The changing conditions

Short journal · Original editorial · A kinder measure of progress

Two attempts were made with different tools and different time limits.

Progress can be described without making every attempt a score. Choose a feature you can inspect and compare it with an earlier attempt in a fair context. A changed method, a clearer question, or a useful limit may matter more than speed.

Record those conditions before interpreting the result.

If the difficulty remains, write what happened without blaming the attempt. A clearer problem is useful evidence for the next version.