Friday, June 26, 2009

Memory Variable vs. Data Field

Memory Variable

The memory of a computer is organized into a regular pattern of containers for information. These containers for information are called "words". Each one has a numeric address and each one is the same size as each of the others. For most applications, it is inconvenient to refer to portions of memory by their numeric addresses, so programming languages allow us to allocate portions of memory by name. When we store information in the memory of a computer we need to decide on how much we need for various purposes and on how it will be organized. Programming languages provide mechanism for "types" of information in memory. They also provide mechanisms to identify repetitive arrays of items of the same type and to aggregate possibly heterogeneous types under a common name.

Portion of word

Number of bits

nibble

4

character

8 or 16

byte

8

octet

8

half-word

16

word

32

The ambiguity on the size of characters is because we are in a time of transition to richer and more complex character sets for which the limit of 256 characters imposed by an 8-bit character size is inappropriate. We may also be starting on a transition to 64-bit words. Time will tell.


Data Field

A data field is a place where you can store data. Commonly used to refer to a column in a database or a field in a data entry form or web form.

The field may contain data to be entered as well as data to be displayed.

Monday, June 22, 2009

"TERMCONTRAST"

A. INFORMATION VS. DATA

Information as a concept has a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation. It is also the facts that was received and understood by. While Data are pieces of information that represent the qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data (plural of "datum") are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which information and knowledge are derived. It is the fact that can be drawn.

B. DATA STORAGE VS. COMPUTER STORAGE

Actually Data Storage is just part of Computer storage because Data Storage is just part of the memory of the computer where data was saved.Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components, devices, and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time. Computer data storage provides one of the core functions of the modern computer, that of information retention. It is one of the fundamental components of all modern computers, and coupled with a central processing unit (CPU, a processor), implements the basic computer model used since the 1940s. While Computer Storage is the memory that where documents are saved like for example Hard Disks.

C. OPERATING SYSTEM VS. COMPUTER SYSTEM

Operating System is a system that is tasks to manipulate computer programs. Operating system (commonly abbreviated to either OS or O/S) is an interface between hardware and user; it is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer. The operating system acts as a host for computing applications that are run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. This relieves application programs from having to manage these details and makes it easier to write applications. Almost all computers (including handheld computers, desktop computers, supercomputers, video game consoles) as well as some robots, domestic appliances (dishwashers, washing machines), and portable media players use an operating system of some type. [1] Some of the oldest models may however use an embedded operating system, that may be contained on a compact disk or other data storage device. While a Computer System is a complete, working computer. The computer system includes not only the computer, but also any software and peripheral devices that are necessary to make the computer function. Every computer system, for example, requires an operating system. It can also manipulate many computers like computer station.