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Data Formats

A set of specifications that defines the way different types of data should be stored in computer systems for use by applications or the end user.

This category is mainly for technical specifications of data formats. Although it tries to also be helpful and help you find relevant software for and examples of these data formats.

Few sites belong at this level.

If your site deals only with a particular data format (eg HTML or PDF), or a class of data formats (eg graphics formats), then it should be suggested to an appropriate sub-category. Please start looking at Computers: Data Formats.
If you site deals with data recovery (including related products and services) then it belongs somewhere under Computers: Hardware: Storage: Data Recovery rather than here.
Those suggesting sites about office services such as data entry and conversion should look under Business: Business Services: Office Services.

Suggesting inappropriate sites to this category will only delay their review and potential inclusion by the editors.

Barcodes

This category includes links to resources on both Linear and Two Dimensional (2D) barcodes. A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data that is interpreted by software to perform a specific action.

Sites about Fonts should be suggested to Computers/Graphics/Fonts/Barcode/
Sites about Hardware and Peripherals should be suggested to Computers/Hardware/Peripherals/Bar_Code/
Sites about Software should be suggested to Computers/Software/Bar_Code/

Compression

Software for manipulating zip files are not accepted here, please choose the proper category under Computers/Software/Data_Compression for your site.

Conversion

This category relates to general information about data format conversion.

Sites dealing with conversion of particular data formats should be submitted to more data format specific categories if available. Software products primarily providing data format conversion should be listed in Software subcategory. Companies offering data conversion services should be listed in Companies subcategory. Companies offering both data conversion services and software should be listed in this directory, rather than subcategories.

Database

Sites with information about data formats used for storing databases.

Note that this category is for informational sites relating to database data formats only. Sites related to database programming, database software, and database consultancy / services are listed elsewhere.

Document

The formats used by software applications to store different types of documents.

File Systems

In order for computers to store information on hard drives, floppy disks, cds, tapes, etc otherwise known as electronic media, the computer has to understand where the information is stored and how to read that information. File system data formats are technical descriptions on how the information can be accessed. This category is used to collect information on different file formats for three purposes. These purposes are Educating programmers so that they can make full use of the file systems they work with, providing reference material for compatibility and providing information for the creation of new file systems.

Graphics

This category is for links to specification, papers, source code, and tutorial about graphics data formats. Graphics data formats are a representation of visual information -- stuff that you can see.

Help

The formats used by various help systems. These help systems are used to deliver application online help, and other information content.

This category is for sites dealing with the formats and implementation of help systems, and not for companies offering computer help to customers.

Hypermedia

Hypermedia is a non-linear medium of information that may include graphics, audio, video, plain text and hyperlinks.

Markup Languages

A markup language is a system for annotating a document in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from the text. Markup instructs the software displaying the text to carry out appropriate actions, but is omitted from the displayed final output.

Commercial sites that offer web site design or development services should be submitted to the proper subcategory of
Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Designers.
If there is an alphabar, please choose the correct lettered category for quicker review time.

Microformats

Designed for humans first and machines second, microformats are a set of simple, open data formats built upon existing and widely adopted standards.

Open Standards

Initiatives, organizations and campaigns for the promotion of open standards and against the diffusion of proprietary formats in data exchange.

This category accepts sites in English concerning the promotion of public specifications for data formats. Please submit sites about open source advocacy to the proper Computers/Open_Source/Advocacy category. Non-English sites should be submitted to the appropriate World/ category.

Personal Information

Data formats typically used for the exchange of personal information typically found on a traditional business card, to-do list, or calendar, as well as formats that are aggregates of collections of these.

This category is for documents about the formats and not for software that use these formats. The possible exceptions are simple conversion tools.

Style Sheets

Please try to choose an appropriate subcategory, since only sites covering many topics will be listed at the top level of the CSS hierarchy.