Freebase: Discussion about Political party

None: Absence of information vs. information of absence

2008-10-03T19:43:18.0012Z

This topic may be poor substitutition for indicating the absense of something, but the fact that it's extremely well-used in so many situations by so many different users suggests that it serves a real purpose.

Freebase, after all, is an open data community, and the community has found a need for a "None" topic. Unless or until a better alternative is provided, this well-used topic is simply too relevant to be removed from the system.

Please keep.

None: Absence of information vs. information of absence

2008-10-03T17:33:40.0012Z

On another note... even if we deleted "None", it would keep popping up again and again as people kept trying to use it.

None: Absence of information vs. information of absence

2008-10-03T17:23:39.0012Z

I disagree with Daniel that absence of information is sufficient. However, I agree that this peculiarly polymathic poymorphic None is a poor way to indicate it. As a concrete example, on my Person topic, I have no value for the Spouse or Children properties. In one case, it is because of privacy for the other party or parties involved, and in the other, it is because of a positive lack of value. A way to concretely indicate known, negative value would definitely be useful.

None: Absence of information vs. information of absence

2008-10-03T13:51:37.0012Z

This page should be marked for deletion. It serves very little purpose. The absence of information is a sufficiant indicator that a property is empty or invalid.