Question about attributes

[Mark-Jason Dominus <mjd@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Suppose I have a whole bunch of cells, one for each person on The Simpsons.
I want to attach information to each cell to show whether each person
is male or female.

Solution 1: Make a new `d.sex' dimension.
            Make a `male' cell and a `female' cell.
            Link the people cells +d.sexward to  clones of `male' and
	    `female', as appropriate.

	    Disadvantage:  Many silly clones.

	    Advantage: We can find all the male people by starting at
	    the master `male' cell, travelling some distance +d.clonewards,
            and then one cell -d.sexwards.

Solution 2: Make a new `d.sex' dimension.
	    Make a `male' cell and a `female' cell
	    Link the people cells +d.sexward to either the male or
	    female cell, as appropriate.

	    But wait---you can't link two different cells to `male'
	    in the +d.sex dimension.

	    Ah, but you can, as long as the link is only one way.

	    So `Homer' is linked +d.sexwards to `male',
	    but `male' is *not* linked -d.sexwards to `Homer'.

	    Advantage: No clones.
	    Disadvantage: Can't go backwards.


I just  realized I forgot to ask the question.  Please make up some
appropriate question and answer it.

Mark-Jason Dominus 	  			               mjd@xxxxxxxxxx