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Chiming in:
Both options are for an unknown outcome.
Possibility is for things that most likely will not happen
Probability is for things that most like will happen
The mathematical/statistical ideas attached to the word probability do not, in this case, apply as both have a probability (0 <=> 100%) but I do not believe I've ever heard possibility used in any sort of mathematical context with a specific meaning.
If anyone disagrees with the above, most likely the chances are they are wrong.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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For general English either word is fine. In an academic paper "probability" would be the better choice if you had stats to back it up, as you mentioned.
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I never bothered to create one & My boss is quite surprised.
Linked-in profile - Does it really matter?
modified 24-Jan-20 2:43am.
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It matters if you like spam.
If you don't like spam, don't join linkedin.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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