6. Glossary

nature

Refers to the numerical model associated with the file, represented by mathematical functions.

format

Refers to the organization of data. International standards and consensuses lay down specific organizations for certain formats, but companies can also define their own. A file's format is usually indicated by an extension.

extension

A suffix added to the file name to indicate the file format, designated as a sequence of 2 to 4 characters (usually 3 letters) behind a file name, separated by a period.

neutral format

A standard, non-proprietary format specially created to encourage interoperability and facilitate the exchange of files between different software programs.

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