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Jane Carnall reports: <<The SME for a database project keeps saying that
some data are "represented textually". The phrase gets around 250 hits on
Google, mostly on techie sites, and from context means "data in the form of
text".>>
Although Google is an excellent way to check prevailing usage, you also have
to use it with a grain (or kilogram) of salt; Google doesn't discriminate
between those who are using the word or phrase correctly and the far more
numerous group who are using it without an editor. <g>
<<I don't like the phrase (it looks like unnecessary jargon) and it doesn't
seem to be in sufficiently common use outside database-maven circles that
means I have to use it. (The documentation is not aimed at
database-mavens.)>>
Even if it were, "the data are presented as text" is no longer and far
clearer.
--Geoff Hart, geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada
580 boul. St-Jean
Pointe-Claire, Que., H9R 3J9 Canada
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