Talk:Persistent data

In my experience, frequency of use of the data has nothing to do with its persistence. For example, the default page specifications in a word processor are referenced frequently, but they are persistent: they are rarely changed, they load when the program loads, they are saved (if necessary) when the program exits. CemKaner (talk) 22:12, 1 September 2011 (UTC)

Definition differs from common use
The meaning of persistence in this article is in variance with the meaning given to it in other articles like Persistence (computer science) and Persistent memory. It is also different from the meaning of persistence as described in textbooks on database systems (Connolly&Begg, Database Systems, 2nd ed. sect 22.3; Elmasri&Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, 6th ed. sect 1.6.3; Atzeni et. al., Database Systems, sect 11.1.5).

The key differentiating meaning of the term persistent is that an object with that property can outlive the process that created the object. As such it is opposite of transient or volatile. The meaning given in this article as opposite of 'dynamic' is what is usually named static or constant. Also contrasting persistent data with transactional data is not correct as transactional data, like contents of an order or an invoice needs to be made persistent even though that data has only a limited relevance since that data outlives the processes like ordering and billing, which handle that data.

I propose the contents of this article is to be corrected and appropriate references to common usage of the term added.

Lauri.pirttiaho (talk) 12:05, 31 January 2015 (UTC)