Lecturer: Muhammad WaqasE-mail: waqas.nr3c@gmail.com

Fundamentals of Information Technology seeks to provide you with an understanding of the uses of computers. The course additionally aims to endow you with practical skills of using a word processor, a spreadsheet, the Internet, and an operating system, efficiently.

View the following pictures and formulate a definition of the term „information technology‟.

Introduction to computers and information technology

“Information Technology (IT), is the term used to describe the equipment, hardware and computer programs (software), that allows us to access... and present data and information (Gay and Blades, 2005).”

Introduction to computers and information technology

Information Technology is the integration of various computing tools used for information processing within today‟s society. It is mostly an adventure into how we conduct business and how we live our lives (Long, 2005).

Additionally, we can view IT as a field of study in which we learn how best to remain competitive in society with inventions; as well as attain vocational and life-lasting skills to use these inventions.

Technically, a computer is any counting device; more specifically, it is

“...an electronic device capable of interpreting and executing programmed commands for input, output, computation, and logic operations (Long, 2005).”

Introduction to computers and information technology

Consequently, we can consider the computer system as a set of components that interact to achieve a common goal. The purpose, therefore, of a computer system is to use all its working components to produce quality information.

For each of the following, highlight at least two means by which we use computers:

Information systems/data processing systems

Personal computing

Science, research, and engineering

Process/device control

Education

Entertainment

Artificial Intelligence

Introduction to computers and information technology

SpeedReliabilityConsistencyAccuracyStorageCommunication

A computer system has only four fundamental components:

Input –handles the gathering of data

Processing –transformation of data to information

Output –handles the dissemination of processed data

Storage –safe keeping of information for future use

Introduction to computers and information technology

Note: The computer system (and not the computer) is made up of four components.

An input device is any peripheral device that allows one to enter data or instructions into a computer.

Introduction to computers and information technology

An output device is any peripheral device that conveys information to one or more individuals.

Introduction to computers and information technology

Highlight three output devices that are

commonly used today.

The processor is the electronic component that interprets and carries out instructions to operate the computer system (which resides on the motherboard).

Introduction to computers and information technology

Storage components hold data, instruction, as well as information for future use; these items are kept on storage media (which are housed within the system unit).

Introduction to computers and information technology