In the most general sense of the thing, a document is an object, the characteristics of which may be best defined, according to a dictionary, if not according to common wisdom and common experience.
In the GCIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English -- originally derived upon Webster's 1913 dictionary -- there is a definition of the word document, such that the definition would be appropriate for for how the word is encountered, in direct relation to electronic systems, document
3. An original or official paper relied upon as the basis, proof, or support of anything else; -- in its most extended sense, including any writing, book, or other instrument conveying information in the case; any material substance on which the thoughts of men are represented by any species of conventional mark or symbol. [1913 Webster]
An electronic document may be composed of text, images, and references to audio and motion-image files, as well as any object (e.g a spreadsheet) which would be represented -- to a person reading upon the document, if not singularly to an electronic output system -- represented, then, as that the representation would be a composite, composed of text, images, and/or else.
See also: Document Formats
Page in this topic: Document Formats
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