Discussion of Naming


``History-oriented'' is preferred over ``having temporal value integrity'' since its meaning seems to be more direct. Further, in a more general perspective, integrity constraints can be introduced as well in a history-oriented model (e.g. history uniqueness, entity history integrity, referential history integrity).

``History-oriented'' is also preferred over ``grouped'' (+E7) in order to avoid confusion with other kinds of grouping (e.g., defined terms ``[dynamic/static] valid-time grouping'').

``History-oriented'' is not a synonym for ``object-oriented,'' even though a good temporal object-oriented model should also be history-oriented. In general, object-orientation requires more features that are inherited from snapshot O-O models (+E7). For instance, (attribute/tuple—point/interval-stamped) relational models can also be history-oriented, provided that suitable integrity constraints and algebraic operators are defined.

Once history has been defined, ``history-oriented'' is quite intuitive (+E8).