LIVING IN THE IT ERA infrastructure to help relay or manage information

CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Information and important in modern-day living.

Communications Technology (ICT)
Today's Technology •INFORMATION - the knowledge obtained from
• Because technology changes, you must keep up reading, investigation, study, or research. It is
with the changes to remain digitally literate. needed to make decisions and to foresee the
• Digital literacy involves having a current future.
knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile • Processed information is called knowledge. It
devices, the web, and related technologies. helps to fulfill daily tasks.
• COMMUNICATION - act of transmitting
TECHNOLOGY – presently includes messages. It is a process in which information is
advancements in communication and how exchanged between individuals through verbal and
information is handled, thus enabling governments, non- verbal means.
organizations, industries, and ordinary individuals TECHNOLOGY - evolved in ways that improve
to improve their decision-making, business people's activities.
processes, and everyday living. Breakdown of ICT
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (ICT) – “related to technologies ▪ Information refers to the knowledge obtained from
that facilitate the transfer of information and various reading, investigation, study, or research. Some of
types of electronically mediated communication.” the tools that transmit information are the
telephone, television, and radio.
▪ Computers normally process data that are later
understood as information.

▪ Information is needed to make decisions and to

foresee the future.
▪ Processed information is called knowledge.
Knowledge helps fulfill daily tasks.
▪ For example, knowledge is used to predict
tomorrow’s weather and decide if there is a need to
 According to Baumeister and Leary (1995), bring an umbrella.
the “belongingness hypothesis” states that ▪ Knowledge is also used to analyze the stock
people have a basic psychological need to market and check which company is worth
feel closely connected to others, and that investing in.
caring, affectionate bonds from close
relationships are a major part of human COMMUNICATION
behavior. ▪ Communication is an act of transmitting
messages. It is a process in which information is
 This need can be fulfilled through the
exchanged between individuals through verbal and
different modes of communication, be it
non-verbal means.
face-to-face, online, through voice, or simply
▪ Forms of communication have evolved through
through a text message, manifested in the
time as communicating more and more complex
number of people with mobile devices such
ideas has become necessary.
as smartphones, tablets, and the latest
▪ When face-to-face meeting is not possible, long-
technologies such as “wearable devices.”
distance communication or virtual communication is
now common and easy with the use of
IT VERSUS ICT
smartphones and computers with internet access.
• ICT is used in general sense and is described as
using computers and other digital technologies to
TECHNOLOGY
assist individuals or institutions in handling or using
▪ Technology has evolved in ways that improve
information.
people’s daily activities.
• It supports activities involving information such as
▪ It has also made broadcasting of information,
gathering, processing, storing, and presenting data.
such as news or weather reports, more effective.
• IT pertains to the industry that involves
computers, software, networking, and other IT
▪ Radio, television, satellites, and the World Wide interpret the means and practices of producing
Web are powerful tools that can be used by computers that think like human beings.
individuals to gather needed information to aid
them in their office, school, or housework, or in Generation of Computers
simple day-to-day activities.

History of Computers
FIVE GENERATIONS OF COMPUTERS (BASED Components of a Computer
ON DESIGN, SUITABILITY AND RELIABILITY) COMPUTER
• COMPUTER is an electronic device that
SECOND GENERATION COMPUTER (1959- manipulates information or data. It is an electronic
1965) device, operating under the control of instructions
• TRANSISTORS are used as the interior sections stored in its own memory that can accept data,
of the computer; process the data according to specified rules,
- smaller, faster, and more dependable that produce results and store results for future use.
the vacuum tubes of the first generation computers. • It can be a Laptop, Tablet, Desktop, and All-in-
-generated less heat and consumed less One Server
electricity but were still very costly. • Electronic device operating under the control of
THIRD GENERATION COMPUTER (1965-1971) instructions stored in its own memory.
• 1965 - Jack Kilby invented the INTEGRATED  Accepts data - Raw facts, figures & symbols
CIRCUIT (IC) that was used instead of  Processes data into information. Data that
TRANSISTORS as the interior sections to build the is organized, meaningful, and useful.
computer  Produces and stores results
• A single IC has many transistors, resistors and Information Processing Cycle
capacitors that even the full circuit board of a  Input
transistor can be replaced entirely with one chip;  Process
smaller, unfailing, effective computers.  Output
• Remote processing, time sharing and  Storage
multiprogramming operating systems were used.  Communication
FOURTH GENERATION COMPUTER (1971-1980)
• VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) Circuits Input Device
were used to build computers.  Hardware used to enter data and
- these circuits have about 5,000 transistors and instructions.
other circuit elements with their connected circuits
 A Pointing Device is an input device that
on a single chip known as the microprocessor.
allows a user to control a small symbol on
- Personal computers became more powerful,
the screen called the Pointer.
dense, reliable, and inexpensive using these chips.
 Some mobile devices and computers
other application that uses these chips are pocket
enable you to speak data instructions using
calculators, TV, automotive devices and audio and
voice input and to capture live full-motion
video appliances.
images using video input.
FIFTH GENERATION COMPUTER (1980-
onwards)  Mouse – lets one select options from on
• ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) screen menus.
Technology is the developed VLSI o Alternatives to using a mouse: Track
- it involves computer intelligence which is Ball, Touchpad/Trackpad
associated with Al (Artificial Intelligence), natural
language processing and expert systems that
  Track ball – has a ball that can rotate using present on the fluorescent screen, thus
a finger or a palm of a hand to move a creating an image.
pointer. b. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) - is a flat-
 Touchpad – is called a trackpad; is a touch panel display that consists of a layer of
sensitive pad that lets the user move the color or monochrome pixels arranged
pointer by touching and dragging his or her schematically between a couple of
finger on the pad. Touch pads are transparent electrodes and two
commonly built-in on laptops. polarizing filters. Optical effect is
 A Microphone allows a user to speak on achieved by polarizing the light in varied
the computer. amounts and making it pass through the
 A Webcam is a digital video camera that liquid crystal layer.
allows users to create movies or take c. Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a flat-
pictures and store them on the computer panel display that uses light-emitting
instead of on tape or film. diodes for backlighting. The display is
 A Scanner is a light-sensing input device LCD only but the backlighting is done by
that converts printed text and images into a LEDs. LED monitors are said to use
form the computer can process and use. much lesser power than CRT and LCD.
Thus, they are considered environment-
Output Device friendly.
- Is any hardware component that conveys
information from a computer or mobile  SPEAKERS allow you to hear audio such
device to one or more people. as music, voice, and other sounds
 A Printer is an output device that produces o Earbuds
text and graphics on a physical medium, o Headphones
such as paper or other materials.
o A 3-D Printer can print solid objects, SYSTEM UNIT
such as clothing. Prosthetics,
 The SYSTEM UNIT is a case that contains
eyewear, implants, toys, parts,
electronic components of the computer that
prototypes, and more.
2 types of Printers are used to process data.
1. Impact Printer – makes contact with  The circuitry of the system unit usually is
the paper by pressing an inked part of or is connected to a circuit board
ribbon against the paper using a called the MOTHERBOARD.
hammer or pins. E.g., Dot-matrix  Two main components on the motherboard
printer are THE PROCESSOR AND MEMORY.
2. Non-Impact Printer – does not use
a striking device to produce CPU AND MEMORY
characters on the paper, the printer
produces less noise. E.g., inkjet  The PROCESSOR, also called the CPU
printer & laser printer (central processing unit); it is the electronic
component that interprets and carries out
 A Display/Monitor is an output device that the basic instructions that operate the
visually conveys text, graphics, and video computer.
information.  MEMORY consists of electronic
3 types of Monitors components that store instructions waiting
a. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) - is a vacuum to be executed and data needed by those
tube containing an electron gun at one instructions. Most memory keeps data and
end and a fluorescent screen at the instructions temporarily, which means its
other end. From this electron gun, a
contents are erased when the computer is
process called thermionic emission
shut off.
generates a strong beam of electrons.
These electrons travel through a narrow DATA AND INFORMATION
path within the tube with high speed  A COMPUTER keeps data, instructions and
using various electromagnetic devices
information on STORAGE MEDIA
and finally strike the phosphor points
  STORAGE holds data, instructions, and
information for future use. For example,
computers can store hundreds or millions of
customer names and addresses. Storage
holds these items permanently.
 A STORAGE DEVICE records (writes)
and/or retrieves (reads) items to and from
STORAGE MEDIA. Storage devices often
function as a source of input because they
transfer items from storage to memory.
 Examples of storage media are USB flash
drives, hard disks, optical discs, and CHAPTER 2: Computers in Our Daily Lives
memory cards.
The basic parts of computer:
 CPU
 Memory
 Keyboard
 Input devices
 Screen
 Output devices

HOW DOES COMPUTER WORK?

We understand human language, the
• A USB FLASH DRIVE is a portable storage computer can understand machine language.
device that is small and lightweight enough to be When a person types on the computer’s keyboard,
transported on a keychain or in a pocket the human brain identifies the letters, numbers, and
• A HARD DISK provides much greater storage characters combined to create words and
capacity than a USB flash drive. Hard disks are sentences. But the computer does not recognize
enclosed in an airtight, sealed case. letters as letters of alphabet; it sees the letters as a
• PORTABLE HARD DISKS are either external or series of 0’s and 1’s.
removable. An external hard disk is a separate, Computer Number System
freestanding unit, whereas you insert and remove a  Decimal Number System - it has ten digits,
removable hard disk from the computer, or a device such as 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9.
connected to the computer.  Binary Number System- can only
• An OPTICAL DISC is a flat, round, portable metal understand two digits — a 0 and 1. These
disc with a plastic coating. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray two numbers play an important role in the
Discs are three types of optical discs. way computers communicate with one
• A CD can hold from 650 million to 1 billion another.
characters. Some DVDs can store two full-length  Octal Number System- from the prefix
movies or 17 billion characters. Blu-ray Discs can octa, meaning it uses 8 digits
store about 46 hours of standard video, or 100  Hexadecimal Number System- hexa
billion characters. means 6; deci means 10; meaning it uses
• Some mobile devices, such as digital cameras, 16 digits to represent its values.
use MEMORY CARDS as the storage media. You
can use a card reader/writer. HOW COMPUTERS INTERPRET DATA?
Depending on the standard used, computer
systems convert characters from the keyboard and
later display them on the monitor. Refer to the
following steps.
 From the keyboard, pressure pads are
typically found underneath each key. Upon
 typing a letter, the pressure pad sends o Control Bus - carries the control,
information to the CPU for processing. timing, and coordination signals to
 The information is then transmitted in the manage the various functions across
form of 0’s and 1’s using the ASCII code. the system. A control bus is used by
 CPU determines which character has been CPUs to communicate with other
typed and sends the information to the devices within the computer system.
computer monitor, again in 0’s and 1’s. As the address bus carries the
 The monitor displays the information in its location of the data being sent and
equivalent character, this time readable and the data being processed, the
understandable by humans. control bus carries the commands or
instructions from the CPU.
 System bus characteristics are dependent
ASCII on the needs of the processor, the speed,
Majority of computer systems use the and the word length of the data and
American Standard Code for Information instructions.
Interchange for converting characters into 0’s and  The size of a bus, also known as its width,
1’s. The ASCII code is a 7-bit code used to determines how much data can be
represent letters, numbers, and basic special transferred at a time and indicates the
characters. number of available wires.

INTERPRETING DATA A. Computer Network System

Programs > Programmer > Programming/Decoding - Is an interconnection of two or more
How Computers Communicate with One computers. This interconnection gives these
Another computers the capability to share
 System Bus - A computer system, on its information.
own, communicates through what is called a 1. PAN (Personal Area Network)
system bus. A system bus is a pathway - A type of connection which is often limited to
composed of cables and connectors used to an individual person and his personal
carry data from a computer’s peripheral devices. These devices must be within the
devices (monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.) to range of 10 meters with each other.
the CPU and the main memory. 2. LAN (Local Area Network)
 There are three types of buses: - A connection in which a group of computers
o Data Bus - which is a bidirectional and other devices share a common
path, carries the actual data communications line within a certain area or
between the processor, the memory, located in the same building.
and the peripherals. A data bus can 3. WAN (Wide Area Network)
transfer data to and from the - It is the largest type of network, made of
memory of a computer, or into or out several LAN, PAN, and can also include
of the CPU. Examples of pieces of multiple WAN. The Internet is an example of
information that traverse the data WAN.
bus include files transferred from a
flash drive to the computer’s hard B. Methods of Communication
drive and a document sent to the 1. Wired communication
printer for printing.  USB (Universal Serial Bus) - A
o Address Bus - is used to specify connection or interface that allows the
memory locations for the data being computer to communicate with system
transferred. An address bus is used peripherals.
by the CPU to specify a physical  FireWire - A connector that can transmit
address for instructions, files, and data to and from devices which have
other devices within the computer typical high data rates.
system. It is used to transfer data
between devices.
  Ethernet cable- It transmits signals  Software is just another term for a
between a computer and network computer program and a program is a
devices. set of instructions that tells the device
 HDMI (High-definition Multimedia how to perform.
Interface) - A connector for transmitting  Those instructions are written in code
audio/video data that the computer can understand.
Older computer units have connections that include  At the core of all software is logic and
the following: the principle of input > process > output.
 VGA (Video Graphics Array) - The 15-pin  The program needs information to work
connector has been provided on many with i.e. the input.
video cards, computer monitors, laptop  Think tapping a button on your phone. It
computers and projectors. It has been then asks a series of questions based
replaced by HDMI connector. on a set of rules. For example, should
 RS-232 Serial - It was once a standard the button print an invoice or cancel an
feature of a personal computer. order? The output is what happens as a
 Parallel - Used to connect other computer result. Your printer whirrs into life and
peripherals. the invoice pops out of the tray.
 PS/2 - It is a 6-pin connector used to Types of Software
connect mouse and keyboard to a Software also works with other software to
computer. join as a cohesive system. Your smartphone is a
 Audio jacks- It is a 3.5 mm jacks used for collection of thousands of software components
microphone and speakers. These designed to work together.
connections are being replaced by USB and  Application Software
HDMI.  System Software
 Firmware
2. Wireless Communication  Programming Software
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic  Driver Software
Engineers (IEEE) , a professional technical  Freeware
association with members all across the globe,  Shareware
identified standard 802.11 for WIFI and 802.15 for  Open-Source Software
Bluetooth in wireless standards.  Closed Source Software
 Wi-Fi - Uses radio waves to wirelessly  Utility Software
transmit information across a network.
- WI-FI signals are transmitted in frequencies System Platform
of between 2.5 - 5 gigahertz (GHz). System Platform provides a collaborative,
 Bluetooth - Uses radio waves to connect to standards-based foundation that unifies people,
other devices through pairing connection. processes, and assets across all facilities for
- Devices can send and receive information continuous operational improvement and real-time
within a given range which is usually 10 decision support.
meters. In IT, a platform is any hardware or software
How Humans Communicate with Computers? used to host an application or service. An
Computer Software application platform, for example, consists of
 Software is a set of instructions, data or hardware, an OS and coordinating programs that
programs used to operate computers and use the instruction set for a particular processor or
execute specific tasks. It is the opposite of microprocessor. In this case, the platform creates a
hardware, which describes the physical foundation that ensures object code executes
aspects of a computer. successfully.
 Software is a generic term used to refer to When purchasing software, it's important to
applications, scripts and programs that run know what platform the software was written for.
on a device. Some software is platform-specific, which
How does Software work? means the developers have expressly developed
their application program to run on one platform -- coordinated functions, tasks, or activities for
Windows or Mac, for example. the benefit of user.
Software can also be cross-platform, which
means the developers intended the object code to How Computers Impact Everyday life?
be executed on more than one platform -- Win/Mac, The advent of technologies specifically the
for example. Software can also be platform- development of information an communications has
agnostic, which means the software is designed to changed the lives of people. It helped man to step
run on any combination of OS and processor forward in the future.
architecture and incorporates a web browser as
part of the underlying platform, for example. Education
 With the use of computers, teachers can do
System Software research to enhance their teaching
System software is a type of computer materials and teaching skills.
program that is designed to run a computer's  Students use computers with internet
hardware and application programs. If we think of access as one of their reference tools.
the computer system as a layered model, the  School administrations use computers for
system software is the interface between the administrative work to ensure that the entire
hardware and user applications. The operating operation of the school runs proficiently.
system is the best-known example of system  E-learning during the time of pandemic.
software.

How does System Software work? Banking

A computer comprises various physical The computer has made all banking
components, and these components can be placed transactions around the world easier and more
in or outside of the case. With the help of system secure. It manipulates the entire banking system as
software, these physical components work together it includes 24-hour electronic banking services
and help users run their various applications. include:
Operating System or OS is also a kind of operating  Automated teller machine (ATM)
software that manages and handles the entire  Cheque deposit
computer. Other examples of system software are  Electronic fund transfer
drivers and utility software which stay inside the  Direct deposit
computer like calendars, watches and many more.  Pay by the phone system
Using system software, the user can run a wide  Personal computer banking/internet banking
range of application software. Such as games, Workforce Industry
video playing applications, music applications, and
 Computers are used to expedite production
many other types of application software.
planning and control systems, to support
chain management, and to facilitate product
Types of System Software
design in the industrial sector.
 Researchers use computers to gather and
analyze data for hypothetical reference.
 Administrators use computers to manage
the entire operations of the plant or factory
to detect or anticipate explicit errors or
deficiencies that transpire in the process.
 Toyota Philippines, Honda Philippines, and
San Miguel Corporation are large industrial
companies that implement ICT.
Electronic Commerce
Application Software  Customers, sellers, and suppliers all benefit
- An application program is a computer from the capabilities of ICT in terms of
program designed to perform a group of buying and selling activities because
computers, internet, and shared software as
 the main tools make these things easier,
more efficient, and faster.
 With the help of computers, customers or
clients can communicate easily, saving time
and cost as they do not have to physically
go to any outlets or department stores.
 Suppliers use computers to keep track of
their transactions such as monitoring of
inventory.
Hospitals
 Hospitals are creating patient’s databases
of health records, treatment records, and
medical records. With the help of ICT,
doctors use computers and various medical
applications not only for research
advancement but also for faster diagnosis of
a patient's illness.
 Through the development of databases and
other applications, ICT's prevent medical
errors in particular and improve the
efficiency of the health system in general.