Data versus information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Data versus information - Essay Example When the electric circuit is on it represents a â€Å"1† and when it is off it represents a â€Å"0†. Thus when a computer is processing data the trillions of small electric circuits within the microprocessor are in various patterns of on and off states. Information, on the other hand, is knowledge that is communicated (Millar, 1999). Given that humans find it difficult and time-consuming to work with binary digits, computers are able to store, process and deliver data in various formats that are much easier for humans to comprehend. Some of the data formats that computers give as output are: numbers, characters, graphics, digital audio and video, animation and multimedia (Scanlan, 2002). It from this combination of data formats that humans are able to derive meaning from the computer’s output. Of course before giving output, computers perform combinations, permutations or any other instructions that have been input by the user to manipulate data and create