Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Section 1: General
1.1 Scope
1.2 Normative references
1.3 Principles and rules followed
1.3.1 Definition of an entry
1.3.2 Organization of an entry
1.3.3 Classification of entries
1.3.4 Selection of terms and wording of definitions
1.3.5 Multiple meanings
1.3.6 Abbreviations
1.3.7 Use of parentheses
1.3.8 Use of brackets
1.3.9 Use of terms printed in italic typeface in
definitions and the use of an asterisk
1.3.10 Spelling
1.3.11 Organization of the alphabetical index
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) together form a system for worldwide standardization as a whole. National bodies that are members of ISO and IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees established by the respective organizations to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental and nongovernmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1. Draft International Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for approval before their acceptance as International Standards. They are approved in accordance with procedures requiring at least 75% approval. by the national bodies voting.
International Standard ISO/IEC 2382-1 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, Subcommittee SC 1, Vocabulary.
ISO/IEC 2382 will consist of some 30 parts, under the general title Information technology - Vocabulary.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 2382-1:1984), of which it constitutes a technical revision.
Information technology gives rise to numerous international exchanges of both an intellectual and a material nature. These exchanges often become difficult, either because of the great variety of terms used in various fields or languages to express the same concept, or because of the absence or imprecision of the definitions of useful concepts.
To avoid misunderstandings and to facilitate such exchanges it is essential to clarify the concepts, to select terms to be used in various languages or in various countries to express the same concept, and to establish definitions providing satisfactory equivalents for the various terms in different languages.
ISO 2382 was initially based mainly on the usage to be found in the Vocabulary of Information Processing which was established and published by the International Federation for Information Processing and the International Computation Centre, and in the American National Dictionary for Information Processing Systems and its earlier editions published by the American National Standards Institute (formerly known as the American Standards Association). Published and Draft International Standards relating to information technology of other international organizations (such as the International Telecommunication Union and the International Electrotechnical Commission) as well as published and draft national standards have also been considered.
The purpose of ISO/IEC 2382 is to provide definitions that are rigorous, uncomplicated and which can be understood by all concerned. The scope of each concept defined has been chosen to provide a definition that is suitable for general application. In those circumstances where a restricted application is concerned, the definition may need to be more specific.
However, while it is possible to maintain the self-consistency of individual parts, the reader is warned that the dynamics of language and the problems associated with the standardization and maintenance of vocabularies may introduce duplications and inconsistencies among parts.
Information technology - Vocabulary -
Part 1: Fundamental terms
This part of ISO/IEC 2382 is intended to facilitate international communication in information technology. It presents, in two languages, terms and definitions of selected concepts relevant to the field of information technology and identifies relationships among the entries.
In order to facilitate their translation into other languages, the definitions are drafted so as to avoid, as far as possible, any peculiarity attached to a language.
This part of ISO/IEC 2382 deals with the most important concepts on which are based the further specialized sections in various technical fields, as well as the essential terms which should be used by nonspecialist users in communication with specialists in information processing.
The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this part of ISO/IEC 2382. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards are subject to revision and parties to agreements based on this part of ISO/IEC 2382 are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards indicated below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.
ISO 1087:1990, Terminology - Vocabulary
ISO 3166:1988, Codes for the representation of names of countries.
1.3 Principles and rules followed
Section 2 comprises a number of entries. Each entry consists of a set of essential elements that includes an index number, one term or several synonymous terms, and a phrase defining one concept. In addition, an entry may include examples, notes or illustrations to facilitate understanding of the concept.
Occasionally, the same term may be defined in different entries, or two or more concepts may be covered by one entry, as described in 1.3.5 and 1.3.8 respectively.
Other terms such as vocabulary, concept, term and definition, are used in this part of ISO/IEC 2382 with the meaning defined in ISO 1087.
1.3.2 Organization of an entry
Each entry contains the essential elements defined in 1.3.1 and, if necessary, additional elements. The entry may contain the following elements in the following order:
a) an index number (common for all languages in which this part of ISO/IEC 2382 is published);
b) the term or the generally preferred term in the language. The absence of a generally preferred term for the concept in the language is indicated by a symbol consisting of five points (.....); a row of dots may be used to indicate, in a term, a word to be chosen in a particular case;
c) the preferred term in a particular country (identified according to the rules of ISO 3166);
d) the abbreviation for the term;
e) permitted synonymous term(s);
f) the text of the definition (see 1.3.4);
g) one or more examples with the heading "Example(s)";
h) one or more notes specifying particular cases in the field of application of the concepts with the heading "NOTE(S)";
i) a picture, a diagram, or a table which could be common to several entries.
1.3.3 Classification of entries
A two-digit serial number is assigned to each part of this International Standard, beginning with 01 for "fundamental terms".
The entries are classified in groups to each of which is assigned a four-digit serial number; the first two digits being those of the part of this International Standard.
Each entry is assigned a six-digit index number; the first four digits being those of the part of this International Standard and the group.
To show the relationship between versions of this International Standard in various languages, the numbers assigned to parts, groups, and entries are the same for all languages.
1.3.4 Selection of terms and wording of definitions
The selection of terms and the wording of definitions have, as far as possible, followed established usage. Where there were contradictions, solutions agreeable to the majority have been sought.
When, in one of the working languages, a given term has several meanings, each meaning is given a separate entry to facilitate translation into other languages.
As indicated in 1.3.2, abbreviations in current use are given for some terms. Such abbreviations are not used in the texts of the definitions, examples, or notes.
In some terms, a word or words printed in bold typeface are placed between parentheses. These words are part of the complete term. but they may be omitted when use of the abridged term in a technical context does not introduce ambiguity. In the text of another definition, example, or note of ISO/IEC 2382, such a term is used only in its complete form.
In some entries, the tenns are followed by words in parentheses in normal typeface. These words are not a part of the term but indicate directives for the use of the term, its particular field of application, or its grammatical form.
When several closely related terms can be defined by texts that differ only in a few words, the terms and their definitions are grouped in a single entry. The words to be substituted in order to obtain the different meanings are placed in brackets, i.e. [ ], in the same order in the term and in the definition. To clearly identify the words to be substituted, the last word that according to the above rule could be placed in front of the opening bracket is, wherever possible, placed inside the bracket and repeated for each alternative.
1.3.9 Use of terms printed in italics in definitions and the use of an asterisk
A term printed in italics in a definition, an example, or a note is defined in another entry in this International Standard, which may be in another part. However, the term is printed in italics only the first time it occurs in each entry.
Italics are also used for other grammatical forms of a term, for example. plurals of nouns and participles of verbs.
The basic forms of all terms printed in italics which are defined in this part of ISO/IEC 2382 are listed in the index at the end of the part (see 1.3.11).
An asterisk is used to separate terms printed in italic typeface when two such terms are referred to in separate entries and directly follow each other (or are separated only by a punctuation mark).
Words or terms that are printed in normal typeface are to be understood as defined in current dictionaries or authoritative technical vocabularies.
In the English language version of this part of ISO/IEC 2382, terms, definitions, examples, and notes are given in the spelling preferred in the USA. Other correct spellings may be used without violating this part of ISO/IEC 2382.
1.3.11 Organization of the alphabetical index
For each language used, an alphabetical index is provided at the end of each part. The index includes all terms defined in the part. Multiple-word terms appear in alphabetical order under each of their key words.