[DDI-ADG] Latest Spreadsheet

[Katherine McNeill-Harman]

J and others,

Have a couple of questions/concerns about this new sheet; would be 
interested in others' opinions:

1) Can you explain a bit the reasons for changing the descriptions at the 
top of each module sheet?  I don't care that we use exactly the words I 
drafted, but yours seem to have different meaning and I want to make sure 
we're all on the same page.  Namely,
- For modules 2 and 3, you seem to be emphasizing that it's for a "single 
nCube structure"--can you expand upon what you mean by that?
- Also, I'd like to ask you to consider putting back some of the wording 
I'd written for module 3 that makes it clear that the metadata and data are 
in one single DDI file; I don't think that comes across in your phrasing.
- Lastly, for module 1, I believe it'd be helpful to include some explicit 
reference to the fact that the external file contains no metadata (to 
distinguish it from module 2).

2) I'm not sure about including only the additions in the first sheet, as I 
think the other fields provide helpful context.  Might there be a way to 
distinguish the new fields (as you had done, e.g., w/color) while still 
keeping all of them?

3) Your change to module 1, while I have no objections, seems to be 
significant enough that we should discuss it as a group.  I don't quite 
understand the purpose of this.  Is this something you think you could 
explain/we could discuss in more detail over email (or maybe phone)?

4) Plus a couple of other questions about the elements:
-- in describing the attribute location choice, you refer separately to a 
data file vs. a spreadsheet.  I understand what you're trying to do, but am 
a little concerned about the mutually-exclusive manner in which they're 
described (b/other places we use the term "data file" to include all sorts 
of formats, including spreadsheets, and think it should still keep that 
broad meaning).  So I'd suggest changing the terms to say something like 
"fixed-format/delimited data file" and "spreadsheet data file" to 
distinguish the types to clarify that we consider them both data files.
- In module 2 F18, what do you mean by " the structure describes all data 
and meta data for the cube"--that sounds to me more like module 3.
- Module 3 F19; the notes contains a question; can that be deleted or 
should it be moved to G19?

When I agreed to cancelling today's meeting, I didn't realize that you'd 
have such significant changes, so if it's best to discuss these over the 
phone, maybe we can arrange another call.

Kate

P.S.  Plus a couple of typos
- Module 1, F25, should be "measurement"--also applies to M2 F31
- Module 1, F20, ID should be capitalized
- Module 2, F20, should be "coordinates"

At 09:29 AM 10/11/2005 -0400, J Gager wrote:
>All -
>
>Here is the latest spreadsheet.  Note there are few significant changes 
>that stemmed from a long discussion Wendy and I had.
>
>The first is the Logical sheet.  I have gone back to just including the 
>new fields.  I felt it best to do this, since we weren't changing any 
>existing fields, and I want the focus to only be on these additions.
>
>The second is the Physical Sheets - I have changed the name of these to 
>Record Layout, since that is what we a truly representing.
>
>Finally, I have changed module 1, to allow for data items to exist outside 
>of nCubes.  Basically what I have done is create a way to reference an 
>nCube and its attached attributes.  The basic concept that we had 
>originally is still there, it is just less deviant from the original, and 
>oft used structure.
>
>Please let me know of any structural issues ASAP as the samples and write 
>up is based on this.
>
>J
>
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___________________________________________
Katherine McNeill-Harman
Data Services Librarian
Dewey Library for Management and Social Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E53-100
Cambridge, MA 02139
mcneillh at mit.edu
617-253-0787 
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