Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The definition of Information Object may seem a little circular.
However its purpose is not to define something specific, for example
in a computer programme. Instead it really only provides a simple
term for something which we can apply to many different things in
people's heads. The key idea is that it is something that allows us to
talk about what knowledge is being exchanged.
When we are referring to something specifically targeted for preservation the
term
Content Information
is used. This is
a set of information that is the original
target of preservation or that includes part or all of that information. It is an
Information Object composed of its Content Data Object and its Representation
Information
.
In a little bit more detail, recognising that the Data Object could be either digital
or physical, one can draw Fig.
3.2
, which is a simple UML [
257
] diagram.
This diagram is a way of showing that
•
an Information Object
is made up of a Data Object and Representation
Information
•
a Data Object can be either a Physical Object or a Digital Object. An example of
the former is a piece of paper or a rock sample.
•
a Digital Object is made up of one or more Bits
Information
Object
Interpreted using
*
Interpreted using
Data
Object
Representation
Information
1
Physical
Object
Digital
Object
1
1..*
Bit
Fig. 3.2
OAIS information model
