Understanding Information

Technology

Exploring the Digital Domain

The Nature of Information
 information implies
 facts
 knowledge
 significance and meaning
 Shannon and Weaver described
information as
 what is beyond chance prediction
 it reduces our uncertainty about predicting
states of the world
 Information Technology
 technologies are artificial instruments,
processes or systems that extend our
natural capabilities
 e.g.s: the wheel, agriculture, electric light
bulb
 Information technologies extend natural
forms of representing and communicating
information to incorporate artificial and
external forms
 e.g.s: writing, the printing press, telephone
Digital Information Technology
 employs digital methods for the
representation, processing, and
communication of information
 represents a new breed of information
technology
 it has the capability to imitate, extend,
and subsume other technologies
3 Classes of Information Users
 information consumers
 individuals who need or benefit from information
services for both work or leisure
 information producers
 vendors, distributors of information services
 information workers
 professions that depend on the analysis,
assessment, and use of specific forms of
information
DEFINITION: Information Technology (IT)
describes any technology that helps to
produce, manipulate, store, communicate,
and/or disseminate information.

• Part 1: Computer Technology

• Part 2: Communications Technology

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COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY: A computer is a
programmable, multiuse machine that accepts data
—raw facts and figures —and processes, or
manipulates, it into information we can use, such as
summaries, totals, or reports.

- Its purpose is to speed up problem solving and

increase productivity.

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COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY :
Communications technology , also called
telecommunications technology , consists of
electromagnetic devices and systems for
communicating over long distances.

The principal examples are telephone, radio,

broadcast television.

In more recent times, there has been the addition of

communication among computers—which is what
happens when people “go online” on the internet.

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- Online: means using a computer or some
other information device, connected through a
network, to access information and services
from another computer or information device.

- A network is a communications system

connecting two or more computers; the
internet is the largest such network.

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USE OF IT: (1) Education

• Information technology is essential on

college campuses.
• IT is used in teaching, labs, and in
course management.
• Some college classes are either
taught online or have a class website.

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Rules for Computers in
Classrooms
• Problem: Computers in the classroom can be
used or misused.
• What should they be used for?
• Following the lecture
• Working along with the instructor
• Performing instructor-assigned Internet searches
• Completing assignments for the class
• What is misuse?
• Text messaging or emailing friends
• Surfing the Internet for entertainment
• Doing assignments for other classes
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USE OF IT: (2) Money: Cashless Society?
• DEFINITION: Virtual means
something that is created, simulated,
or carried on by means of a computer
or a computer network.
• Virtual money
• Cash-value cards
• “Electronic wallets” (e.g., PayPal)
• Online bill paying
• E-Commerce:
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 E-commerce
Cash-value cards: (such as subway fare cards)
 Online bill paying : it has been possible to pay bills
online, such as those from phone and utility companies,
with special software and online connections to your bank.
 A Digital Wallet allows an individual to make electronic
commerce transactions. This can include purchasing items
on-line with a computer or using a smartphone to
purchase something at a store.
 E-commerce
The buying and selling of products and services by
businesses and consumers through an electronic medium,
without using any paper documents.
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USE OF IT: (3) Leisure: Entertainment

 Videogames
 Photo sharing
 Downloading
 Music
 Movies

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USE OF IT: (4) Jobs & Careers
• Hotels: use computer reservations
systems.
• Law Enforcement: Officers use
computers
• On patrol
• To check stolen cars
• To check criminal records

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Jobs & Careers
• Office careers: Budget, payroll, letter-
writing, email
• Fashion: Sales/inventory control
systems, ordering, personnel
• Job-hunting:
• Use word processor to create résumés
• Post résumés online
• Online job searches

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 1.2 IT Is All-Pervasive
The Telephone Grows Up
• 1973: First cellphone call

• Today’s cellphones:

• Can connect to Internet & web for all sorts

of activities
• Can send and receive text messages
• Can take and send pictures, download
music & video
• Can obtain news and TV programs 17
 Kenyan Facts: Kenya is Africa's Silicon Savannah
(Jumia mobile report 2019)

 Kenya has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, with
the ICT sector expanding from 10% to 22% in 2017, contributing
to 1.6% of total GDP. As at 2018, Kenya’s GDP growth stood at
5.7% versus Africa’s GDP growth of 3.5%.
 Some engines identified as driving development include; mobile
adoption with 91% (46.94M) penetration of mobile
subscriptions, compared to 80% mobile penetration in Africa
and internet connectivity, at a penetration rate of 84% with
43.3M of the total population having access to the Internet in
Kenya.
 With a population of about 51.58M (of which 26.6% are in urban
areas or cities), Kenya has a young population with an average
age of 18 years with almost three quarters of the population
under the age of 30. This youthful population has an increasing
disposable income & resulting higher purchasing power.
 Higher mobile and internet penetration has led to the growth of
social media users, currently at 8.20M. Kenyan users on social
media will spend close to 3 hours a day on social media, with
the most used social media platforms identified as Whatsapp
(74%), Facebook (70%) & Twitter (50%), based on users own
claimed activity.
 Other factors that have driven growth in mobile subscriptions
include more affordable smartphones & declining mobile
data plans
 Email’s Mass Impact
 Introduced in 1981
 Reached 10 million users in about one
year
 Has been the fastest-growing
technology
 1998 surpassed hand-delivered mail
 In business, at least, email requires
writing skills
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Internet, World Wide Web,
& Cyberspace
• Cyberspace
• Term coined by William Gibson in Neuromancer (1984)
• Described a futuristic computer network people
“plugged” into directly with their brains
• Now the term cyberspace encompasses:
• The Internet & the World Wide Web in particular
• The wired and wireless communications world in general

• Thus, cyberspace includes chat rooms, blogs, ATMs,

conference calls, texting, etc.

• Two most important aspects: Internet

and web

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• Internet
• The worldwide computer network that links
thousands of smaller networks
• Links educational, commercial,
nonprofit, and military entities,
plus individuals
• Originally developed to share
only text and numeric data;
through the web now also
supports multimedia

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• World Wide Web
• The multimedia part of the Internet
• An interconnected system of servers that
support specially formatted documents in
multimedia form
• Includes text, still images, moving images,
sound
• Responsible for the growth and popularity of
the Internet

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Computer Systems
The Computer Defined

 Electronic device
 Converts data into information
 Modern computers are digital
 Two digits combine to make data (0, 1)

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The Computer Defined
 Older computers were analog
 A range of values made data

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Computers for Individual Use
 Computers can be shared by multiple users but can be used by
only one
person at a time.
 Although PCs are used by individuals,
they also can be connected together to create networks.

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Computers for Individual Use
 Desktop computers
 The most common type of computer
 Sits on the desk or floor
 Performs a variety of tasks

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Computers for Individual Use
 Desktop computers
 Different design types

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Computers for Individual Use
 Workstations
 Specialized computers
 Optimized for science or graphics
 More powerful than a desktop

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Computers for Individual Use
 Notebook computers
 Small portable computers
 Weighs between 3 and 8 pounds

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Computers for Individual Use
 Notebook computers
 About 8 ½ by 11 inches
 Typically as powerful as a desktop
 Can include a docking station

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Computers for Individual Use
 Tablet computers
 Newest development
in portable
computers
 Input is through
a pen
 Run specialized
versions of office
products

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Computers for Individual Use
 Handheld computers, palm computer
 Very small computers
 Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
 Note taking or contact management
 Data can synchronize with a desktop

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Computers for Individual Use
 Smart phones
 Hybrid of
cell phone
and PDA
 Web surfing,
e-mail access

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Computers for Organizations
 Network servers
 Centralized computer
 All other computers connect

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Computers for Organizations
 Network servers
 Provides access to network resources
 Multiple servers are called server farms
 Often simply a powerful desktop: Google

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Computers for Organizations
 Network servers
 Flexibility to different kinds of tasks
Computers for Organizations

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Computers for Organizations
 Network servers
 Users use the Internet as a means of
connecting even if away from the offices.

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Computers for Organizations
 Mainframes
 Used in large organizations
 Handle thousands of users
 Users access through a terminal

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Computers for Organizations
 Mainframes
 Large and powerful systems

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Computers for Organizations
 Minicomputers
 Called midrange computers
 Power between mainframe and desktop
 Handle hundreds of users
 Used in smaller organizations
 Users access through a terminal

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Computers for Organizations
 Supercomputers
 The most powerful
computers made
 Handle large and
complex calculations
 Process trillions of
operations per
second
 Found in research
organizations

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Computers in Society
 More impact than any other invention
 Changed work and leisure activities
 Used by all demographic groups
 Computers are important because:
 Provide information to users
 Information is critical to our society
 Managing information is difficult

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Computers in Society
 Impact of computers
 Like the Impact of automobile

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Computers in Society
 The benefits of using computers
 As varied as users

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Computers in Society
 Computers at home
 Many homes have multiple computers
 Most American homes have Internet
 Computers are used for
 Communication

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Computers in Society
 Computers at home
 Computers are used for
 Business
 Entertainment
 Schoolwork
 Finances

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Computers in Society
 Computers in education
 Computer literacy required at all levels

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Computers in Society
 Computers in small business
 Makes businesses more profitable
 Allows owners to manage

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Computers in Society
 Computers in industry
 Computers are
used to design
products
 Assembly
lines are
automated

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Computers in Society
 Computers in government
 Necessary to track data for population
 Police officers
 Tax calculation and collection
 Governments were the first computer users

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Computers in Society
 Computers in health care
 Revolutionized health care
 New treatments possible
 Scheduling of patients has improved
 Delivery of medicine is safer

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Review Questions
1. What is a computer?
2. Explain a few of the different ways in which
computers can be categorized.
3. List six types of computers that are
designed for use by a single person.
4. Describe the two common designs for
desktop computers.
5. How much do notebook computers typically
weigh?
6. List four types of computers that are
designed for use by organizations, and are
commonly used by multiple people at the
same time. 1A-53
Review Questions
7. Why are mainframe systems usually
limited in the number of tasks they
perform?
8. What is the most popular use for home
computers?
9. How are computer technologies used
by the military?
10. How are computer technologies being
used to train surgeons? 1A-54