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   Brodie Robertson (brodieonlinux@mstdn.social)'s status on Monday, 07-Jul-2025 11:13:17 JST Brodie Robertson

   Every so often I think about it but never bothered to look at the history behind the term, does anyone know why we call the tree data structure a tree and not a root structure, with how it's usually depicted roots seem to make more sense as a metaphor. I know the top node is called the root but wouldn't this metaphor make more sense flipped around.

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     Kaito (kaito02@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 07-Jul-2025 11:13:41 JST Kaito

     in reply to

     @BrodieOnLinux the thing is the directionality doesn't have to be downward. So the Australia analogy might make sense

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     Brodie Robertson (brodieonlinux@mstdn.social)'s status on Monday, 07-Jul-2025 11:13:41 JST Brodie Robertson

     in reply to

     • Kaito

     @kaito02 I know you could draw it the other way round but usually they're drawn extending downwards

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     Brodie Robertson (brodieonlinux@mstdn.social)'s status on Monday, 07-Jul-2025 11:56:22 JST Brodie Robertson

     in reply to

     @DaCool Apparently it's called a root cap

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     DaCool (dacool@layer8.space)'s status on Monday, 07-Jul-2025 11:56:23 JST DaCool

     in reply to

     @BrodieOnLinux Thinking about it a little.

     1) When you write lines from the top down, makes sense to put whatever you start with first.

     2) Tree has a distinct and more universal appeal, also is more commonly associated with something positive.

     3) I at-least perceive the branching of a tree more universal as the branching of roots.

     4) You avoid ambiguity with a <root> node in a <tree> structure.

     5) At the end of a branch, you can call the last node a leaf. What would be the root equivalent?