Re: [xml-dev] 3 approaches to capturing knowledge

[Frank Manola <fmanola@acm.org>]

On Feb 13, 2011, at 10:45 AM, Costello, Roger L. wrote:

> Hi Folks,
> 
> Consider the task of providing the distance and velocity of an object falling toward Earth. Below are three approaches to solving the task. After showing the three approaches I list some advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Are there other advantages and disadvantages? Are there other approaches?



I think we need some "terminology rectification" to approach this problem properly.  Consider, for example, the following:

Associated with Approach #1 is the statement:

> 1. No computation needed. Simply search the list for the time of interest and then retrieve the distance and time values.

Question:  What is the difference between "computation" and "search"?

Associated with Approach #2 is the statement:

> 1. The values are not immediately available. Calculations are needed to reveal the values.

Question:  What is the difference between "computation" and "calculations"?

Associated with Approach #3 are the statements:

> 1. It is easy to get answers -- just specify a time and out pops the answers. No searching required as in Approach #1. No calculating as in Approach #2.

and 

> 1. It requires an engine to execute or interpret the code. If a user is at a location with just pencil and paper then code isn't helpful.

Questions:

1.  What is the difference between "execution", "interpretation", "computation", "calculation", and "search"?

2.  If Approach #3 "requires an engine to interpret or execute the code", are you saying that Approaches 1 and 2 require no such engine?  Or, to put it another way, what is it in Approaches 1 and 2 that does "searches" and/or "calculations"?


--Frank