The word “technology” refers
to that branch of knowledge, which deals with scientific and industrial methods
and their practical use in industry. This explains why some refer to it simply
as “practical science”. It is in this sense that Langley and Shain, as quoted
by Chiesenga (1995) define information technology as “the acquisition,
processing, storage, and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and
numerical information by a micro-electronic-based combination of computing and
telecommunication”.
to that branch of knowledge, which deals with scientific and industrial methods
and their practical use in industry. This explains why some refer to it simply
as “practical science”. It is in this sense that Langley and Shain, as quoted
by Chiesenga (1995) define information technology as “the acquisition,
processing, storage, and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and
numerical information by a micro-electronic-based combination of computing and
telecommunication”.
Whereas the computer provides
facilities for processing, storage and retrieval, telecommunications, on the
other hand, make available such facilities as are needed for the transfer or
communication of data and information. Information technology can simply be
defined as the information revolution, a combination of massive increase in the
world’s inventory of information and the technical development of the means to
cope with it. The agradelibary (2003) defines it as “all the hardware,
software, telecommunications, database management, and other information that
we use to process technology using computer based information systems”.
facilities for processing, storage and retrieval, telecommunications, on the
other hand, make available such facilities as are needed for the transfer or
communication of data and information. Information technology can simply be
defined as the information revolution, a combination of massive increase in the
world’s inventory of information and the technical development of the means to
cope with it. The agradelibary (2003) defines it as “all the hardware,
software, telecommunications, database management, and other information that
we use to process technology using computer based information systems”.
To appreciate how prudently
information technology has affected us as individuals and as a nation, there is
the need to first understand that societies we live in are complex structures
of people and institutions interacting in multiple ways. We needed also to know
that the social and technological revolutions affecting these
structures-positively and negatively-are equally complex in nature. This
accounts for why the information revolution, which moved us from the industrial
era to the information era, can also not make an exception. Indeed, information
technology is a rapidly growing part of today’s society; affecting every one’s
life in many ways. No doubt then that every human endeavour is influenced is by
information technology and the increasing rate at which it can perform.
information technology has affected us as individuals and as a nation, there is
the need to first understand that societies we live in are complex structures
of people and institutions interacting in multiple ways. We needed also to know
that the social and technological revolutions affecting these
structures-positively and negatively-are equally complex in nature. This
accounts for why the information revolution, which moved us from the industrial
era to the information era, can also not make an exception. Indeed, information
technology is a rapidly growing part of today’s society; affecting every one’s
life in many ways. No doubt then that every human endeavour is influenced is by
information technology and the increasing rate at which it can perform.
Meanwhile, the information
revolution is itself an outcome of several developments in electronics and the
information needs of our social institutions, from business and industry to
medicine and law. Brightman and Jeffrey (1986) summarized this trend succinctly
in the following remarks that:-
revolution is itself an outcome of several developments in electronics and the
information needs of our social institutions, from business and industry to
medicine and law. Brightman and Jeffrey (1986) summarized this trend succinctly
in the following remarks that:-
The wheel. The printing
press. The steam engine and the power loom.
press. The steam engine and the power loom.
The telegraph, telephone, and
light bulb. The automobile, airplane.
light bulb. The automobile, airplane.
And assembly line. Radio,
television, nuclear power, and the transistor.
television, nuclear power, and the transistor.
Such technical innovations
have profoundly influenced the way we live today. Each advance has spawned a
technical revolution and each
have profoundly influenced the way we live today. Each advance has spawned a
technical revolution and each
Revolution in turn has
reached beyond the confines of technology to affect the ways we live, work, and
see the world.
reached beyond the confines of technology to affect the ways we live, work, and
see the world.
The fact still stands that
the exponential growth of information, which brought about the so-called
“explosion” was not solely a by-product of the development of the information
technology. As a matter of fact, professionals from different fields of human
endeavors would naturally continue to undertake research and turn out their findings.
The same for judges and magistrates in courts who would continue to hand down
their decisions; just as stock-market transaction would have to be recorded. No
doubts also that world events would invariably inspire news stories. All these
are to process and transmit the information generated by these activities.
the exponential growth of information, which brought about the so-called
“explosion” was not solely a by-product of the development of the information
technology. As a matter of fact, professionals from different fields of human
endeavors would naturally continue to undertake research and turn out their findings.
The same for judges and magistrates in courts who would continue to hand down
their decisions; just as stock-market transaction would have to be recorded. No
doubts also that world events would invariably inspire news stories. All these
are to process and transmit the information generated by these activities.
It is for the above reason
also that one can conclude that the information explosion too, did not make a
revolution on its own accounts. Rather, it has depended heavily on another,
related revolution, which is the development of the technical tools to make
information accessible to those who would use it. This has been referred to as
the “high-tech revolution”. The advent of high technology brought with it the
design and use of electronic devices like the transistor and the silicon chip
in computers and communications. The root of information technology can thus be
traced back to 1828, when Charles Babbage produced the first programmable
calculating device, known as the Analytical Engine. Then came the Howard
Aiken’s Mark 1 in 1944, which took the credit of being the first programmable
computer.
also that one can conclude that the information explosion too, did not make a
revolution on its own accounts. Rather, it has depended heavily on another,
related revolution, which is the development of the technical tools to make
information accessible to those who would use it. This has been referred to as
the “high-tech revolution”. The advent of high technology brought with it the
design and use of electronic devices like the transistor and the silicon chip
in computers and communications. The root of information technology can thus be
traced back to 1828, when Charles Babbage produced the first programmable
calculating device, known as the Analytical Engine. Then came the Howard
Aiken’s Mark 1 in 1944, which took the credit of being the first programmable
computer.
Two years later in 1956, John
Mauchly and Presper Ecker; both of the University of Pennsylvania, were
credited for the development of the first electronic computer. The ENIAC as it
was called was a slow, gigantic, but groundbreaking invention. Similarly, there
were dozens of other major developments in computers and electronics
communication (i.e. telecommunications) leading up to internet are of remarkable
significance.
Mauchly and Presper Ecker; both of the University of Pennsylvania, were
credited for the development of the first electronic computer. The ENIAC as it
was called was a slow, gigantic, but groundbreaking invention. Similarly, there
were dozens of other major developments in computers and electronics
communication (i.e. telecommunications) leading up to internet are of remarkable
significance.
Thus, the relationship
between information and technology became logically apparent and symbiotic. The
fact remains that for as long as there were no need for information, the need
for automated method to produce, process, store and disseminate it would have
not arisen. The inspiration, attempts and efforts which have culminated in the
development of information and data processing techniques (i.e. technology),
which we now use were borne out of sheer necessity. The necessity was that of
the need to produce the required information in the most economical, quick and
reliable means possible.
between information and technology became logically apparent and symbiotic. The
fact remains that for as long as there were no need for information, the need
for automated method to produce, process, store and disseminate it would have
not arisen. The inspiration, attempts and efforts which have culminated in the
development of information and data processing techniques (i.e. technology),
which we now use were borne out of sheer necessity. The necessity was that of
the need to produce the required information in the most economical, quick and
reliable means possible.
To illustrate this from the
point of view of the business enterprises, apparent needs for information
derive from both external and internal demands. Information on such things as
billing, collecting, selling, delivering, producing, stock-keeping, disbursing,
receiving and buying constitute the internally-derived information needs of a
typical business firm. On the other hand, externally derived ones may come from
related industries, customers, stockholders, unions, government, insurance,
banks, vendors, competitors and world events. All the range of information
listed above would be needed, one way or the other, to facilitate a number of
business activities; operational and managerial (Brightman and Jeffrey, 1986).
point of view of the business enterprises, apparent needs for information
derive from both external and internal demands. Information on such things as
billing, collecting, selling, delivering, producing, stock-keeping, disbursing,
receiving and buying constitute the internally-derived information needs of a
typical business firm. On the other hand, externally derived ones may come from
related industries, customers, stockholders, unions, government, insurance,
banks, vendors, competitors and world events. All the range of information
listed above would be needed, one way or the other, to facilitate a number of
business activities; operational and managerial (Brightman and Jeffrey, 1986).
Despite the unabated efforts
to come up with better, faster and dependable ways to produce information, the
needs for more of it still outpaces us. Consequently, the necessity for
efficient data communication and the convergence of telecommunications,
computer technology and software engineering have facilitated the development
of network specially designed for packet switched data communication. This led
to a major development that produced Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN). This network is spectacular in that it carries digital information,
which combines both voice and data in the same channels thereby forming the
basis for a wide range of communications option and services (Ehikhamenor,
1993).
to come up with better, faster and dependable ways to produce information, the
needs for more of it still outpaces us. Consequently, the necessity for
efficient data communication and the convergence of telecommunications,
computer technology and software engineering have facilitated the development
of network specially designed for packet switched data communication. This led
to a major development that produced Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN). This network is spectacular in that it carries digital information,
which combines both voice and data in the same channels thereby forming the
basis for a wide range of communications option and services (Ehikhamenor,
1993).