Re: pro- foreign key propaganda?
From: Bob Badour <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 17:30:38 -0300
Message-ID: <4837296d$0$4034$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net>
>>David Cressey wrote:
>>
>>>"Bob Badour" <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>>news:4836f382$0$4031$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net...
>>>
>>>>David Cressey wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>"paul c" <toledobysea_at_ac.ooyah> wrote in message
>>>>>news:5RzZj.289321$pM4.276671_at_pd7urf1no...
>>>>>
>>>>>>David Cressey wrote:
>>>>>>...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>This may be true. But with regard to the value of data in databases, and
>>>>>>>the return on the effort involved in building, maintaining, and accessing
>>>>>>>them, you can't separate meaning from purpose. And you can't separate
>>>>>>>purpose from outcome. Call me a mystic, if you must.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If poetry includes Homer's Iliad, there is quite a bit of mechanics
>>>>>>>involved in the making of it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I don't argue with that and from what you've said I wouldn't call you a
>>>>>>mystic. I was scoffing at the penchant for looking for meaning in a
>>>>>>data design where none was intended. If one doesn't know the intended
>>>>>>interpretation, it is a mug's game to guess at it, the design is only
>>>>>>capable of restricting some of the possible intentions.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>(I'd say the mechanics of poetry aren't part of what you call the rdm.)
>>>Well, how do you tell a good metric from a bad one?
>>
>>A good metric, like ROA, reflects the goal.
>
> And how do you tell a good goal from a bad goal?
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 17:30:38 -0300
Message-ID: <4837296d$0$4034$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net>
David Cressey wrote:
> "Bob Badour" <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca> wrote in message > news:48371bef$0$4064$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net... >
>>David Cressey wrote:
>>
>>>"Bob Badour" <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>>news:4836f382$0$4031$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net...
>>>
>>>>David Cressey wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>"paul c" <toledobysea_at_ac.ooyah> wrote in message
>>>>>news:5RzZj.289321$pM4.276671_at_pd7urf1no...
>>>>>
>>>>>>David Cressey wrote:
>>>>>>...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>This may be true. But with regard to the value of data in databases, and
>>>>>>>the return on the effort involved in building, maintaining, and accessing
>>>>>>>them, you can't separate meaning from purpose. And you can't separate
>>>>>>>purpose from outcome. Call me a mystic, if you must.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If poetry includes Homer's Iliad, there is quite a bit of mechanics
>>>>>>>involved in the making of it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I don't argue with that and from what you've said I wouldn't call you a
>>>>>>mystic. I was scoffing at the penchant for looking for meaning in a
>>>>>>data design where none was intended. If one doesn't know the intended
>>>>>>interpretation, it is a mug's game to guess at it, the design is only
>>>>>>capable of restricting some of the possible intentions.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>(I'd say the mechanics of poetry aren't part of what you call the rdm.)
>>>>
>>>>>Agreed. I just don't want poetry to be relegated to the domain of mystics,
>>>>>and databases to be relegated to the domain of mechanics. Mechanics are
>>>>>important to doing things right, no matter what you're doing. Doing things
>>>>>right is kind of a waste, if you're not doing the right thing. And figuring
>>>>>out what the right thing is can seem downright mystical. At least, so it
>>>>>seems to me.
>>>>
>>>>I think it only seems that way before one knows what metrics to use.
>>>>Once one understands what to measure, everything becomes much more
>>>>mechanical.
>>>Well, how do you tell a good metric from a bad one?
>>
>>A good metric, like ROA, reflects the goal.
>
> And how do you tell a good goal from a bad goal?
In the private sector, that's easy. A good goal is one that maximizes shareholder value.
I won't work in the public sector. Received on Fri May 23 2008 - 22:30:38 CEST