Get a basic overview of what is data in the computer. How does data work, how does it collected, managed, and used in business and various works, and many other basic points?
So, let’s begin and discover the science and art behind data: In simplest words text, images, videos, audio, games, documents, software, and any type of single character or pixel is data in the computer.
Data is processed through a computer to create information. Not all data is information. Only meaningful and clean data create information.
Even what you input into a computer from your brain or document or from any source is data.
And not to forget that, the computer is used to create, generate, manage, arrange, manipulate, and analyze data and information.
Software is also data. Software is a group of various programs, where programs are groups of functions, in which functions are groups of classes or constructors, small functions.
Each program or function is written using programming languages and libraries. Libraries and modules contain data (template or pre-written programs and functions) to use in programming or coding or while writing instructions for data scraping functions you can use beautiful soup or scrappy and selenium in the python programing language.
So, all of this is data that is processed by a compiler or interpreter, CPU or operating system systematically and objectively. And this data makes it possible to receive and perform various data and information-managed works.
The size of Data in the computer is calculated in bytes. 1 character such as A or even a blank space consumes 1 byte in the computer. Byte is a group of 8 bits. A bit or binary digit is the smallest unit of a computer. Data was there before computers and information technologies.
Data processing, mining, filtration, computations, and processing are the biggest reasons behind the evolution of computer and information technology. You can define data in various ways. Even broadly we can say that everything that you input, see, process, and operate in the computer is data.
And that’s why it’s one of the 1st chapters to study computer science and information technology.
There are various types of data that are used in business:
- Customer data – contact information and feedback
- Website Traffic and statistics data
- Advertising Campaign data
- Data Search queries – Keywords data
- Sales and Inventory
- Product data
- Profile data
- Browser’s cookies data
- Network data
Etc.
Data types used in Programming and computer:
- Int – for numbers such as 1 to 10000
- Float – for decimal numbers such as 2.4 or 33.33333
- Boolean – Ture or False – Used for conditions
- String – used for text such as “Hello World!”
- Array or List – Used to represent subcategories of single data types
- Data and time
Etc.
Whenever you process or store anything in a computer these data types are used.
How data is generated or born or collected?
Data is born through incidents, activities, observations, and processes. Here you can learn more in detail about what is data.
But mostly in computers data is generated in two ways. 1st by the user (you) and 2nd by the computer.
For example, when you use the computer, it created data. Whatever you do can be recorded or processed or broadcast. For example, logs files. What you have used or what you did is stored through data types in log files.
For example, when you sign in to Gmail, the it’s created the data. In this data, Gmail data tracking or analytics code or tool created the following data such as:
- Your login device
- Your location
- Your browser
- Timing
All of this creates information. And this information is automatically analyzed by Gmail itself or by administrators to improve the application quality and user experiences and also for personalized and contextual advertising.
The 2nd way of data generation is by the user. For example, when you write and save a document on the computer it becomes data. Even if it’s already data. But now it’s more meaningful and useful.
How it’s meaningful:
For example, you have ideas in your mind to grow your website traffic. But still, it’s in your mind. It’s observation and can be facts.
Now you have written this in a document file to execute this idea step-wise. Now whenever you will see this file in the future, you will get clear information about your idea. But else if you haven’t created or documented these facts on a computer then it will be tough to restore them later from your memory. That’s why you noticed it.
It’s meaningful:
- You added the title this idea: Such as unique idea to increase website traffic
- Now you created steps and for this, you have used numbers or bullets.
- The text is bold with important points. And also colored or underlined.
- And when you saved this file, you named it. And the name might be website traffic ideas 001.
Now, whenever you will see this file you will get informed about what is inside it.
And that’s one of the uses of computers. You can store and process data and information on a computer.
Now how it’s more useable?
1st it’s informational.
And the 2nd, you can send this file to your SEO manager for feedback and more ideas. If you have used cloud apps such as Microsoft word or google docs for document writing then you both will see this and can make changes in real-time. And both can highlight the important points.
This way your one idea or fact from the mind is applicable within a few minutes using a computer and data processing method.
If you haven’t used a computer to store and make information, then you will lose it. That’s an example, of how computer or internet users generate data.
The uses of computer data:
- For information and knowledge
- For product development and marketing
- For research and education
- For predicting future challenges and business opportunities.
- To build network or website or app security functions
- eCommerce
- Information marketing and selling
Uses of data for common computer users:
Data computer created by computer or users is not only useful for businesses, programmers, technicians, and administrators but also for common men.
For example, by using excel you can enter your income and expense data. And by using a chart (data visualization) you can view your spending habits.
Please learn here for more details:
Data is very important in technology and technology evolution. Especially for the feedback.
These days almost every technology device, tool and software create or collects data. This data is used for marketing, sales, load balance, and infrastructure development.
Practical examples of data on a computer or the Internet:
- When you open task manager on a windows computer you can see the data about running apps, CPU consumption, Storage, and Speed of the computer. This data creates information that you can use to improve the performance of your computer.
- Whatever you get in search results is the data that is scraped or crawled by the search engines from various websites, apps, and sources. It works based on business logic and algorithm. All of this is created by using computer programming languages.
- YouTube Subscribers and posts like details are data. This data informs the content creator about the performance of their content. It also informs the viewers, how useful or not useful is the content.
This information is also analyzed by the code behind the YouTube application (algorithm) to decide on which post to highlight more or which one less automatically.
Study of Data or Learn to use the science and art behind data:
The data analysis and decision-making processes are automated through data analytics or analysis apps. Data is also a field of scientific study that we call data science. Almost everyone running a technology-related business or using technology in business needs data for automation, analysis, and decision-making.
There are various techniques and programming languages fully focused on data science, data mining, data visualization and process automation (AI or machine learning). The most popular are python and R for statistical and logical computing.
Data science is one of the most popular and interesting fields in computer science and engineering for students. The importance of data in business increases the demand for data experts. Due to that data experts such as web scrapers, data scientists, visualization developers, and python, r programming or web or app developers and experts are getting paid well.
So, building and having data skills is very useful in getting jobs or projects and starting a data business. When you start learning the basics of Python and R , then you will automatically start getting clarity on data and its usefulness in the real and virtual world.
So, the main use of data is for the automation of complex tasks, business automation, marketing automation, income automation, product development automation, decision-making, and new technology revolutions. In one word, data is used to build automatic decision-making machines, programs, functions, software, app, and tools. Now it can be human or artificial intelligence.