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What Is Coding of Data?

Coding of data involves assigning short codes to original data values according to an agreed upon coding scheme. This coding allows for efficient data storage and is documented so new users understand the meaning of the codes. Examples show common codes used for gender, days of the week, and clothing sizes and colors. More complex codes like those for addresses or product codes have multiple parts that each represent different data elements. Proper documentation of coding schemes is important so that users understand what each code represents.

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Arlene Polinar
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50 views

What Is Coding of Data?

Coding of data involves assigning short codes to original data values according to an agreed upon coding scheme. This coding allows for efficient data storage and is documented so new users understand the meaning of the codes. Examples show common codes used for gender, days of the week, and clothing sizes and colors. More complex codes like those for addresses or product codes have multiple parts that each represent different data elements. Proper documentation of coding schemes is important so that users understand what each code represents.

Uploaded by

Arlene Polinar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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. What is coding of data?

Any system will need to have data collected, entered and stored.

One method of storing data is to assign codes to it. This usually means shortening the
original data in an agreed manner. The agreement is between the users of the system.
This coding scheme could be part of the training of how to use the system, and it
could also be documented within the system for new users.

If the coding is completely obvious then there is no such need for formal
documentation. For example if a field called 'Gender' has only two values 'M' and 'F'.
It should be obvious from the field name that this refers to Male and Female.

Example 1

Original data: Monday; Tuesday; Wednesday; Thursday; Friday

Coded data: Mon; Tues; Wed; Thurs; Fri

Example 2

Original data: Extra Large; Large; Medium; Small

Coded data: XL; L; M; S

Example 3

The above codes are fairly easy for anyone to recognize and understand. Some codes
however are more complicated. What do you think the following codes might
represent?

RG935LR

CV183TP

The above examples could be postcodes. They represent a street name, a particular
part of the street and the town where the street is located.

Example 4

How about:

SK12BN
TR14GN

Let's propose that these are codes for clothes in an online shop.

These might be a little bit more difficult because the code is made up from different
representative parts. Let's have a closer look.

The first part represents a piece of clothing, so 'SK' represented 'Skirt' and 'TR'
represented 'Trousers'

The middle part of the code is the dress size.

The final part of the code represented a colour, so 'BN' represented 'Brown' and 'GN'
represented 'Green'.

You should be able to see from that information that the first code is a size 12 brown
skirt. What piece of clothing would the second code represent?

When is a Hacker not a Hacker? Answer When he is a "cracker"

The term Hacker has a colourful history. The term "hacker" started off in the close
knit community of original expert computer programmers back in the 1950s. Back
then, there were no fancy programming tools available. They had to 'hack' their way
around a problem by clever programming, hence they were proud to be called a
'hacker' by their fellow programmers.

But when the 1980's came along the general public became aware of personal
computers and what they could do. Journalists wanted to report stories of how some
people were breaking into computer networks. They borrowed the word 'hacker' to
describe this sort of person and so the controversy began. True 'hackers' call these
kind of people 'crackers'

 Now there are:-

White hat hacker: Someone who finds flaws in computer networks to allow
their owners to improve security

Black hat hacker \ Cracker: Someone who breaks into computer networks
with ill intent

A cracker is also someone who creates computer code to bypass copy


protection in commercial software. They create a 'crack'.













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