Re: The State FAQ

On Sat, Jan 08, 2005 at 02:09:22AM +1100, Robert Mark Bram wrote:
> Hi Mark,
> 
> Well done on the FAQ!

Thanks, Robert.

> ==
> 1.1 What does it mean for something to be stateful or stateless?    (4ZT)
> In general it just means that the thing encapsulates state (or not, for 
> stateless).
> ==
> 
> I believe the definition should include something describing what state 
> is. For example:
> 
> In general it just means that the thing encapsulates state (or not, for 
> stateless), where state can be thought of as a set of data or attributes 
> or properties belonging to the stateful entity.
> 
> It may seem obvious, but I think it is easy to confuse state as a set of 
> data with a behavioral state as expected in a state transition diagram for 
> example.

I originally had a "What is state" question there, but the best answer I
could come up with was "data", so I removed it.  I note that yours says
much the same thing 8-)... though perhaps carries some redundancy with
"belonging to the stateful entity").

But please, feel free to edit it yourself.  That's why I put it on a
Wiki!

Mark.
-- 
Mark Baker.   Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA.        http://www.markbaker.ca