Re: Does Codd's view of a relational database differ from that ofDate& Darwin? [M.Gittens]

From: Kenneth Downs <knode.wants.this_at_see.sigblock>
Date: Mon, 06 Jun 2005 17:51:09 -0400
Message-Id: <l7ten2-d3o.ln1@pluto.downsfam.net>

paul c wrote:

> Paul wrote:

>> paul c wrote:
>> 
>>>i'd like to know what problem the never-ending arguments about nulls are
>>>aimed at.  in mundane applications at least (which i think is where most
>>>people spend their time), what is the problem with using empty strings
>>>for unknown names or zeroes for unknown number values?
>> 
>> 
>> Because the empty string or zeros might also be valid values.
>> ...

>
> perhaps i confused things a little by mentioning empty strings instead
> of blanks. personally, i find it hard to care whether i know that i
> don't know a person's name or whether i simply call him him Mr. 'blank'.
> maybe i know the wrong people but most people i know are content
> with items on an invoice having a price of zero dollars (maybe i shipped
> an item an item before i knew its price) assuming this is anticipated by
> the application or preferably the db with partial invoices or somesuch
> notion. i think this is easier to explain to people than 3-valued logic.
>
>

Suitable for framing!

-- 
Kenneth Downs
Secure Data Software, Inc.
(Ken)nneth@(Sec)ure(Dat)a(.com)

Received on Mon Jun 06 2005 - 16:51:09 CDT