From Bits to Shards: Relational Reconstruction as the Next Computational Primitive — A Secretary Suite Project
From Bits to Shards Relational Reconstruction as the Next Computational Primitive — A Secretary Suite Project John Swygert August 28, 2026 DOI: To be assigned Abstract Modern computing is built as a hierarchy of abstractions. Physical states support bits; bits are grouped into words and bytes; encoded values become characters, instructions, files, objects, databases, protocols, and increasingly semantic representations. Each layer succeeds by hiding lower-level detail while preserving relationships required by the layer above it. This paper positions Shards within that historical progression. A Shard is defined here not merely as a fragment of data, but as a compact, provenance-aware relational unit designed to support reconstruction of a larger informational object or state. The proposed shift is from asking how many bits must be transmitted to asking which relationships must be transmitted so that the receiver can reconstruct what is needed. This is not a replacement for bits, bytes,...