Re: Possible misuse of idempotent in HTML 4.0 December para 17.1

>   "relating to or being a mathematical quantity which is not zero
>   and
>    which when applied to itself under a given binary operation (as
> multiplication)
>    equals itself; also: relating to or being an operation
>    under which a mathematical quantity is idempotent"

I've only seen the term used in technical papers on databases.  I 
think this has a similar meaning, but its not that clear!

It's probably safest to avoid the term entirely.

-- 
David Woolley - Office: David Woolley <djw@bts.co.uk>
BTS             Home: <david@djwhome.demon.co.uk>
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Received on Thursday, 2 April 1998 13:29:51 UTC