Re: The horse race

On 23 Feb 2006 16:09:53 -0800, "JOG" <jog_at_cs.nott.ac.uk> wrote:

>mAsterdam wrote:
>> Gene Wirchenko wrote:
>> > Marshall Spight wrote:
>>
>> >>*Some* information is unordered. The earlier example of the three
>> >>physical dimensions was pretty good. If I have a box, 3' by 2' by 1',
>> >>which of those dimensions comes first? Or are you going to
>> >>claim that my 3x2x1 box is a different size than your 1x2x3 box?

>> > Bad example. Yes, I would claim that they are different. I
>> > handle box orders. A 4x6x8 box is different from an 8x6x4 box.
>> > (Which sides have the flaps is relevant in packing.)
>>
>> I bet your column names aren't x, y and z :-)
>
>I would avoid this example guys as it centres around the subtle
>distinction between a mathematical relation and a db-relation. In the
>former ordering of elements within the tuple does matter (Gene's case)

     Not in the tuple, but in the representation. Somehow, height has to be distinguished. (It is the top and bottom sides that have the flaps.)

>and in the latter it does not due to column names (Marshall's case).
>i.e. you're both right from a different foundational assumption.

     The columns names were not used.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko Received on Fri Feb 24 2006 - 01:55:47 CET