AppleS-to-appleS comparison

Posted by Smokey Stover on February 22, 2008 at 14:14:

In Reply to: AppleS-to-appleS comparison posted by RRC on February 21, 2008 at 16:06:

: : I want to know the meanings of "apple-to-apple comparison". What is it's sense? I searched so many sites but not satisfied. can u please help me?

: When you compare to things that are so unlike that the comparison makes no sense, you are said to be comparing apples to oranges. My car can tow a bigger trailer than your boat - cars and boats don't tow the same types of things nor in the same way so that might be an apples-to-oranges comparison. For your comparision to be relevant therefore, you should compare apples to apples. My SUV can tow a bigger trailer than your car. Sports utility vehicles and cars are similar enough that valid comparisons can be made.

However, apples-to-apples is not, so far as I know, very commonly stated as the alternative to apples-to-oranges, rather, it's the obvious but unstated alternative. Or perhaps one might say oranges-to-oranges.
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