Data is the plural of datum. A datum is a statement accepted at face value (a "given"). A large class of practically important statements are measurements or observations of a variable. Such statements may comprise numbers, words, or images.

Etymology

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The word data is the plural of Latin datum, neuter past participle of dare, "to give", hence "something given". The past participle of "to give" has been used for millennia, in the sense of a statement accepted at face value; one of the works of Euclid, circa 300 BC, was the Dedomena (in Latin, Data). In discussions of problems in geometry, mathematics, engineering, and so on, the terms givens and data are used interchangeably. Such usage is the origin of data as a concept in computer science: data are numbers, words, images, etc., accepted as they stand.

Usage in English

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In English, the word datum is still used in the general sense of "something given", and more specifically in cartography, geography, geology, and drafting to mean a reference point, reference line, or reference surface. The Latin plural data is also used as a plural in English, but it is also commonly treated as a mass noun and used in the singular. For example, "This is all the data from the experiment". This usage is inconsistent with the rules of Latin grammar, which would suggest, "These are the data ..."; each measurement or result is a single datum. However, given the variety and irregularity of English plural constructions, there seem to be no grounds for arguing that data is incorrect as a singular mass noun in English.

More on [ Data ]

TechCrunch

LinkedIn Rolls Out Enhanced Groups Features
Jason Kincaid Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:00:16 -0000
Last week, we wrote about LinkedIn's recent issues with its Groups - as part of a new platform rollout, a number of management features were apparently buggy, while others had been removed entirely. Tonight sees the release of a number of new features on the platform that should quell some of these concerns. Among the new features are a centralized hub page for every group, where group members can come together and converse with each other in one place. The release also introduces enhanced group and user management features, including a searchable roster.
Scribd Finally Starts A New Chapter With A Redesign
Jason Kincaid Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:52:04 -0000
Scribd, the popular document sharing hub, has finally rolled out a much-needed redesign. The site has long been hampered by a messy homepage that wasn't attractive for first-time visitors, displaying a list of its top features in lieu of a YouTube-esque stream of featured documents. The old design made it clear that Scribd worked well as a utility, but didn't make it attractive as a destination site. Now, the new site highlights a sampling of its top documents and includes a number of UX changes that Scribd hopes will remedy this issue.
The Best of Android: Final Challenge Winners Announced
Mark Hendrickson Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:34:29 -0000
Last May, Google announced the first set of winners in its two-part contest called Android Challenge, which is meant to kick-start the creation of 3rd-party applications for its nascent mobile platform by enticing developers with a total of $10 million in awards. Today, Google is releasing the names of its second set of winners, 10 of which receive $275,000 and 10 of which receive $100,000.
Ashton Kutcher Is Pretty Excited To Launch Blah Girls At TechCrunch50
Michael Arrington Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:17:03 -0000
TechCrunch50 is just a week and a half away. The list of presenting companies is kept strictly confidential until the day of the event to ensure maximum audience attention. But we're making one exception this year. Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg's Katalyst Media will be launching Blah Girls, one of his new interactive online video products, at TechCrunch50. Ashton recorded an intro video for Blah Girls letting us know how excited he is about all of the confidentiality and rehearsal requirements around the event.
Yahoo Shuts Down Mash, 0-4 On Social Networking
Michael Arrington Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:47:42 -0000
In an email to users today, Yahoo announced that its year old social network Yahoo Mash will be shutting down on September 29. This was Yahoo's fourth serious attempt at getting a foothold in social networking after Yahoo 360 and failed acquisition attempts of Facebook and Bebo.
Can We Predict The Outcome of The Presidential Election With Each Candidate’s Traffic Data?
Jason Kincaid Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:55:43 -0000
Can traffic to a Presidential Candidate's homepage be used to gauge who will win this year's election? Hitwise has published recent data on the traffic both American presidential candidates have seen in the last month (ending 8/23), and while the results don't seem to shed much light on the forthcoming election's outcome, they reveal a few interesting trends. Hitwise has ranked each state by two criteria: its contribution to each site's total traffic, and the the overall likelihood that a user in the state will visit the candidate's site (called the Representation index). If either metric is applicable to the election, it will be Representation Index, which indicates the candidate's popularity on a per-state basis and isn't affected by the state's population.

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