The process is the art; the product of the process is merely the embodiment of the process.

A process is a prescribed series of changes governed by rules.  Some rules are given (natural laws), some rules are imposed by the artist.

Given rules are self-applying and may be encountered at any time.  They may interfere with the imposed rules; the artist has no control over this.

A database or character set may result from a process.  The database or character set may be the product of the process or an intermediate step within the process.

Processes may be reversible.  A reversible process will be reversed by reusing the same rules. *

A character set created from a thing will retain some essence of the thing.  This essence may or may not be retained if the character set is processed with different rules to those used in its creation.

Something is lost in every process.  Something is gained in every process.

That which is lost in a process may have more or less value than that which is gained.