In a general sense, information is an abstract concept whose meaning depends on the context used. In philosophy, under this term it is customary to understand a material attribute that reflects its structure.
In the framework of this article, we will consider information as information that serves as an object of storage, transmission and further transformation. We will study the current forms of presenting information data. We also describe their characteristics and distinguishing features.
Information and its features
If we consider this concept as information, it is advisable to designate the interpretation of the latter. Under them it is necessary to understand the knowledge that is expressed in messages, signals, notifications, news and so on. Information can be expressed in different ways. That is why today there are certain forms of presentation of information. It is advisable to consider each of them as an independent category, independent of others.
How can information be expressed?
Let us further consider how the information is presented to the consumer.
Currently, there are the following types of information on the presentation form:
- Graphic or graphic. This includes photographs, holograms, paintings, drawings. In addition, we are talking about various types of the real world, for example, geographical maps or the northern lights. The graphical presentation of information is one of the basic.
- Sound. It is no secret to anyone that in the modern world there are a huge number of very different sounds that a person is able to perceive either with his senses, or through devices designed for this. The sound form of presentation of information involves some music, speech, ultrasounds in technology, from earthquakes, and so on.
- Text. This is a person’s speech, which is encoded with various characters of a special type.
- Numeric. This form of presentation of information is a quantitative measure of the objects and properties that characterize these objects. In this case, the information acts as encoded using special characters (similar to text).
- Video information. Here, the information is presented as a sequence of frames (pictorial form). However, in the case of this visual form of presentation of information, frames follow strictly one after another with a certain frequency.
Other views
In addition to the above, the following types of expression of information are currently known:
- Tactile. It is important to note that this form of presentation of information is perceived by us in the case of touch or through special sensors.
- Technical Here we are also talking about the readings of the respective instruments. Among them are x-ray equipment; devices showing magnetic field strength; colliders and so on.
- Organoleptic. This kind of information is provided through tastes, smells, as well as other human senses. It is necessary to supplement that the data in this case can also be transmitted using special devices.
Parameter Type Division
According to the presentation form, information can be divided into the above groups. However, all the described forms are still classified into varieties in accordance with the characteristics of the data. So, it is advisable to note the following types of information:
- Static and dynamic. It should be noted that the first does not depend on time under any circumstances, while the second is a variable in it.
- A variable and discrete form of presentation of information that can be classified both in magnitude and in time.
Technical Information
You need to know that in technology there is a close relationship between the term in question and such concepts as message, signal and data.
Under the signal should be understood absolutely any process that is a carrier of information. This can be live radio sound, a signal in the wires, which is electric in nature, the light that is perceived by the telescope, and so on.
A message should be considered as information that is presented in a certain form. Designed strictly for transfer to anyone.
Data is nothing more than information displayed in a formalized form. It is needed for subsequent processing.
Signal
Consider this view in more detail. You need to know that a signal continuous in time is called when its parameter can be changed at predetermined boundaries at any time. It is about changing the form of presentation of information. The phenomenon is usually called discrete in time, when its parameter can be changed at predetermined boundaries at fixed moments.
We will talk about an analog signal if its parameter accepts within the given boundaries absolutely any values of an intermediate nature at any time.
Continuous in time and discrete in terms of magnitude, these data are called when they begin to take only certain, strictly fixed, values at certain boundaries, but at absolutely any moment.
A signal discrete for the same two characteristics is if the corresponding parameter, within specified limits, takes specific, unchanging values, but these transformations occur exclusively in specific time periods.
Presentation Form Value
In the process of mastering the topic, it is worth considering that the form of expression of information is the most important aspect in the case of its transmission for perception. Depending on the goal that is set before the person, the same information can be presented in different forms.
Since today, information is understood to mean practically all data that is the object of storage, transmission and further transformation, in order to achieve unambiguity in the process of implementing these processes, it is traditionally customary to use languages. The base of any of them is the alphabet. This term should be understood as a special set of certain characters (in other words, characters) through which information can be expressed.
Languages and their features
Let us dwell on this issue in more detail. It is worth noting that currently languages are classified into spoken (in other words they are called natural) and formal. The alphabet of the former fully depends on the traditions of the respective nation. Formal can be observed in special areas of human activity. This can be, for example, in physics, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, computer engineering, sociology, psychology, management, accounting, and so on.
It must be borne in mind that the expression of information through formal languages today is called coding. Code refers to a set of conventions (in other words, symbols) for expressing information. This process should be considered as a way of presenting information in the form of one or another code. In other language, this is the transformation or change of the information flow from one form and another. The reverse of coding is called decoration.
A bit of history
It is interesting to know that the technique of expressing information through a language that contains only 2 characters of the alphabet (namely, 1 and 0) in the 17th century was proposed by the famous German scientist Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
"Computing with doubles ... is the key for science and gives rise to new discoveries ... when reducing numbers to the simplest principles, such as 0 and 1, a wonderful order arises everywhere." These are the words of Leibniz.
In the modern world, this method of expressing information is widely used in computer technology and other devices (for example, computers). It must be added that the characters represented are traditionally called bits or binary digits.
The technical implementation of the named alphabet turned out to be extremely simple. So, in electronic devices, zero, as a rule, indicates a low voltage, and a unit indicates a high voltage. The reverse situation is also relevant: in memory-type devices, bistable cells are used, the first state of which corresponds to zero, and the second to unity. In optical fiber lines, zero implies the absence of a light-type signal, and unity indicates its presence.
Ways of expressing information in computers
In conclusion, it would be advisable to consider the methods of representing information flows in electronic computers.
The first is the mapping of integers. In computers today, various are capable of expressing them. The most common of these is the fixed-point format. If this or that number is unsigned, then absolutely all bits of the memory cell take part in indicating the value of the number in quantitative terms. If the size of the memory cell is one byte, it becomes possible to represent all numbers from 00000000 to 11111111 (in accordance with the binary system) and from 0 to 255 (in accordance with the decimal system). It should be noted that the maximum cell size allows the encoding of a large range of numbers. If it is necessary to encode not only numbers, but also signs, then the latter go through the encoding procedure in the high bit, and the numerical module is encoded using the remaining bits.
Secondly, this is an expression of real numbers, which in electronic computers, as a rule, can be displayed in either a fixed-type comma format or a floating-point format. The first format indicates that the sign of the number is stored in the higher-order bit. The remaining cells contain a whole numerical element and a fractional one. Moreover, the ratio of bits intended to store these parts is strictly fixed. The floating point format, however, involves dividing the cells into specific groups, including the mantissa, the sign of the number, the module, and the sign of the order.