• From: Michael Kay <mike@s...>
• To: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
• Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2014 19:27:13 +0000

> 
> In the real world there is no "other" component: When was the last time you drove an "other car" or purchased an "other vegetable"?
> 

I beg to differ. If you attempt to produce a list of car makes and models, there will be someone who drives a car that is not on that list.

Ditto for vegetables (do you really imagine any programmer is capable of producing a complete list of edible vegetables??).

Most attempts to categorize things in the real world are incomplete. 

If you ask someone their country of birth, and offer a drop-down list, you'll almost certainly omit that country somewhere in the Balkans that existed for 3 months in 1926.

If you don't offer an "other" option, you are asking people to tell lies.

Michael Kay
Saxonica

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: The real world doesn't have an "other xyz", neithershould your XML
    • From: Tei <oscar.vives@g...>
  • Re: The real world doesn't have an "other xyz", neithershould your XML
    • From: Manos Batsis <manos_lists@g...>
  • Re: The real world doesn't have an "other xyz", neither should your XML
    • From: Norman Gray <norman@a...>

• References:
  • The real world doesn't have an "other xyz", neither should your XML
    • From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>