Approximation can't really be transitive. Otherwise, $1 is "like" $1.01 which is "like" $1.02 ... which is "like" $100,000,000 ;)

Maybe we could allow the quality of the approximation to degrade: if 'hacking is like painting' and 'hacking is like eating' are ||hacking - painting|| < \eps and ||hacking - eating|| < \eps respectively, then ||painting - eating|| < 2 \eps. So painting is at least half as like eating as painting is like hacking.

It may or may not be. It's not false but neither is it true. Strictly logically speaking.

And in a sense both can be considered as different pleasures - eating derives joy from taste and painting derives joy from fine craftsmanship.