Calvin N. Mooers
Abstract
"Data" is defined as being digital matter having utility. A "data descriptive language" is a manner of description of how such digital matter can be transformed into a more useful form. Data descriptive languages are characterized as being iconographic, algorithmic, or a mixture of both. File structures are held to be merely a special case of data. An algorithmic data description is always possible, by definition, since otherwise the digital matter under consideration is not "data". In a trivial sense, such languages as COBOL or FORTRAN are found to be completely general data descriptive languages, although they are otherwise quite unsuitable because they are so poorly fitted to the descriptive task. A good data descriptive language should be congenial to use, general, transformable, and independent of supporting hardware or software. The value of small one-man projects for the creation of data languages is suggested.
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