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AppleS-to-appleS comparison

Posted by Baceseras on February 22, 2008 at 18:03:

In Reply to: AppleS-to-appleS comparison posted by R. Berg on February 22, 2008 at 17:19:

: : : : I want to know the meanings of "apple-to-apple comparison". What is it's sense? I searched so many sites but not satisfied. can u please help me?

: : : When you compare to things that are so unlike that the comparison makes no sense, you are said to be comparing apples to oranges. My car can tow a bigger trailer than your boat - cars and boats don't tow the same types of things nor in the same way so that might be an apples-to-oranges comparison. For your comparision to be relevant therefore, you should compare apples to apples. My SUV can tow a bigger trailer than your car. Sports utility vehicles and cars are similar enough that valid comparisons can be made.

: : However, apples-to-apples is not, so far as I know, very commonly stated as the alternative to apples-to-oranges, rather, it's the obvious but unstated alternative. Or perhaps one might say oranges-to-oranges.
: : SS

: I've seen statements like "But let's compare apples to apples instead." Oranges to oranges, not that I recall. ~rb

"Apples to apples" has been used in Ohio since the deregulation of home-heating utility companies in the 1990s. As competing plans were presented, each one touted its own advantages to the customer while downplaying the many points of difference. Lawmakers learned to insist that the terms of sale should be directly comparable, and "apples to apples" is how they designated the approved informational summaries. - Bac.

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