Data system

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A data system is an organized collection of symbols (information) and the processes that may be used to operate on such symbols.[1][2] Any organized collection of symbols and symbol-manipulating operations can be considered a data system. Hence, human speech analysed at the level of phonemes can be considered a data system, as can the Incan artifact of the khipu and an image stored as pixels. A data system is defined in terms of some data model and bears a resemblance to the idea of a physical symbol system.

Symbols within some data system may be persistent or not. Hence, the sounds of human speech are non-persistent symbols because they decay rapidly in air. In contrast, pixels stored on some peripheral storage device are persistent symbols.

References

  1. Beynon-Davies, Paul (2009). Business Information Systems. Palgrave Macmillan Limited. pp. 512. ISBN 023020368X. http://books.google.com/books?id=pdUROgAACAAJ. 
  2. Beynon-Davies, Paul (2011). Significance: Exploring the Nature of Information, Systems and Technology. Palgrave Macmillan Limited. pp. 304. ISBN 0230275192. http://books.google.com/books?id=IhTBbwAACAAJ.