# Google trends, bad comparisons, &c

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [May 11, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258 "2006-05-11T17:36:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258/1 "2006-05-11T17:36:09Z")

</div>

James B. posted a comment[1] about the new google trends tools[2],  
claiming that people would try to use it for all kinds of bad  
comparisons  
(his examples were between Ruby and other programming languages).

I can’t imagine that anyone would stoop to something like that.

On the other hand, I’m worried about Ruby’s long term viability, as  
google shows that its popularity is being threatened by the popularity  
of eating spiders[3].

[1] [www.jamesbritt.com/Development@Google\_Trends.txt](http://www.jamesbritt.com/Development@Google_Trends.txt)  
[2] [www.google.com/trends/](http://www.google.com/trends/)  
[3] [rubyurl.com/jJs](http://rubyurl.com/jJs)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258/2 "2006-05-11T20:50:06Z")

</div>

pat eyler wrote:

> James B. posted a comment[1] about the new google trends tools[2],  
> claiming that people would try to use it for all kinds of bad comparisons  
> (his examples were between Ruby and other programming languages).

Just to be clear: I didn’t _claim_ that; I went and _did_ that.

> I can’t imagine that anyone would stoop to something like that.

Heavens, no.

> On the other hand, I’m worried about Ruby’s long term viability, as  
> google shows that its popularity is being threatened by the popularity  
> of eating spiders[3].

No way! Those bastards.

I like spiders; they eat the bad bugs and (I think) scorpion eggs.

But scorpions eat spiders.

Quite the battle.

[http://rubyurl.com/jEI](http://rubyurl.com/jEI)

–  
James B.

“Judge a man by his questions, rather than his answers.”

- Voltaire

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258/3 "2006-05-12T19:32:26Z")

</div>

> On the other hand, I’m worried about Ruby’s long term viability, as  
> google shows that its popularity is being threatened by the popularity  
> of eating spiders[3].

I tried that with “ruby on rails” and “bondage sex.”

for some reason “bondage sex” is more popular than “ruby on rails.”  
“ruby on rails” overtakes “bondage sex” in popularity about halfway  
through 2005 and owns it for the rest of the year, but “bondage sex”  
shows a huge spike in popularity at the beginning of 2006 and from  
there on in remains much, much more popular than “ruby on rails.”

it’s kind of like racing frogs. it has no consequence and you have no  
control over it, yet there’s something entertaining and compelling  
about it all the same.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-trends-bad-comparisons-c/60258/4 "2006-05-13T14:01:28Z")

</div>

“Giles B.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:

> for some reason “bondage sex” is more popular than “ruby on rails.”

Now guess why Java became that popular.