Re: Database design

From: x <x_at_not-exists.org>
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:11:47 +0200
Message-ID: <dthrf4$as6$1@emma.aioe.org>

"Daniel Dittmar" <daniel.dittmar_at_sap.corp> wrote in message news:dthpsh$348$1_at_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).

Tuples might be "flat" upon this definition but the set of tuples isn't. Received on Wed Feb 22 2006 - 08:11:47 CST