Re: cdt glossary - TABLE

Paul wrote:
> mAsterdam wrote:
> > Lists are ordered by definition
> > (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List), so
> >
> > "the table header is an (unordered) set of column names"
> >
> > directly contradicts
> >
> > "the table header consists of a list of column names"
> >
> > I don't have a problem listing contradictory definitions
> > if they are in use somewhere (in database context).
> > However, this is the first time I see a table header
> > with *un*ordered column names mentioned.
> > Are you sure? Could you provide some background?
>
> I thought the whole idea of the relational model was to abstract away
> from physical things like the order of the columns, which isn't relevant
> to data management.

Do you call the result of a SQL/relational query a "table" or just stick with "set"? I would guess that people would intuitively consider a result set to be a table. We can define it either way and usually whether it is ordered or not is not relevant, but when we have a need for precision, it would be good to know which is most commonly accepted.

Do models other than the relational model use the term "table" and, if so, do these models define "table" to be the same as relational theorists define it? I think of a table as being able to be modeled with a mathematical matrix, but I might not be considered a good relational disciple ;-)

While I think of tables as being 2D matrices, do people also use this term when there are rows, columns, and a third (or more) dimension?

Cheers! --dawn Received on Tue Jul 12 2005 - 21:42:03 CEST