Re: why hierarchy?

> ... you cannot clearly and succinctly state your data model ...

λ

> ... and semantics of your "dbs" functions

Would the following be clear and succinct for the create function?

Description:
The create function creates a relationship between specified things which must already exist in the db. The create function requires two or more parameters. In some cases, the first five parameters may be thought of as being subject, verb, object, preposition and objectOfPreposition. If a desired thing does not already exist in db, first use the new function.

General Format:
(create arg1 arg2 [arg3] ...)

Examples:
(create john like mary)
(create john like mary from june to july)
(create 'john 'smith)
(create 'j 'o 'h 'n)

In the above expressions, john is shorthand for (. 'john) which is approximately equivalent to
(select * name (select * symbolizedBy (select 'j 'o 'h 'n)))
which in english says:
a thing(t1) whose name is a thing(t2) that is symbolized by the string(t3) formed from the sequence of symbols j(t4), o(t5), h(t6), n(t7).

Dbd distinguishes between the person john, the sound john (same in various languages), and the symbols that represent the sound (different in various languages).

Same applies to create, select, like, mary, from, june, to, july, name, symbolizedBy. These are all shorthand for (. 'create), (. 'select), (. 'like), etc ... Received on Fri Jul 28 2006 - 19:40:42 CEST