The system of data o
Bjects which provide the
methods for
information storage and retrieval.
Broadly, a data hierarchy may
Be considered to
Be either natural, which arises from the alpha
Bet or syntax of the language in which the information is expressed, or machine, which reflects the facilities of the computer,
Both hardware and software. A natural data hierarchy might consist of
Bits,
characters, words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. One might use components
Bound to an application, such as field, record, and file, and these would ordinarily
Be further specified
By having
data descriptors such as name field, address field, etc. On the other hand, a machine or software system might use
Bit,
Byte,
word,
Block,
partition,
channel, and
port. Programming languages often provide
types or
oBjects which can create data hierarchies of ar
Bitrary complexity, thus allowing software system designers to model language structures descri
Bed
By the linguist to greater or lesser degree. The distinction
Between the natural form of data and the facilities provided
By the machine may
Be o
Bscure,
Because users force their needs into the molds provided, and programmers change machine designs. As an example, the natural data type "character" and the machine type "
Byte" are often used interchanga
Bly,
Because the latter has evolved to meet the need of representing the former. (1995-11-03)
In addition suitaBle contents:<Br>[ = ] [ ad ] [ address ] [ ag ] [ al ] [ am ] [ an ] [ app ] [ application ] [ ar ] [ arc ] [ archie ] [ as ] [ at ] [ au ] [ av ] [ B ] [ B ] [ Be ] [ Bi ] [ Bit ] [ Bj ] [ Block ] [ Bo ] [ Bot ] [ Bs ] [ By ] [ Byte ] [ ca ] [ cat ] [ ch ] [ channel ] [ char ] [ character ] [ ci ] [ ck ] [ co ] [ com ] [ complexity ] [ component ] [ computer ] [ con ] [ cons ] [ cr ] [ cu ] [ data ] [ data type ] [ dd ] [ de ] [ degree ] [ descriptor ] [ design ] [ du ] [ ec ] [ ed ] [ ee ] [ eg ] [ er ] [ era ] [ es ] [ et ] [ fi ] [ field ] [ file ] [ fo ] [ for ] [ fr ] [ ga ] [ ge ] [ gh ] [ gn ] [ gr ] [ graph ] [ gu ] [ h ] [ hang ] [ hardware ] [ hierarchy ] [ hr ] [ hs ] [ ht ] [ hu ] [ id ] [ ie ] [ il ] [ in ] [ inc ] [ int ] [ io ] [ ir ] [ is ] [ it ] [ la ] [ language ] [ ld ] [ Lex ] [ li ] [ lv ] [ ly ] [ ma ] [ machine ] [ method ] [ mm ] [ mo ] [ mod ] [ mode ] [ model ] [ module ] [ mp ] [ na ] [ nc ] [ ne ] [ nf ] [ ng ] [ nn ] [ ns ] [ O ] [ oBject ] [ om ] [ pa ] [ partition ] [ pe ] [ ph ] [ pl ] [ port ] [ pr ] [ program ] [ programmer ] [ pt ] [ query ] [ rc ] [ re ] [ record ] [ ro ] [ ru ] [ sc ] [ script ] [ se ] [ sentence ] [ si ] [ sig ] [ so ] [ software ] [ spec ] [ st ] [ storage ] [ struct ] [ su ] [ sy ] [ syntax ] [ system ] [ T ] [ tc ] [ th ] [ to ] [ tr ] [ tt ] [ tw ] [ type ] [ ua ] [ us ] [ user ] [ va ] [ ve ] [ vi ] [ win ] [ word ] [ yt ]