For example:
Cardinality and optionality are
orthogonal properties of a
relationship. You can specify that a
relationship is optional, even if you
have specified upper and/or lower
bounds. This means that there do not
have to be any objects at the
destination, but if there are then the
number of objects must lie within the
bounds specified.
What exactly does “orthogonal” mean? I bet it’s just a fancy soundig nerd-style word for something that could be expressed a lot easier to understand for average people 😉
From wikipedia:
In mathematics, two vectors are
orthogonal if they are perpendicular,
i.e., they form a right angle. The
word comes from the Greek ὀρθός
(orthos), meaning “straight”, and
γωνία (gonia), meaning “angle”.
Anyone?
In the quoted context above you could substitute the word “independent” or “unrelated” for “orthogonal”.