Inside the World of Computing

4Data: From Binary Element to Intelligence

4.1. Introduction

Since the Hollerith machine census of the American population in 1890, mentioned in Chapter 1, data have changed considerably in quantity, representation and diversity. But what do we mean by “data”?

A bit can be used to represent the numbers 0 and 1, the logical values true or false, that is, very little. We will therefore associate several bits in order to represent or code more consequent data.

A data, a set of bits, has no meaning in itself. It must be interpreted in a specific context to derive information from it. Is it a color code, a first name or an instruction in an assembly language?

The accumulation of coherent data leads to knowledge in a particular domain. It allows the interpretation of information for decision-making and action initiation. To take a simple example, the set of couples “dish, price” gives knowledge of the menu offered by a restaurant to order from it.

At the most elaborate stage, the analysis of a body of knowledge leads to intelligence, since it is a question of exploiting this knowledge with a precise objective.

A layered diagram (see Figure 4.1) can be used, as was done in Chapter 3.

Figure 4.1. From binary element to intelligence

This chapter attempts to take a look at what we generally call data.

4.2. Data and information

We will start from the bit, because the basis of computing ...