Introduction to Information Technology

• Study Notes: Information Technology

Introduction to Information Technology

• Information Technology (IT) involves using computer hardware, software, and networks for storing, creating, securing, exchanging, and accessing digital data.
• IT can be defined as utilizing computing components to develop, manage, transform, share, and store information in different formats.
• IT Services include system deployment, support, and repair
• Software examples include mobile applications, network security, and desktop applications.
• Infrastructure includes cloud computing, the Internet, and telecommunications.
• Hardware consists of servers, mobile devices, network systems, and computers.
• "Information and Communication Technologies" (ICT) refers to technologies allowing access to information through telecommunications.
• ICT is similar to IT, but focuses on communication technologies, including the Internet, wireless networks, and cell phones.
• The IT industry employs approximately 6 million people across various sectors like technology, healthcare, finance, and education.
• IT is projected to grow rapidly, creating 18% more job openings nationally between 2012 and 2022.

The Necessity of Information Technology and IT Professionals

• IT careers entail designing, creating, managing, and maintaining system components like software, hardware, networks, systems integration, and multimedia.
• Example Careers:
• Information Security Jobs: Addressing information security needs.
• IT Analyst: Translating business requirements into technical specifications.
• Network Administration: Configuring and operating computer networks.
• Management Consulting: Providing consulting for government and organizations.
• Database Administration: Managing corporate databases.
• Computer Forensics Expert: Extracting computer evidence for detecting/preventing/prosecuting crimes.
• IT Sales: Selling products to people on the frontline.
• Software development: Developing software solutions

Data and Information

• Data and information are terms directly related to our everyday activities, and computers.
• Data refers to discrete items, like the price of a grocery item, and is generally used as a singular word in English.
• Information involves linking data items to provide an item of knowledge.

Signs and Symbols

• Humans live in a world of sensations: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and balance.
• Sensations are mentally processed and communicated, vital for survival.
• Perceptual data is the most primitive data form, perceived with our senses.
• Language is defined as a complex system of sounds, enabling the naming, classification, and communication of sensation and thought.
• A sign (or symbol) conveys information other than direct representation.
• Signs symbolize something else: beeping symbolizes safe crossing, arrows symbolize direction.
• Signs can be visual (road signs), audible (beeps), and tactile (textured paving stones).

Relationship with Computers

• Humans invented computers to turn sensations into symbols for storage, analysis, and processing into information.
• Modern computers offer storage capacity and processing power.
• Computers acquire data, coding it in signs, and manipulating it.
• Output devices present information in ways that were impossible, time-consuming, or expensive previously.
• Computers began as calculating instruments that symbolized distance and velocity.
• Anything symbolized in code can be captured, processed, and fed back as information.
• Computers mimic senses and gather data beyond our direct reach, like ultraviolet radiation.
• Computers store huge data collections beyond human capacity, allowing focus on remembering what it describes and where to find it.

The Telephone

• In the 1950s, telephones were cutting-edge but large, expensive, and inconvenient.
• Calls charged in units of three minutes.
• Few people had them, and even fewer made long-distance calls.
• High costs meant infrequent and short calls.

The Computer

• In the 1950s, few computers existed and were mystical.
• Compared to today, they were extremely large and delicate.
• They Consumed much electricity, wasting a lot of it as heat.

Networks and the Internet

• Advances in ICT are changing our perceptions of time and location.
• Distance is no longer a barrier to commercial or social contact.
• People struggle to imagine life without network access.
• Others feel excluded from the digital world, or view it as a waste of time.
• Digital information is constantly flowing around us, regardless of awareness.
• Computers are part of a complex system of wires, optical fibers, microwaves, switches, and satellites.
• Oceans are wrapped in fiber-optic cable (hundreds of thousands of miles).
• Each strand carries thousands of conversations, TV channels, or web pages.
• The late 20th/early 21st centuries are compared to times of great change due to technological advancements.
• Changes occur alongside social and economic shifts in an information/network society.
• Policy makers use these notions to drive technological infrastructure changes.

The Rise of Texting

• Emerging technologies have unintended uses.
• Texting (SMS) was originally a minor feature for engineers testing equipment.
• By 2006, it generated $80 billion/year for mobile companies, becoming a profitable business part.

Aspects of an Information Society

• Business and Financial Services
• Actions such as debit/credit car uses transmits identification data to the bank for balance adjustment.
• Similar events are initiated through online shopping or over the phone.
• Many banks provide online banking services reducing customers visiting a branch.
• Automated teller machines (ATM) allow you to check your bank balance and withdraw cash wherever you are in the world.
• Card uses, managing your money online or over the phone, or using an ATM - the machines involved are connected via a network to a central computer, which has records of your account in an electronic filing system known as a database.

Commerce

• Digital technology has changed commerce.
• Some business types are now transformed.
• Retailers such as Amazon have online stores but no physical one.
• The internet allows even small retailers to advertise to a global audience.
• Incredibly specialized companies can flourish using the internet's reach.

Work

• Technology has altered business operations.
• Larger information quantities are exchanged between locations over public and private networks.
• Many companies sell to each other online now, for reasons that reduce costs and a wider choice that attracts individuals to online stores.
• Manufacturing tasks are now completed in minutes by computer-operated machine tools working in automated production lines.

Communities

• As well as revolutionizing the commercial world, the internet has impacted how we communicate.
• Internet access provides possibilities for communication.
• Existing communities communicate in different ways, and new online communities have been developed.
• Social networking is an important factor in many people's lives.

Information

• The internet has greatly impacted availability of information
• The Web reflects differing viewpoints, from news to rumor
• Material comes from commercial mega stores to community groups.
• The internet paves the direction for unfettered publishing, raising questions about authority and regulation of information.

Entertainment

• The world of entertainment is constantly evolving as new ways of creating and distributing the media.
• Digital broadcasting has changed our experience of television and radio, with programs increasingly interactive.
• Digital cameras, printers and scanners enable image production.
• Online sharing sites allow users to share media.
• New digital technologies have been at the forefront of changes in music production and distribution
• Computer gaming has also developed with graphical interfaces.

Entertainment Risks

• Digital entertainment has resulted in conflict between the consumer's and media producer's rights.
• It has become easier for film, music, etc to be illegally copied and distributed

Public services

• Electronic patient records are soon transferable across the health service, so medical staff can access them from anywhere.
• Passenger information is increasingly available via networked computers: for example train timetables and real-time information.
• Networked communication systems are also crucial for transport systems, from traffic lights and pedestrian crossings to air traffic control and train signals.
• Government Services: renewal/application for a passport, driving test, claiming benefits, or filling in your tax returns.
• Local authorities provide information services online, and there are opportunities to learn online.

Security and Risk

• Social revolutions saw the state becoming involved in healthcare, pensions, and education
• Each development was accompanied by a significant increase in the amount of personal information stored about everyone
• Computer technologies were developed for enormous projects like the censuses and calculation of tax tables.

Communicating on the Move

• Advances in digital technology have revolutionized the way many of us live our lives
• There is a more evident than in our ability to communicate as we travel.
• Each sample highlights some of these changes, and some of the opportunities and problems these changes have created.

Participating in a Digital World

• Much of the content is summed up by the familiar tenet known as the Golden Rule
• The Golden Rule relevant to good manners - 'etiquette' - when talking face to face, is relevant to online communication.
• Netiquette is the guidelines for online behavior.
• It makes us think about how we behave online and to make us aware of the effect our words could have on others reading them.

Digital Discussions

• What follows is common sense and good manners
• There's a big difference between working in an online community and socializing online
• Moderated discussions are where forum participants responsible for keeping order.
• Forum moderators can add participants and suspend people abusive, while friends keep the discussions friendly and relevant to the forum
• Forums without moderators are unmoderated and are generally places where newcomers should tread very carefully.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

• In using a computer for communications you have many rights of free expression, but you also have certain responsibilities to respect others
• Be aware of privacy and confidentiality in relation to online communications
• An email is generally considered to be equivalent to a private letter, and should not be quoted or forwarded to anyone else without the permission of the original sender
• Besides netiquette, most forums have a code of conduct and conditions of use that govern acceptable behavior, which might be covered by its Computing Code of Conduct
• Considerations of copyright and plagiarism (cheating by using another person's work as if it were your own) apply to online discussions and some forums are not wholly public
• Some forums are not wholly public, in which case messages should not be copied outside the forum

Copyright

• It is easy to find information, images, audio and video files on the Web, which you can then save and incorporate into your own material.
• This applies not only to online television programs, music, photographs, books and so on.
• Material not subject to copyright is said to belong in the public domain and can be used by anyone.
• Copyright holders can prosecute individuals and organizations for infringing their rights; companies have sued individuals for music and images.

Online Safety

• The internet provides many ways for people to get in touch with each other, but this ease of contact can have downsides
• It can expose internet users to the dangers of malicious software, to unsolicited and nuisance emails, and to a variety of hoaxes.

Malware

• Software designed to cause damage is known as malware.
• The best-known type of malware is probably the virus.
• This is a piece of software that has been written to attack software on your computer.
• Another type of malware is the worm that, even though you may not realize it is running, can make copies of themselves via an internet connection.
• The trojan is a digital equivalent of the legendary wooden horse. It appears to be legitimate software

Protecting Your Computer

• Ensure that your computer has the latest patch the producer OS.
• Make sure other software is kept up to date: new versions that guard against it are released.
• Install anti-virus software and keep it up to date and that anti-virus regularly gets updated.
• Use of a firewall tries to stop unauthorized access.

Spam

• Spam is unsolicited emails sent to many people and could be hoax messages designed to mislead, or used to advertise a product
• Email can be sent only if the spammer has a collection of email send to.
• Common ways to 'harvest' email addresses include via websites or by infecting unprotected computers.

Hoaxes

• A hoax message intends to mislead as it directs the recipient to pass on messages
• It causes files to be deleted unnecessarily and potentially harmful by directing the user to delete them and generally cause panic.

Phishing

• A particular kind of hoax message aims to persuade users to disclose private information.
• It's very important not to click on any links in these sorts of messages.
• Even if you don't enter your account details, the phisher may validate your email and expose you to further hoaxes.

Managing Your Identity Online

• Live more of our lives online, it becomes more important for us to manage the information that others can access about us online
• For some employers, checking the information that is available online about job applicants is as much a part of the selection process as taking up references.

Technology and Society

• Information technology (IT) is the technology used in the conveying, manipulation and storage of data by electronic means.
• The terms information society and network society have been used to analyze the social and economic changes, and these ideas are used by policy makers to drive forward changes in technological infrastructure.

Generations of Computer

• Computer generations are based on when major technological changes in computers occurred, like the use of vacuum tubes, transistors, and the microprocessor.
• The term "generation" refers to a computer or components that are released because of new hardware or technology.
• The IBM compatible Intel Pentium and Intel Pentium II are two different generations of computer processors.
• When a new generation of technology is released, it may include new capabilities and features that make previous generations incompatible or obsolete.

First generation (1940 - 1956)

• The first generation of computers used vacuum tubes as a major piece of technology and were widely used in computers from 1940 through 1956.
• Vacuum tubes were larger components and resulted in 1st generation computers being quite large in size, and some taking up an entire room.
• Advantages - It made use of Vacuum Tubes which are the only electronic component available during those days
• Disadvantages - These were very big in size, weight was about 30 tones, and were very costly.

Second Generation (1956-1963)

• Second generation saw the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes which allowed computers to be smaller, faster in speed, and cheaper to build.
• Advantages - Due to the presence of transistors instead of vacuum tubes, the size of electron component decreased
• Disadvantages - A cooling system was required and the machines always required constant maintenance.
• Examples include Honeywell 400, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, CDC 3600, and UNIVAC 1108.

Third generation (1964-1971)

• Third generation of computers introduced the use of IC (integrated circuits) in computers and are still used in computers today. Advantages - These computers were cheaper compared to 2nd Generation, but IC chips are difficult to maintain Disadvantages - The highly sophisticated technology required for the manufacturing of IC chips.
• Examples include PDP-8, PDP-11, ICL 2900, IBM 360, and IBM 370

Fourth Generation (1972 - 2010)

• Microprocessors, along with integrated circuits, made computer's possible for the computer to easily fit on a desk and for the introduction of the laptop.
• Examples include IBM 4341, DEC 10, STAR 1000, and PUP 11
• In advantages, it has a smaller size, the computers are the fastest in computations, and has negligible heat
• Disadvantages - The Microprocessor design and fabrication are very complex and can require air conditioning in many cases

Fifth Generation (2010 to present)

• The fifth generation of computers is beginning to use Al which has many potential applications and better known examples include Apple's Siri.
• Examples are Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google's search engine that also utilizes Al.
• Advantages - It is more reliable and works faster, and it is available in different sizes and unique features.

Computer Technology

• A computer is a programmable device that stores, retrieves, and processes data

Computer Overview

• The basic setup of a desktop computer includes the system unit, a flat-panel display, speakers, keyboard, and mouse.
• Types of Computers: Desktop computers, laptops, netbooks, hybrid computers, tablets, smartphones, wearable computers.

5 Main Components Needed for a Computer to Work

• Motherboard - Component that connects all other components.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU) / Processor - Called the "brain" of the computer thanks to direct connection and communication
• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) / Graphics Card - Components that make it possible for computers to generate high-end visuals.
• Random Access Memory (RAM) / Memory - Temporarily stores data regarding frequently accessed programs and processes.
• Storage device (e.g., hard drive) - Slower secondary storage that safely, and permanently stores data

Five Basic Elements of a Computer

• Electrical, Programmable, Storage, Retrieve, and Process

Four Basic Functions of Computers

• Input, Process, Output and, Storage

Classification of Computers:

• General Purpose Computers, Special purpose computers
• By Technology Used: Digital, Analog or Hybrid computers

Classification by Size and Capacity:

• Microcomputers, Minicomputers, Mainframes or Super Computers
• Von Neumann Architecture is a computer architecture that consists with a Control Unit (CU), Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Memory Unit, Registers and Inputs/Outputs

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• The CPU is the electronic circuit responsible for executing the instructions of a computer program

Registers

• Registers are high speed storage areas in the CPU ,where all data must be stored in a register before it can be processed.

Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)

• he ALU allows arithmetic and logic operations to be carried out.

Control Unit (CU)

• The CU controls all computer components.

Buses

• Buses are the means by which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another.

Memory Unit

• Consists of and loads data directly from temporary memory and permanent memory.
• The machine cycle refers to the steps performed by the computer processor for each machine language instruction received.

What is Computer Hardware?

• Hardware is any physical computer component, such as keyboards, disk drives, etc.

Categories of Hardware Devices

• Input, processing, output, input/output, and storage devices

Input Devices

• Provide data to a computer for interaction and control, and can be keyboards, mice, microphones, digital cameras, touchccreens, webcams, etc.

Processing Devices

• Manage the functions and do the various calculations that are connected to data.
• Devices include: CPU, Motherboard, Clock, chipset, and Databus

Output Devices

• Computer output devices receive information from the computer, and carry data that has been processed.
• Output includes visuals from monitors, and audio from headsets

Input/Output devices

• Devices include CDs, DVDs, web storage etc
• CDs and DVDs are storage and allow information from devices
• A floppy disk is considered a magnetic storage with the write and erase methods

Storage Device

• Is used for saving, carrying and pulling out data.

Storage Device types

• Magnetic, Optical, solid-state, flash memory, and online and cloud memory devices.