Information technology is the
application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve,
transmit and manipulate data, offer in the context of a business or other
enterprise.
application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve,
transmit and manipulate data, offer in the context of a business or other
enterprise.
Barker (1992) Defines Information
Technology as part of organizations responsible for development, operation and
maintenance of computer based systems.
Technology as part of organizations responsible for development, operation and
maintenance of computer based systems.
Information Technology has been around
for a long time, basically as long as people have been around because, there
was always means of communicating through technology available at the point in
time. There are four main ages that divide up the history of information
technology.
for a long time, basically as long as people have been around because, there
was always means of communicating through technology available at the point in
time. There are four main ages that divide up the history of information
technology.
1. Pre
mechanical age: The pre-mechanical age is the earliest age of
information technology where humans first started communicating through the use
of language or simple picture drawings known as petroglyths were usually carved
in rocks. As alphabets became more popular, and more people were writing
information down, they needed ways to keep this information in permanent
storage. This where the first books are developed and also the numbering system
were invented. A calculator was the first sign of an information processor
called the Abacus.
mechanical age: The pre-mechanical age is the earliest age of
information technology where humans first started communicating through the use
of language or simple picture drawings known as petroglyths were usually carved
in rocks. As alphabets became more popular, and more people were writing
information down, they needed ways to keep this information in permanent
storage. This where the first books are developed and also the numbering system
were invented. A calculator was the first sign of an information processor
called the Abacus.
2. Mechanical
age:
In this era, technology like the slide rule which is an analogue computer used
for multiplying and dividing was invented. Blouse Pascal invented the Pascaline
which was a very popular mechanical computer. Charles Babbage developed
different engine which tabulated equations using the method of finite
difference.
age:
In this era, technology like the slide rule which is an analogue computer used
for multiplying and dividing was invented. Blouse Pascal invented the Pascaline
which was a very popular mechanical computer. Charles Babbage developed
different engine which tabulated equations using the method of finite
difference.
3. Electromechanical
age:
The electromechanical age was the beginning of telecommunication devices such
as the telegraph, telephone and radio. In this era, the first large scale
automatic digital computer was invented. It was programmed using punch cards.
age:
The electromechanical age was the beginning of telecommunication devices such
as the telegraph, telephone and radio. In this era, the first large scale
automatic digital computer was invented. It was programmed using punch cards.
4. Electronic
age:
In this era, first high speed digital computer was invented. It was
reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems. It was designed to be
used by the U.S. Army for artillery firing tables. It consists of the vacuum
tube which was used for calculations, magnetic cores for internal storage. Also
high level programming language was created. Such as FORTRAN and COBOL. These
are letter developed into operating system which brought in central processing
unit and advanced programming language such as basic.
age:
In this era, first high speed digital computer was invented. It was
reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems. It was designed to be
used by the U.S. Army for artillery firing tables. It consists of the vacuum
tube which was used for calculations, magnetic cores for internal storage. Also
high level programming language was created. Such as FORTRAN and COBOL. These
are letter developed into operating system which brought in central processing
unit and advanced programming language such as basic.
