INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: BASICS (BLIS-07) To understand the processes and impacts of a globalizing technology like the Internet, one

must account for the historical

development of that technology, the process of technology transfer in general, and the local cultural dynamics in unique regions. The Internet will diffuse differently in different regions and among different sectors within those cultural regions. factors, Chile, for historical demonstrate and a

should

different diffusion and use pattern than India or Kenya. This leads to different definitions of how Internet technologies are constructed within distinct regions and poses challenges

for the development of a symmetrical global scientific community fuelled by new ICTs. 1. Information Technology Information technology has been around for a long, long time. As long as people have been around, information technology has been around because there were always ways of communicating through technology available at that point in time. There are four main ages that divide the history of

information technology. Only the latest age (electronic) and age some really of affects the us

electromechanical

today, but it is important to learn about how we got to the point we are at with technology today. The Basics What is Information?

Information is data processed for some purposes. Information can only be considered real information if it meets certain criteria i.e.: 1.it must be communicated to the recipient 2.it must be in a language that is

understood 3.it must be in a suitable form 4.it must be relevant for achieving some purpose Information is any form of communication that provides understandable and useful knowledge for the person receiving it. What is a Computer? A computer is a programmable machine. It allows the user to store all sorts of information and then process that

information, or data, or carry out actions with the information, such as calculating numbers or organizing words. Computers can be generally classified by size and power, although there can be considerable overlap. Following are

descriptions of several different types of computers. Categorization of Computers: (i) Mainframe computers are largesized, powerful multi-user computers that can support concurrent programs. That means they can perform different actions or processes at the same time.

Mainframe computers can be used by as many as hundreds or thousands of users at the same time. Large organizations

may

use

mainframe

computer

to

execute large-scale processes such as processing the organizations payroll. (ii) Mini-computers are mid-sized

multi-processing computers. Again, they can perform several actions at the same time and can support from 4 to 200 users simultaneously. In recent years, the distinction between mini-computers and small mainframes has become blurred. Often the distinction depends upon how the manufacturer wants to market its machines.

Organizations may use a mini-computer for such tasks as managing the

information in a small financial system or maintaining a small database of

information applications.

about

registrations

or

(iii)Personal computers (PCs), also called microcomputers, are the most popular type of computer in use today. The PC is a small-sized, relatively

inexpensive computer designed for an individual user. Today, the world of PCs is divided between IBM-compatible and

Macintosh-compatible machines, named after the two computer manufacturers. Computers may be called desktop

computers, which stay on the desk, or laptop computers, which are lightweight and portable. Organizations and

individuals use PCs for a wide range of tasks, including word processing,

accounting, preparation presentations, spreadsheets

desktop and

publishing, delivery of of

organization and

database

management. Entry-level PCs are much more powerful than a few years ago, and today there is little distinction between PCs and workstations. How does a Computer Work? A computer functions in the following

manner: The computer accepts input. Computer input is whatever is entered or fed into a computer system. Input can be

supplied by a person (such as by using a keyboard) or by another computer or device (such as a diskette or CD-ROM).

Some examples of input include the words and symbols in a document, numbers for a calculation, and

instructions for completing a process, pictures, and so on. The computer performs useful

operations, manipulating the data in many ways. This manipulation is called processing. Examples of processing

include performing calculations, sorting lists of words or numbers, modifying documents and pictures according to user instructions, and drawing graphs. A computer processes data in the CPU. The computer stores data. A computer must store data so that it is available for processing. Most computers have

more than one location for storing data (the hard drive or C:\, and the floppy drive or A:\). The place where the computer stores the data depends on how the data is being used. The computer puts the data in one place while it is waiting to be processed and another place when it is not needed for immediate processing. The storage of data in the computer is called online storage while the storage of data on computer tapes, diskettes or CD-ROMs is called offline storage. The computer produces output.

Computer output is information that has been produced by a computer. Some examples of computer output

include

reports,

documents,

music,

graphs, and pictures. Output can be in several different formats, such as

paper, diskette, or on screen. How does the Software Work? The instructions need to be written in a programming language that the computer can understand. Without a program, a

computer is useless. Programming language: An artificial set of rules, vocabulary and syntax used to instruct the computer to execute certain tasks. Computer program: A sequence of instructions that can be executed by a computer to carry out a process.

User friendly: Computer software or hardware that is simple to set up, run and use. Operating system: A collection of software that allows a computer to function.

How

Does

Computer

Process

Information? When data is input into a computer, the numbers or words we understand are

translated into a binary numbers system. Binary is the language of computers.

Everything you type, input, output, send, retrieve, draw and so on is, in the end,

converted to the computers native language - binary. (i) Binary number system: A numerical

system wherein each digit stands for a power of two. The binary system uses only two symbols, 0 and 1, to represent values. (ii) Binary digit (bit): The values in a binary system -- the 0s and 1s -- are called binary digits or its. It is a digit within the binary number system. A bit is the smallest unit of information held in a computer. (iii)Byte: A combination of bits that

represent one character. A byte is usually composed of 8 bits. What Is Computer Memory? The main type of memory and the most familiar to users is random access memory (RAM). RAM is the

same as main memory. A computer can both write data into RAM and read data from RAM. Every time a user turns on his or her computer, a set of operating instructions is copied from the hard disk into RAM. These instructions, which help control basic computer functions, remain in RAM until the computer is turned off. Most RAM is volatile, which means that it requires a steady flow of electricity to maintain its contents. As soon as the power is turned off, whatever data was in RAM disappears. The contents of RAM are necessary for the computer to process data. The results of the processing are kept temporarily in RAM until they are needed again or until they are saved onto the hard disk or other storage device. Today the storage capacity of RAM is measured in megabytes (MB). PCs (microcomputers) typically have between 16 and 64 MB of RAM, which means they can hold between 16 and 64 million bytes of data (a standard

A4 page of text typically holds about 2,000 bytes or characters of text). Other types of memory include: ROM (read only memory): unlike RAM, ROM is non-volatile and only permits the user to read data. Computers almost always contain a small amount of read-only memory that holds instructions for starting up the computer. PROM (programmable read-only memory): a PROM is a memory chip on which you can store a program. Once the PROM has been used, you cannot wipe it clean and use it to store something else. Like ROMs, PROMs are non-volatile. EPROM (erasable programmable read-only

memory): an EPROM is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light.

 EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable readonly memory): an EEPROM is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge. How is Data Stored? It is very important which a to distinguish to to the the

between circuitry

memory, that has

refers link

direct

computer processor, and the storage, which refers to media such as disks that are not directly linked to the processor. Remember, a storage device is anything that is used to store computer data. Floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, CDs and magnetic tapes are all types of storage device. Physical storage refers to how data are actually kept on the storage disk. The most commonly

used

medium

for

storage

is

magnetic

storage. With magnetic storage the computer stores data on disks and tape by magnetising selected particles of an oxide-based surface coating. The particles retain their magnetic orientation until that orientation is changed. Thus magnetic disks and tapes are

modifiable storage media. The two most popular types of magnetic storage media are hard disks and diskettes. Magnetic tape provides a third type of magnetic storage and optical disk is a new storage medium. Following is a discussion of each; the definitions included earlier are repeated. Hard drive or hard disk storage provides diskette. faster access to files than a

Hard drive: The storage area within the computer itself, where megabytes of space are available to store bits of information. Hard drive is also known as a hard disk. A hard disk platter is a flat, rigid disk made of aluminium or glass and coated with a

magnetic oxide. A hard disk consists of one or more platters and their read-write heads. A read-write head is the device that reads the data from the disk platter into the computer. It also records (or writes) data onto the platters. Hard are disk platters 3 in inches

microcomputers

typically

(about 10 centimetres) in diameter, the same size as the circular mylar disk in a diskette. However, the storage capacity of a hard disk far exceeds that of a floppy disk. Also, the access time of a hard disk is significantly

faster than a diskette. Unlike diskettes, which begin to rotate when one requests data, hard disks are continually in motion, so there is no delay as the disk spins up to speed. Like diskettes, hard disks provide random access to files by positioning the read-write head over the sector that contains the requested data. Diskette: A small, removable, flexible mylar plastic disk covered with a thin layer of a magnetisable substance, onto which digital data can be recorded and stored, also known as a floppy disk. Diskettes get another name floppy disk from the thin mylar disk. If one cuts open the disk casing (not recommended because the disk will be ruined) one would see that the mylar disk inside is thin and

floppy. Although todays microcomputers typically use 3 inch (about 10 centimetre) disks, you may still find 5 inch (about 15 centimetre) disks that were popular many years ago. Finding a disk drive to read 5 inch disks may be very difficult. Diskettes are generally used for transporting or shipping data files or for making duplicate copies of data files for back-up purposes. The storage capacity of a diskette varies but is

considerably smaller than that of a hard drive. Since the 1960s, magnetic tape has been a popular form of mainframe computer storage. Magnetic tape is a continuous plastic strip covered with magnetic oxide; the tape is divided into parallel tracks onto which data

may be recorded by selectively magnetising parts of the surface, or spots, in each of the tracks. The data can then be stored and reused. When IBM introduced its first

microcomputer in 1981, the legacy of tape storage continued in the form of a cassette tape drive, similar to those used for audio recording and playback. Using tape as a primary storage device, however, instead of a hard disk is slow and inconvenient because tape requires sequential access rather than random access. Sequential access means that data is stored and read as a sequence of bytes along the length of the tape. To find a file stored on a microcomputer tape storage device, one has to advance the tape to the appropriate location of the file, and then wait for the computer to slowly read each byte

until it finds the beginning of the file. Like an audio cassette, for example, a user must go through the tape in sequence to find the part he or she wants. Microcomputer users quickly abandoned tape storage for the convenience and speed of random access disk drives. Recently, however, tape storage for

microcomputers has experienced a revival, not as a principal storage device but for making backup copies of the data stored on hard disks. The data on magnetic storage can be easily destroyed, erased, or otherwise lost. Protecting the data on the hard disk is of particular concern to users because it

contains so much data, which could be difficult and time consuming to reconstruct. This is why backups are so important.

Back

up:

To copy

a computer file

or

collection of files to a second medium, usually on a diskette or magnetic tape, so that the data are safe in case the original file is damaged or lost. Backups are usually copied to storage from the devices that can be kept

removed

computer

and

separately from the original. A tape backup is a copy of the data from a hard disk, stored on magnetic tape and used to recover lost data. A tape backup is relatively inexpensive and can rescue an organisation from the overwhelming task of trying to reconstruct lost data. Backing up electronic data is critical to protecting it from loss or damage.

The most popular types of tape drives for microcomputers also use tape cartridges, but there are several tape specifications and cartridge sizes. A tape cartridge is a

removable magnetic tape module similar to a sound or video cassette tape. Quarter inch tape, called QIC, is a tape cartridge that contains inch

(approximately centimetres) wide tape. Depending on tape length, QIC tape

capacities range from 340 MB to 2 gigabytes. Digital audio tape, called DAT, was originally an audio recording format, but is now also used for data storage. The 4mm wide DAT tape format storage capacity ranges from 2 gigabytes to 12 gigabytes. In addition to

magnetic storage.

storage,

there

is

also

optical

Optical disk is a storage device that uses reflecting surfaces and laser technology to read and write data on a disk, also known as a laser disk. With optical storage, data is burned into the storage medium using beams of laser light. The burns form patterns of small pits in the disk surface to represent data. The pits on optical media are

permanent, so the data cannot be changed. Optical media are very durable, but they do not provide the flexibility of magnetic media for changing the data once they are stored. There are three types of optical disks: CD-ROMs are the most popular type of optical storage. CD-ROM stands for

Compact Disc Read Only Memory. A computer CD-ROM disk, like its audio counterpart, contains data that has been stamped on the disk surface as a series of pits. To read the data on a CD-ROM an optical read head distinguishes the

patterns of pits that represent bytes. CDROM disks provide tremendous storage capacity. CD-ROMs usually come with data already written onto them. These days most applications software is

provided on CD-ROM. It is now possible for computer users to write data to an optical disk. These are known as WORM disks, which stand for Write Once Read Many. A single CD holds up to 680 megabytes, equivalent to

over 300,000 pages of text in character format, and these disks are quite

durable. These CDs are known as CD rerecordable (CD-R). There are other types of WORM disks, although there is no standard for these. There is a third type of optical disk which can be erased and use to rewrite new information. These are sometimes known as EO (erasable optical) disks and CD-RW (CD rewritable). Magneto-optical disks combine magnetic disk and CD-ROM

technologies. Like magnetic media they can read and written to and like floppy disks they are removable. They can store over 200 MB of data, and speed of access to this data is faster than a floppy but

slower than a hard drive. There is no universal standard for these yet. CDROMs and magnet-optical disks are very useful for storing images. These take up much more storage space than data in character format, such as in word-

processed files. What is Software? Technology is growing at a rate which is bewildering, not only has it grown by leaps and bounds but the most amazing part is the speed at which it is growing. One of the best technological inventions that have changed the world in a big way is computers. The way computers have touched each and

everybodys life is simply mind-boggling.

But computer is just a machine until and unless it is uploaded with some software. Now come to the point what is software? Well, Software in laymans words is the

language in which the computer understands instructions or commands. There are data stored in digital which needs to be

understood by the computer and hence we make use of computer software. Initially when computer were invented, the only term that was used was hardware, the term software came into being only to contrast the term hardware. Hardware is anything that is physical like a printer or a mouse, while at the same time software cannot be seen, it is intangible.

What is application software? Since now you know the meaning of software, let us understand what application software is.

Ideally in laymans term in computers, an application means a program which will help the users to get the work done in a specific way. Application software which is also

known as app, software application or just plain application is nothing but a design to let users perform tasks. The tasks could be single or multiple depending upon the need of the user. The best examples that can be given for

application

software

are Microsoft

Office

Suite, which includes various handy software like Microsoft word, Microsoft Excel, various

media players or databases like MS Access, Oracle and others. Computer Application software is very different from other applications like the

operating system, a utility or a programming language. Operating system is what helps the computer to run, a utility is what performs certain tasks and a programming code is a bunch of lines in which the

computer programs are ideally generated. Application software on its own is of no good use if it is not supplemented with

infrastructure i.e. the system software and computer programs which are termed as middleware. In short application software without system software and middleware is no good.

Lets take an example, to make this point clear lets take the electric plant and electric bulb, of what use is the electric plant if it there is no bulb. Like electric plant generates electricity but what is the use if it cant be contained anywhere. The same thing is the case of an application, on its own it is of no use to any one. Computer application software is

designed in a way to that it can manipulate the given text, change the graphics, and manipulate the numbers or all of three in one single task. There are some packages like the word processor, this works by just focusing on one single task. Application software is currently kind of boon to mankind. It would have been really difficult to comprehend the

miseries of not having computer application software in our modern day living. Hope by now you have a brief idea of computer application software. Software development Software development (also known

as application development, software design, designing software, software enterprise application application

development,

development, or platform development) is the development of a software product. The term "software development" may be used to refer to the activity of computer

programming, which is the process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense of the term it includes all that is involved between the conception of the

desired

software

through

to

the

final

manifestation of the software, ideally in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software

products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs (the of case a specific

client/business

with custom

software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case

with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane

task). Embedded software development, that is, the development as used for of embedded controlling the

software such consumer

products,

requires

development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. The need for better quality control of the software development process has given rise to the discipline of software engineering, which aims to apply the systematic approach exemplified in the engineering paradigm to the process of software development. Areas of Computer Application in Library A modern library cannot be imagined without the application of computers. In the library and information centres. Computers

can be used for performing efficiently all sorts of activities from the procurement of the reading materials to their organization and use. So, it can serve as a remedy for all the existing problems of libraries and

information centres. But, till now computers have been used successfully in the following areas of library activities. (i) Library House Keeping Operation: In case of library house-keeping operation, the computer is used for acquisition of books and other reading materials, their classification, cataloguing, circulation and serial control. a) Acquisition: The selection of materials can be made by the computer. Any library which is a part of online computerized library system has access to catalogue entries and

bibliographic data of all the libraries in the system. These databases can be used as a selection tools to purchase new documents for the particular library in question. Other offline databases can also be used as

selection tools for non current documents and sometimes out of print books. For other documents, methods conventional may be book selection MARC

used.

The

bibliographic record service has opened up a new vista in both cataloguing and

bibliographic database that can be used as a book selection tool. The ordering and acquisition are the routine jobs in the library and for a single time ordering it requires repetitive operation by different sections. These repetitive

operations and the requisite checking can very well be done by the application of the computer system. Both offline and online acquisition can be performed by the use of computers. b) Classification: A computer based

classification system is being experimented at the Documentation Research and Training Centre, Bangalore. It is based on Colon

Classification System. c) Cataloguing: The computerized

cataloguing system operates with high speed for performing routine and repetitive jobs. Besides, in the cataloguing unit, computer can also be used in various other ways such as producing book plates, book pockets, book cards, spine labels, etc. It can also produce a

variety of records, card catalogues in the book form, printed catalogue, etc. as

byproducts. The following uses of computer in cataloguing have already been able to draw the attention of the librarians. The MARC project was started in

November, 1965 by the Library of Congress, USA. The latest development in the system includes the CoMARC (Co-Operative Machine Readable Cataloguing). Computer Output

Microfilm (COM) was developed in the USA by Stromberg Carlson Company. The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), previously known as the Ohio College Library Centre was started in August 1970. All these have successfully used computers for cataloguing of documents.

d) Serial Control: Serials are continuing publication titles and having reasonably usually permanent at regular

appearing

intervals. Their contents usually vary from issue to issue. An article as a single

bibliographic unit may be published in more than one issue and even in more than one volume. Obviously, the users may be

interested in an issue of a serial as a bibliographic unit, or an article spread over a number of issues as a bibliographic unit. So, serial control comprises complex operations of library activities because of the vary nature and characteristics of Serial as library material. Again, the conflict between the physical unit and the bibliographic unit

makes Serial control a complex task.

In case of Serial, the current issues, the retrospective or immediate back issues and bound volumes under every year of

publication is an ongoing process. In this case, the library should encounter the search problem because of the conflict between the title and the corporate body, the old titles and the changed titles, nature of irregularity in publication (more than one issue in a single publication pose and the like). of These listing,

situations

the

problem

acquisition, accessioning, cataloguing and creation of records in the desired format. e) Circulation: The circulation activities are the life-stream of the library services. The library documents are for use and are

intended for the users. At various points,

documents are to be trapped for the users who have recorded their priority in using such documents. The circulation is a flow of document, but the flow should be controlled by library operations so as to serve the users in the best possible way with the available materials in the library. ii) Library Administrations: In case of library administration, the library automation helps in a) Providing Access Right to Staff Members b) Providing Access Right to Library Users c) Exception Reporting d) Generation of Library Statistics / Report iii) Information Retrieval: Today,

Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) or sometimes Web OPAC facility provided by the

library and information centres helps in easy retrieval of information. Computers are also used for searching Library Database e.g. International Nuclear Information System. iv) Building Digital / Virtual Libraries Collection: Computers can also be used to build digital or virtual collection or for

institutional repository of the library. v) Resource Sharing: In order to facilitate the provision of material request on inter library loan basis, the use of computers and other latest telecommunication devices is being put to use in almost all the countries of the world. The Online Union catalogue is also a product of computer application in library. vi) Library Network: INFLIBNET,

Developing Library Network (DELNET) is the

example of taking library automation as its first step or base structure. vii) Information System: World Science Information System (UNISIST), Medical

Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (MEDLARS), illustrate the advanced stage of library automation. viii) User Services: The library automation also helps to provide Current Awareness Service (CAS), Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) Services, Indexing and

Abstracting Service, Web Based Translation Services, Computer Based Indexing and

Abstracting Services, and so on. Impact of IT on LIS IT gives us the concept of remote access that brings the concepts of Global Village. IT

connects different parts of the world with high speed; bring more capacity, and easy retrieval mechanism. If any information is fed into the computer system today then it is also available to the outsider today itself. There is no time lag in between. Uses of IT avoids duplication, so the information is becoming less costly. The impact of new technologies is seen in almost every human activity. The computers are also transforming the libraries into a paperless atmosphere. Again, it is the use of IT that gives librarians a wide scope, wide audience, and raise the status.

a) Collection: Information is collected as mashup, tag, bookmark, hyper text.

b)

Transportation:

Information

is

transmitted through optical fiber cables. c) Storage: The computer storage reduces the bulk of the printed materials in the library. The optical disk, hard disc are very commonly used in all types of libraries. d) Processing: Different types of computer software and other equipments are used for information processing. e) Retrieval: The use of computer for information retrieval gives precise result in fraction of a second. The overall impact of IT on library and information science is broadly subdivided into three major divisions, such as -

a)

Impact

on

Technical

Services:

Automation, in the form of bibliographic utilities and MARC format has revolutionized the practice of cataloguing. Todays librarians rely on MARC format to provide proper cataloguing services to their users. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) can

substantially reduce the cost of maintaining a catalogue. If the OPAC is integrated with technical service files in a full function automated department reorganized. responsibility significant. system, can The and The work be throughout the and staff be

streamlined impact on can

assignment co-operative

collection

development and management have become increasingly important in libraries due to tight budgets, rising prices and the information

explosion. these

Bibliographic through

utilities shared

facilitate holdings,

efforts

information and automated inter-library loan sub-systems to speed resource sharing. b) Impact on Public Services: OPACs which provide speedy online access to the entire library's holding by means of computer terminals are affecting library operations. c) Impact on Library Organization Structure: The right type of planning is vital for the efficient working of a library. Planning of a library organizational structure requires a thorough understanding of need of the users, objectives and functions of a library or information information center. The emergence of

technology

provided

greater

impetus for information transfer at both inter

and intra-organizational level. Organization of all types become involved with IT and have implemented, IT based system.

Conclusion Libraries and information centers has very important role in advancement and of

education,

scientific

research

socio-

economic development of any society. These are the service centers, where very

personalized service is extended to the users. As a result of recent expansion in communication computer infrastructure, advance expanding in printing

culture,

technology etc. has created more awareness about information use. It has resulted in increasing library services. The future

libraries may not be recognized by their size; these will be perhaps recognized by variety of services and approaches, where

information search areas will be outlined.