Information Technology
Information technology (IT) is a general
term that describes any technology that
helps to produce, manipulate, store and
communicate information. IT merges
computers with high-speed
communications links.
Two important parts of information
technology are:
Computers and Communications.
Computer
• Computer is a programmable,
multiuse machine that accepts data—
raw facts and figures—and processes
(manipulates) it into useful
information, such as summaries and
totals.
• Computers greatly speed up problem
solving and other tasks, increasing
users' productivity.
Communications Technology
• Communication Technology consists of
electromagnetic devices and systems for
communicating over long distances.
• Communication systems using electronic
connections have helped to expand
human communication beyond face-to-
face meetings.
Online means…
• Using a computer or other information
device, connected through a network, to
access information and services from
another computer or information device.
• Online communication is widely used by
businesses, services, individuals, and
educational institutions.
Information Technology (Continued)
• Info-tech (IT) has given us some now-
commonplace technologies:
1)Email Emails are the messages
transmitted over a computer network,
most often the internet. Email has
become universal; one of the first
things new computer users learn is
how to send and receive email.
2)Cyberspace This term is used to
refer to the online world and the
internet in particular but also the
whole wired and wireless world of
communications in general. More and
more human activities take place in
cyberspace. The most important
aspects of Cyberspace are Internet
and it’s part known as world wide
web.
3)Network It’s a communications
system connecting two or more
computers. Networks allow users
to share applications and data and
to use email. The internet is the
largest network.
Information Technology (Continued)
Internet It’s Worldwide network that
connects hundreds of thousands
of smaller networks. Thanks to the
internet, millions of people around
the world can share all types of
information and services.
World Wide Web It’s a part of the internet that
stores information in multimedia form like
sounds, photos, and video as well as text.
The web is the most widely known part of the
internet.
Multimedia refers to technology that presents
information in more than one medium,
including text graphics, animation, video,
and sound. Multimedia is used increasingly
in business, by professionals, and education
to improve the way information is
communicated.
The "All-Purpose Machine."
Computers are of five types from largest to smallest.
(1) Supercomputers —perform 1 trillion calculations per
second. These are the most expensive but fastest
computers available.
(2) Mainframes —for processing millions of calculations,
often accessed by a terminal, a display screen, and
keyboard, which cannot do its own processing.
(3) Workstations —used for scientific, mathematical,
engineering, and certain manufacturing applications.
(4) Microcomputers —personal computers, which may
be desktop PCs, tower PCs, laptops, or
personal digital assistants (PDAs); frequently used
to connect to a local area network (LAN), which links
equipment in an office or a building.
(5) Microcontrollers —tiny specialized computers
installed in cars and appliances. Servers are central
computers holding data and programs for many other
computers.
Understanding Your Computer:
You should know three things:
First: You should know the purpose of a computer
to process Data into Information.
Second: You should know the difference b/w
Hardware and Software.
Third: Regardless of size and shape all computers
do the same operations named: Input,
Processing, Storage and Output.
Where is Info-tech Headed?
Computer developments have focused on three areas:
miniaturization, speed, and affordability. Three
developments in communications may be noted:
connectivity, the ability to connect with computers
via communications lines; interactivity, enabling a
user to have a two-way dialogue; and multimedia.
The melding of computers and communications has
produced three developments: convergence, the
combining of several industries through the
language of computers; portability; and
personalization. One result of these developments
is information overload. Three ethical concerns
raised by information technology are associated
with speed and scale, unpredictability, and
complexity.