Internet Connectivity Overview

Internet Connectivity and Historical Background

• Paul Otlet and Vannevar Bush developed mechanized and searchable storage systems for books and media in the 1930s.
• Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider popularized the concept of intergalactic computer networking in the 1960s.
• Packet switching technology emerged, leading to the creation of ARPANET, the internet's prototype, on October 29, 1969.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing allows storage and access to data over the Internet rather than local hard drives.
• Services include:
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Organizations maintain control of infrastructure with system administrators managing components.
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS): Provides tools for application development and deployment.
  • Software as a Service (SaaS): Users don't manage software/hardware updates, with software hosted in the cloud.
• Cloud infrastructure components utilize transistors, offering greater reliability and speed than earlier technologies.

Generational Evolution of Computers

• First Generation (1940s-1950s): Utilized vacuum tubes, bulky, and generated heat. Examples: UNIVAC, ENIAC.
• Second Generation (circa 1960s): Introduction of transistors, smaller and more efficient, but complex with maintenance challenges.
• Third Generation: Integrated Circuits (ICs) emerged, providing powerful computing while occupying less space.
• Fourth Generation: Microprocessors developed, incorporating thousands of ICs onto a single silicon chip, facilitating network connections.
• Fifth Generation: Focus on Artificial Intelligence, including voice recognition and natural language processing capabilities.

Information Technology Fundamentals

• Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts, while information is processed data that has meaning.
• Information Technology comprises systems that capture, process, exchange, store, and present information using electromagnetic energy.

Characteristics of Information Society

• Information as an economic resource fosters empowerment and contributes to the development of the information sector.
• The cycle of information includes creators, products, distribution, disseminators, and users.

Mobile Technology and Communication Networks

• Mobile technology enables portable, two-way communication and includes various generations of cellular networks:
  • 1G: Voice-only analogue service.
  • 2G: Introduced text messaging (SMS) and multimedia messaging (MMS).
  • 3G: Broader data capabilities, including video calls and mobile internet.
  • 4G: Significant speed improvements, 500 times faster than 3G.
  • 5G: Further advancements in speed and connectivity.

The Digital Divide

• The digital divide highlights class-based disparities in access to technology, with higher-income individuals enjoying greater technological advantages.

Machine Learning Algorithms

• Various algorithms like Linear Regression, Decision Tree, and Neural Networks generate outputs based on input values.
• Feature selection and association identify relationships between variables in databases.

Ubiquitous Computing

• Ubiquitous computing aims to integrate computing into everyday environments, allowing interaction with devices at any time and place.
• Mark Weiser, a key figure in the field, coined the term "Ubiquitous Computing" in 1988.

Key Influencers

• Manuel Castells, known for "The Rise of the Network Society," highlights the transformative impact of the Internet in modern communication and information dissemination.