Information technology (IT) is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data,[1]

often in the context of a business or other enterprise.[2] The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer net or!s, but it also encompasses other information distribution technolo"ies such as television and telephones. #everal industries are associated ith information technolo"y, such as computer hard are, soft are, electronics,semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment, e$commerce and computer services.[%][&] 'n a business context, the 'nformation Technolo"y (ssociation of (merica has defined information technolo"y as )the study, desi"n, development, application, implementation, support or mana"ement of computer$based information systems).[*] The responsibilities of those or!in" in the field include net or! administration, soft are development and installation, and the plannin" and mana"ement of an or"anisation+s technolo"y life cycle, by hich hard are and soft are is maintained, up"raded, and replaced. ,umans have been storin", retrievin", manipulatin" and communicatin" information since the #umerians in -esopotamia developed ritin" in about %... /0,[1] but the term )information technolo"y) in its modern sense first appeared in a 12*3 article published in the Harvard Business Review4 authors ,arold 5. 6eavitt and Thomas 6. 7hisler commented that )the ne technolo"y does not yet have a sin"le established name. 7e shall call it information technolo"y ('T).)[8] /ased on the stora"e and processin" technolo"ies employed, it is possible to distin"uish four distinct phases of 'T development9 pre$mechanical (%... /0 : 1&*. (;), mechanical (1&*.: 13&.), electromechanical (13&.:12&.) and electronic (12&.:present). [1] This article focuses on the most recent period (electronic), hich be"an in about 12&..