Re: c.d.theory glossary

"mAsterdam" <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org> wrote in message news:40819cdf$0$570$e4fe514c_at_news.xs4all.nl...
> Here is a start.
>
> ---------------
> Glossary 0.0.0:
> april 17, 2004
> ---------------
> "Rows by any other name would smell as sweat"
> - Laconic2

cute.

>
> [Class]
> A class is what provides a name and a place for
> the abstract behavior of a set of objects
> said to belong to the class. (Larry Wall, Apocalypse 12)
>

I don't care for the "what provides" -- would rather see either "a class is a specification ..." or "a class is a software component..." or something more concrete

And how about "abstract attributes and behavior"?

>
> [Database]
> 1. Deluxe filesystem
> 2. Shared databank (E. Codd)
>
>
> [Entity]
> Thing of interest. (ISO)
>
>
> [Function]
> A binary mathematical relation with at most one b for each a in (a,b).
> A many-to-one relation of ordered pairs that maps each a to a unique b.
> It is important to note that every function is, by definition, a relation.
>
>
> [MultiValue, MV]
> 1. One name for the industry surrounding the Nelson-Pick data model.
>
> 2. A data field (or attribute) defined to permit a variable number of
values
> as a list (array).
>
>
> [Object]
> 1. Something intelligible or perceptible by the mind.
> 2. Model of an entity, characterised by behaviour and state. (ISO)
>
>
> [[ToDo]]:
> Domain
> Normalize
a. To take a set of attributes and partition them into first normal form OR
b. To take a set of attributes and partition them into 1st - nth normal forms, at least 6 of which are generally agreed upon [is that correct?] by relational theorists
c. To take a set of attributes and partition them into whichever normal forms are recommended for the target data model (for example, if placing data into XML documents, 2nd, 3rd & 5th might be the goal)

> NULL

a. In data implementations of three-valued logic, "NULL" is used to describe the absense of a value; in this case NULL does not equal NULL b. In data implementations of two-valued logic, NULL can be seen as a "null set"; in this case NULL = NULL

> Persistence
> Relation
> Type

a. Domain
b. Domain plus operators
>
>
> [[Maybe Todo]]
> Necessary? Though obviously possible,
> I haven't seen misunderstandings regarding these:
>
> Formal Theory
The dictionary tells me this means
Ceremonial Conjecture
(smiles)

> XML

unnecessary?

>
> ---------------
> ---------------
>
> Thank you for contributing,
>
> HTH
>
> P.S. 1
> If it is appreciated, I'll post the glossary once in a while.
>
> P.S. 2
> Should I include credits?
not from within this group, in my opinion, but if you are using defs from elsewhere then in-line "notes" would be in order Received on Sun Apr 18 2004 - 05:13:21 CEST