read

read

[rēd]

(computer science)

To acquire information, usually from some form of storage in a computer.

To convert magnetic spots, characters, or punched holes into electrical impulses.

(electronics)

To generate an output corresponding to the pattern stored in a charge storage tube.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

read

To input into the computer from a peripheral device (keyboard, mouse, storage) or the network. Like reading a book or playing a DVD, reading does not destroy what is read.

Every Read and Write Is a Copy
Every transfer of data is a "read" and a "write," which makes it a copy. Reading a sector in a hard drive also means writing that sector into RAM, which makes it a copy of the data in storage. Data are copied around memory by reading and writing the memory bytes. See write, read/write and digital perfection.

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