Understanding data types in domains

[EninnaLuli1]

I am trying to understand which data type to use when creating domains.

I am working with the data from Esri's certificate Working with Geodatabase Domains and Subtypes in ArcGIS.

The Subdividion.gdb has a range domain WaterMainDiameter which is indicated a Long Integer and the minimum value is 1 and the maximum value is 2. Why is it Long Integer if it is such a short range? Isn't it more efficient (less storage space) to use Short Integer instead? Long Integer does not hold decimals, right? So it means that the only permissible values are 1 and 2?

This link shows that the permissible values for Long Integer are -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647

ArcGIS Desktop Help 9.2 - Geodatabase field data types

[JoeBorgione]

That does seem kind of silly to have a range of 1-2.  Are you sure it's not asking for coded values where the only values permitted are 1 OR 2?

As far as short versus long integers, I've never really worried about it; I pretty much use long integers whenever I need a numeric field of whole numbers.  That's just based on the last 25 years of practice. Even when I had a full head of dark hair, disk space was relatively cheap and it's even cheaper now....