Understanding Information

Technology
• IT is the use of computers to store and process
facts and figures into useful, organized form
• Data is the raw material: numbers and facts,
random collection of facts and figures
• Information is the raw material organized in a
useful way, it is processed form of data useful to
recipient for current/ progressive decision making
• Eg of Data- numbers
• Information – telephone book full of numbers
• When data is processed
it becomes information
• Data for one person can
be information for other
• Whether facts are DATA
PROCESSI
NG
INFORMA
TION
information or data
depends on recipient/
user
• Technology :
Anything that makes the human life/ jobs
easier
By use of tool/ machine/ mechanism/
techniques
IT is use of tools/ tech/ machine/ techniques for
transforming data into information
IT – use of computers
• IT is the use of computer to store, retrieve,
transmit, manipulate data or info often in the
context of business or other enterprise
• IT is the subset of information and communication
technology.
• To emphasize the role of communication acronym
ICT is used
• Humans have been storing, retrieving
manipulating communicating Sumerian in 3000BC,
• Term in modern sense appeared in 1958
article published in the Harvard Business Law
Review published by Harold J Leavitt and
Thomas L Whisler commented that the new
tech does not have a name.
• They called it Information Technology
• Their definition consisted of 3 categories:
 techniques for processing
The application of mathematical and statistical
methods to decision making
The simulation of higher order thinking
through computer program
• The term is used as a synonym for computer
and computer network
• Also encompasses other info distribution
technologies such as televisions and
telephones
• Various products service within economy are
associated with IT including computer
hardware, software, electronics, semi
conductors, internet, telecom equipment, e-
commerce
• Based on the storage and processing
technologies employed it is possible to
distinguish 4 distinct phases of IT
development:
 Pre-mechanical
Mechanical
Electro mechanical
Electronic
• The term IT refers to an entire industry and in
actuality IT is the use of computers and
software to manage information
• Management Information Services (MIS)/ IS
• IT departments are responsible for Storing/
protecting/ processing/ transmitting/ treating
information
 History of Computer Technology
1. The mechanical era 1623- 1945
2. First generation electronic computers 1937-
1953
3. Second generation 1954-1962
4. Third generation 1963-1972
5. Fourth generation 1972-1984
6. Fifth generation 1984-1990
7. Sixth generation 1990- till date
 Mechanical era
• Solve mathematical problems
• 17th century
• Add/ subtract/ divide/ multiply
• Calculators
• William Schickard, Blaise Pascal, Gottfried
Leibniz
 First Generation EC
• Program-Machine code
• Programmers directly wrote down the no. that
corresponded to the instructions that they
wanted to store in memory
• 1950’s programmers were using symbolic
notation- assembly language then hand
translating the symbolic notation into machine
code
• Later Assemblers did this job
 Second Generation
• High level programming languages introduced
1. Formula Translation FORTRAN 1956
2. Algo 1958
3. Cobol 1959
• Commercial machines
• Super computers
3rd Generation
• Small scale integration – 1st IC
• Medium scale integration
4th Generation
Large scale and very large scale integration
5th Generation
Intro of machines with 100’s of processors that
could work in different parts of same program
 Information Systems (IS)
• A set of interrelated
components that
Technolog collect, and disseminate
y data and information
and provide feedback to
meet an objective
Process People
 Hardware
Software
•
TECHNOLOGY

People • PEOPLE

Data collection
• PROCESS
Information Generation
• The hardware and software that makes
Information Systems possible
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTER

SECURITY HARDWARE

INTERNET SERVERS

IT
SOFTWAR DATABASE
E DESIGN

APPLICATI NETWORK
ONS
SUPPORT
 Relation between IT/IS

Information 1. Customer
Service
Technology
2 .Payroll System
1. Hardware Information
3. Marketing
2. Software Systems System
3. Database 4. Inventory
4. Network System
 IT IS
• Focuses on the selection, • Business oriented and
integration, and focuses on the business
deployment of computing domain
technology • Business skills and learn
• Technical skills such as enough about technology to
planning and deploying make decisions
networking infrastructure or • Deals with business side of
integrates DBs or built technology
websites
• Deals with technical side
 Legal issues
• Information technology continues to have an
ever-growing impact upon society
• Information and communications technologies
have permeated almost every professional,
commercial and industrial activity
• most organisations would find it difficult, if not
impossible, to function without relying heavily
on these technologies.
• technological development most impact
phenomenal rise of the internet- issues having
legal/ other implications
• Stimulating legislative responses on a national
and international scale.
• issues -use of the internet- access to massive
amounts of information, transactions eg buying
goods and services online, participating in online
auctions and online banking.
• computers and electronic communications
networks have been a mixed blessing.
• become indispensable tools, allowing the use
of massive information storage, processing,
dissemination, searching and retrieval
• information and communications technologies
have posed and continue to pose novel and
complex social and legal problems.
• Particular challenges to intellectual property
rights such as copyright and raised privacy and
freedom of expression issues.
• criminal activities –fraud/distribution of
pornographic materials/ dissemination of
viruses /denial of service attacks.
• legal responses have been quick and
proportionate in the light of the threats- some
nations
• understanding of the legal issues involved
remains of key importance
• For example, when drawing up a contract for
the acquisition of computer hardware or
software, the legal implications associated
with the technology require careful
consideration by lawyers and computer
professionals alike
• developments have posed serious problems
for the law and legal process.
• law has been able to accommodate immense
changes in the economic, political and social
fabric
• developments in information technology raise
particular difficulties for the law and policy
makers
• vast quantities of information can be stored,
collated and transferred around the world
• one jurisdiction to another, presents particular
threats to both the users of the information
and the Subjects.
• Traditional private law contractual claims are
inadequate to deal with the use and abuse of
modern technology
• Private agreements to restrict the availability
of a product must be subject to the control of
domestic and international regulations in this
regard
• Eg of early legislations from UK- Data
Protection Act 1984, the Copyright 'Designs
and Patents' Act 1988; Computer Misuse Act
1990.
• market for software, software-related services-
grow , may outstrip the market for physical
computing equipment
• Investment in software and software-related
services increases,
• importance best possible IPR protection –
safeguarding investment.
• Information technology law covers a wide and
diverse spectrum