Message and Information

The two terms message and information are components of our everyday language that are not always precisely distinguished. However, within the fields of engineering and mathematics, it is essential to differentiate these two terms sharply. A message is initially something that always originates from a transmitter and is put into a specific physical form. This physical form depends on the way the corresponding message is to be transmitted from the transmitter to the intended recipients. For example, among the Native American tribes of North America, messages were transmitted through specific smoke signals. Since about 1817, messages in shipping have been exchanged, among other things, through flag signals. The representation of a message depending on the intended type of transmission thus plays an important role in communication technology.