What's a learning curve and why is steep not hard?

Question

• What exactly is a learning curve?
• And why is it wrong to use the term \"steep learning curve\" for something which has high entry barriers and takes quite som

Answer 1

It's true that "steep learning curve" should mean "easy" given the origin of the learning curve as a graph of measured performance as a function of time, and that the proper expression for a hard-to-learn-task should be "gradual learning curve". But it's perfectly natural that "steep learning curve" should have come to mean "hard" given that a) most people have never looked at an actual learning curve, and b) "steep" implies "difficult" whereas "gradual" implies "easy".

This is how languages evolve, and it would be utterly futile to try and change the general usage of this term now. And, in any event, I could care less about the whole issue (see how you still knew exactly what I meant?).