Re: the distinction between data and intelligence

"Kenneth Downs" <knode.wants.this_at_see.sigblock> wrote in message news:inkqo2-ot2.ln1_at_pluto.downsfam.net...
> mountain man wrote:

>> Organisation, owner, management, workgroups (including IT), users,
>> data, code and hardware.
>
> Now I would say that as far as computers go there is only data, code, and
> hardware.

Additionally, as you yourself have said on many occassions, there is also the specification. As you know, this specification will probably reference the organisation, owner, management, workgroups (including IT) and users.

There seems to be no reason not to reduce these things to data elements to be referenced by the database itself, and the code generator.

> If we expand our view to include management, workgroups and so forth then
> we
> need to bring in products, services, assets, liabilities. The buzzwords
> at
> this point drift towards "synergistic information paradigms" but really it
> all comes down to rapid delivery of information, or, if you will, easily
> accessible records.

The buzzword is tables. I have always found that no matter how large the organisation that one is able to reduce its (internal organisational) structure to a helpful table.

Data in this table is used for defining workgroups in the organisation, and for defining users to respective workgroups. It seems to be a natural mechanism by which menu and security access can be established at a workgroup level in simple terms.

Rapid delivery and accessibility is greatly enhanced and indeed _specialised_ in respect of workgroups.

What I mean in practical terms by workgroups can be seen also in this southwind example database page: http://www.mountainman.com.au/software/southwind/southwind_menu_00__structure.JPG

While it may be true that as far as computers go there is only data, code, and hardware, but when one expands focus to include the (__*_ever-present_*__) organisation then one needs to consider specialised delivery and accessibility solutions that enhance groups of users.

The term "work-flow" in this group would probably be reserved "buzzword" status, however in its essence the extremely simple use of workgroups as a central data table to the system is adequate to define the term, in theory and in production.

-- 
Pete Brown
Falls Creek
OZ
www.mountainman.com.au