This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Popularity Analysis Question
After googling some more it seems it's a measure of the number of ways to arrange a system, so that should be similar to the number of different names. I think. Is that right?
vote up1vote down

Replies

Intuitively, entropy measures the deviation from a uniform distribution, it is maximal with a perfect uniform distribution, and goes to zero with a strongly peaked distribution. It also grows with the number of available names, but this dependence is rather weak and if one wants to get completely rid of it one can normalise the entropy, the resulting measure is that known as Shannon Equitability Index with a range from 0 (all in one peak) to 1 (perfect uniform distribution).
vote up1vote down