[time-nuts] Rubidium standard

[David C. Partridge]

If it weren't so horribly true I would be ROTFLMAO!

Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
Behalf Of Alan Melia
Sent: 18 November 2009 14:27
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Rubidium standard

The big problem with MTBF is that it doesnt really mean ANYTHING if you
invoke the proper statistical properties of the calculation! It is a process
dreamed up out of thin air by Military and other users who felt they needed
an index of quality and at least some "life testing" on the product they
were buying without elevating the price too much,  as proper life tests
would. Mathematically it is highly suspect, but that depends on how the
figures are used and most involved....management level :-)) dont understand
Statistics....... so they are invariably mis-used !

Alan G3NYK