Re: Database design

From: Daniel Dittmar <daniel.dittmar_at_sap.corp>
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:44:49 +0100
Message-ID: <dthpsh$348$1@news.sap-ag.de>

Marshall Spight wrote:
> Since we are discussing mathematical constructs, we need to
> define our terms first. So what does "flat" mean exactly?
> The term is suggestive merely; there is no formal meaning
> that I am aware of. Mathworld didn't supply any definitions
> outside of the usual topological ones.

Flat: Tuples contain only scalars, not complex data structures. This would at least be the interpretation from the LISP side, where lists can be nested: (a (x y z) b c). To 'flatten' this list means to create the list (a x y z b c).

Daniel Received on Wed Feb 22 2006 - 07:44:49 CST