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Computers and the Internet
Course: Computers and the Internet > Unit 2
Lesson 5: Computer filesWhat is a computer file?
When we want a computer to remember data for later, we store it in a file.
To make it easier to sort through our files, we give each file a memorable name.
The computer keeps track of additional details, like when the file was last updated, the type of file, and who's allowed to edit it. That's called metadata: the data about the data.
Here's a file listing from my Mac:
Clicking on an individual file pops up a dialog with even more metadata:
In this lesson, we'll dive deeper into two very important bits of metadata: the file kind and the file size.
Want to join the conversation?
I assume this is where the internet term "meta" came from?(0 votes)
Meta is a very broad term which simply put means "self referencing."
In some cases, like here, it means data about the data. In video games, it refers to the 'game of the game-' where the character chosen is in itself a game, which has greater influence on the outcome than the game itself. There's also 'metaphysical,' which is it's own field questioning why things are the way they are.(9 votes)
How does a computer remember things and what part is it?(2 votes)
The computer uses both RAM and a Storage drive, (An SSD or a HDD) to store information. RAM holds info for as long as you keep your computer on. When you shut it down, all that info is put on your drive. It remembers the info in bits, which is converted into real info by monitor/screen.(1 vote)
- what are 10000 didgtets of pi(2 votes)
- 3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 5028841971 6939937510 5820974944 5923078164 0628620899 8628034825 3421170679 8214808651 3282306647 0938446095 5058223172 5359408128 4811174502 8410270193 8521105559 6446229489 5493038196 4428810975 6659334461 2847564823 3786783165 2712019091 4564856692 3460348610 4543266482 1339360726 0249141273 7245870066 0631558817 4881520920 9628292540 9171536436 7892590360 0113305305 4882046652 1384146951 9415116094 3305727036 5759591953 0921861173 8193261179 3105118548 0744623799 6274956735 1885752724 8912279381 8301194912 9833673362 4406566430 8602139494 6395224737 1907021798 6094370277 0539217176 2931767523 8467481846 7669405132 0005681271 4526356082 7785771342 7577896091 7363717872 1468440901 2249534301 4654958537 1050792279 6892589235 4201995611 2129021960 8640344181 5981362977 4771309960 5187072113 4999999837 2978049951 0597317328 1609631859 5024459455 3469083026 4252230825 3344685035 2619311881 7101000313 7838752886 5875332083 8142061717 7669147303 5982534904 2875546873 1159562863 8823537875 9375195778 1857780532 1712268066 1300192787 6611195909 2164201989(1 vote)
- What do they mean by HARD DRIVE(0 votes)
- The hard drive is the storage space of your computer. It's the hardware that holds all the data on your computer.(4 votes)
- Is it necessary to add an extension with the file name?(0 votes)
- That depends on the program that calls the file.
On Windows you will always want to use a file extension otherwise you'll have to tell your system each time what to do with the file. Unix operating systems are a little bit more liberal and will allow you to work without file extensions, although even then it might cause problems.
File extensions allow programs to easily identify what a file is supposed to be.(3 votes)
What do they mean by HARD DRIVE?(0 votes)- hard drive is a type of memory(1 vote)
Can a hard drive be reliable?(0 votes)
A hard drive is necessary for your computer to run in the long run.(1 vote)
- what just in the photo say?(0 votes)
- Is metadata the reason why if you trim a video on Windows it might end up taking up more space than the previous version(0 votes)
Not really. In filesystem metadata you usually write things which are relevant to abstract file in filesystem. These are file owner, permissions, creation date, size i.e. The data may take more space because of different compression method or other format of data itself.(0 votes)