Re: Demo: Modelling Cost of Travel Paths Between Towns

"Gene Wirchenko" <genew_at_mail.ocis.net> wrote in message news:gugnp0lmh3phfbab2pvc4ki93ffccb534f_at_4ax.com...
> "Alan" <alan_at_erols.com> wrote:
>
> >"Gene Wirchenko" <genew_at_mail.ocis.net> wrote in message
> >news:uk9np0t8e59vcote2a0onuvp8ovnd51dvk_at_4ax.com...
> >> "Alan" <alan_at_erols.com> wrote:
>
> >> >"Gene Wirchenko" <genew_at_mail.ocis.net> wrote in message
> >> >news:047np0hqacaqblepdlhlda1ct0ekq50q6k_at_4ax.com...
> >> >> "Alan" <alan_at_erols.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> [snip]
> >> >>
> >> >> >workable. It's easy enough to avlid them, anyway, if one really
wants
> >to,
> >> >as
> >> >> >in my age = 0 or age = -1 example (some societies (I beleive the
> >French,
> >> >> >E.g.) may consider 0 a real age, hence the -1 option)
> >> >>
> >> >> Canadians do; Usonians do. The usage is usually with a
positive
> >> >> integer in smaller units -- e.g. three weeks or six months -- but
this
> >> >> is zero years.
> >>
> >> >Which Usonians are you referring to?
> >>
> >> Are some different in this regard?
>
> >Well, as a Usonian, I don't recognize 0 as an age, so I thought you might
be
> >referring to some other Usonians.
>
> From your perspective, how many years old is a newborn? (integer
> domain) Yes, you may follow as I stated "The usage is usually...",
> but if you must answer my question as stated, what but zero could you
> honestly answer?

A newborn's age is not expressed in years, but in days, weeks, months. So, the age is, say, 3 months, but still 0 years. But if you don't like 0, just use something else to represent unknown, like -1.

>
> I saw a scenario for an insurance company where a bug was
> encountered because of dividing by age, and the age in question was
> zero.
>

Easily fixed with code, though.

> Sincerely,
>
> Gene Wirchenko
>
> Computerese Irregular Verb Conjugation:
> I have preferences.
> You have biases.
> He/She has prejudices.
Received on Thu Nov 18 2004 - 12:39:25 CET