PB questions

[nocturnal]

First of all, If you get a PB while competing on speedsolving.com, does it count?
Also, my pb was set on a scramble that my friend solved then told me. do you think that counts?

 

[Cubist-Guitar]

In my opinion
Situation 1 counts, situation 2 doesn’t

 

[Gecko777]

A PB is an all-around best, so it doesn't matter if it was a computer generated scramble.. So don't count the one your friend gave you.

 

[nocturnal]

In my opinion
Situation 1 counts, situation 2 doesn’t

the thing is, it was a computer generated scramble.

 

[xyzzy]

the thing is, it was a computer generated scramble.

It was computer-generated for your friend, not for you. For you, it's a scramble that was generated by your friend and their computer.

The reason we care about "computer-generated" scrambles isn't so much that a computer was involved, but more that we know the process is fair: every legal scramble should be equally likely. Computers are very good at doing this sort of thing!

The process of "friend tells you their PB's scramble" obviously fails this fairness criterion; you know even before looking at the scramble that it's very likely to be "good". You've introduced human subjectivity into what was originally a fair process.

 

[nocturnal]

It was computer-generated for your friend, not for you. For you, it's a scramble that was generated by your friend and their computer.

The reason we care about "computer-generated" scrambles isn't so much that a computer was involved, but more that we know the process is fair: every legal scramble should be equally likely. The process of "friend tells you their PB's scramble" obviously fails this fairness criterion; you know even before looking at the scramble that it's very likely to be "good".

But it wasn't his PB

 

[xyzzy]

Does not materially affect what I said. (See also edit.)

 

[nocturnal]

Does not materially affect what I said. (See also edit.)

I still count it as my PB, but thanks for the answer.

 

[bldcuber314]

But it wasn't his PB

But it still wasn't a normal scramble. PBs can only count if they are randomly generated. For example, I tried a scramble online from a solve that wasn't a PB, but was a good scramble. I got a 7, and by those rules it would count as a PB.

 

[Jorian Meeuse]

I still count it as my PB, but thanks for the answer.

Ah yes, the fascinating process of asking something with the intention of disregarding the response.

 

[nocturnal]

But it still wasn't a normal scramble. PBs can only count if they are randomly generated. For example, I tried a scramble online from a solve that wasn't a PB, but was a good scramble. I got a 7, and by those rules it would count as a PB.

It wasn't even that good.

 

[FenTheGoat]

Why would you ask a question then reject an answer? Do you just want confirmation that you are in the right?

 

[bldcuber314]

It wasn't even that good.

The fact that your friend gave you the scramble, and that it had a higher chance of being lucky than most normal scrambles, means that it shouldn't count. It might not have been amazing, but was probably better than average. What did he tell you when he gave you the scramble?

 

[precompsubwr]

How is it your pb but not a great scramble