Re: Examples of SQL anomalies?

On Jul 4, 12:35 am, JOG <j..._at_cs.nott.ac.uk> wrote:
> I normally accord to the definitions:
>
> information = datum + meaning
> datum = value + description
>
> These are useful, succinct and accord nicely with [ISO 2382-1:1984]:
> “Data: A representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a
> normalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or
> processing by humans or by automatic means”, while giving something a
> bit more formalized in terms of data theory.
>
> In terms of defining value both the output of a function or the
> element of a set seem fine, but then defining a value as being some
> amount or quantity also seems fine.

I agree with

    information = datum + meaning

I think the distinction between value and data/information has to do with the distinction between value and variable. A value doesn't have a context in time/space and therefore cannot in itself be regarded as data or information. As Bob says, “a value just is".

A variable is a holder for an encoded value. I would suggest

    datum = encoded value

An encoded value means an “appearance of a value” using C.Date terminology and this occurs in time and space and therefore we can say it has a context. Received on Fri Jul 04 2008 - 04:04:56 CEST