INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

[Concepts and Application]

Prepared By:
Pir Muhammad
GPGC Lakki Marwat
 Introduction to ICT

 Information Communication technology (ICT) is the

application of computers and telecommunications equipment to
store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, for the perpose
of a business, education or other enterprise.
Software

Software is a set of programs (sequence of instructions) that allows the users

to perform a well-defined function or some specified task.

OR

A set of instructions that directs a computer’s hardware to perform a task is

called a program, or software (S/W) program.
 How Does software work?
• A software serves the purpose of executing commands provided by
the user.
• These commands, known as inputs, are processed by the software.
• While the input is given in complex language that humans use, it is
first converted into a machine language that the software
understands.
• Based on the input, the software provides output to users.
Types of Software
The Computer software are broadly divided into two categories:
 System Software
 Application Software

System Software:
 System software are programs which hold instructions related with the
working of the hardware and the software of the computer system.
 System software performs the responsibility of overall supervision of
input processing and output of data.
 In short the system software are set of instructions that control and
operate the computer system..
 The OS is the best example of system software; it manages all the other
computer programs.
Types of System Software

1. Operating System:
• The operating system is the most prominent example of system
software that acts as an interface between the user and system
hardware.
Some of the commonly used examples of OS:
• Microsoft Windows
• Android
2. Device Drivers
• A device driver is program that control a particular type of device
that is attached to the computer. Without driver a hardware device
would not be able to work with the computer.
• For example if you bought a new printer then you should need to
have a driver for that printer to make it functional with the system
Cont…

3. Firmware
• Firmware is a type of permanent software embedded in the
system's ROM (read-only memory) to provide low-level control
for some particular system device hardware.
• BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

4. Utility
• It is a kind of software that designed to analyze, configure,
optimize and maintain the computer.
Some of the common examples
• Antivirus
• WinRAR
Application Software
• Application software is a computer software that performs a
specific function for a user.
OR
• Software applications are end-user computer programs developed
primarily to provide specific functionality to the user.

Types of Application Software:

 General Purpose Application Software
 Special Purpose Application Software
 Cont…

General Purpose Application Software:

• General Purpose Application Software are programs that perform
common information processing job for end users.
• These are called packages or commercial software.
• By using such software a user can fulfil his or her general needs.
Some of the examples are as below.
 Productivity software
 Business Software
 Entertainment Software
 Education Software
Cont…
Special Purpose Application Software:
• The Software that is designed to perform a specific task is known
as Special Purpose Application Software.
• The software can perform only one task for Which it has been
designed.
E.g. Software for Bank accounts
 Hardware

• Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a

computer system.
• There are many different kinds of hardware that can be installed
inside, and connected to the outside of a computer.

• Some of the input and output devices of computer hardware are

discussed as below.
Input Devices
Input devices are external hardware components that are used
to enter data and instruction into computer memory for
processing.
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Joy Stick
• Scanner
• Microphone
• OMR (Optical Mark Reader)
Cont…
Keyboard
• It is the most common and very popular input device which
helps to input data to the computer.
• Keyboards have 101/102 keys.

Mouse
• It is the most popular pointing device.
• A mouse can be used to control the position of the cursor
on the screen.
 Cont…
Scanner
• A scanner is another input device. It can be used when some
information on paper is to be transferred to the hard disk of the
computer in digital format for further manipulation.

Microphone
• Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in a
digital form.

OMR (Optical Mark Reader)

• OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of
mark made by pen or pencil.
• It is specially used for checking the answer sheets of examinations
having multiple choice questions.
Output Devices
Output devices are used to give results of processing to the user.
• Monitors
• Printer
• Plotter
• Speaker

Monitor
A monitor is a piece of computer hardware that displays the video
and graphics information generated by a connected computer
through the computer's video card.
• Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)
• LCD (Liquid crystal Display)
• LED (Light Emitting Diode)
 Cont…
Printer
• Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper.
There are two types of printers:
Impact Printers
• Impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon, which
is then pressed on the paper.
Non-Impact Printers
• Non Impact printers print characters and graphics on the paper with laser
or with sprayed ink.
Plotter
Plotter is an output device.
Plotters can work on large sheets of paper while maintaining high resolution.
Cont…
Speaker
Computer speakers are the most popular output devices used with a
computer to listen to sound.
Speakers are now available with wireless and Bluetooth facilities as well.
 Networks
Networks connect devices to enable communication
and data exchange.
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Local Area Network (LAN)

• A Local Area Network is a network confined to one building or site.
• Often a LAN is a private network belonging to an organization or business.
• LANs are geographically small,
• They usually use cables or low-power radio (wireless) for the connections.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN):

• A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that uses radio signals (WiFi) to connect
computers instead of cables.
Cont…

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large area.
A WAN is often created by joining several LANs together,
such as when a business that has offices in different countries links
the office LANs together.
Optical fibre (glass) cables, satellite radio links, microwave radio links,
etc.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):

A MAN is a network connecting devices across an entire town,
entire city, or any other small region.
This is a network larger than LAN but smaller than the WAN.
MAN network works between LAN and WAN.
 Local Data Storage
Local Data Storage:
Local data storage refers to the practice of storing data on physical devices or
hardware that is directly connected to or situated within a user's computer or local
network.
Types of Local Data Storage:
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs): Traditional storage devices that use rotating disks to store
and retrieve data.
Solid-State Drives (SSDs): These storage devices use flash memory and have no
moving parts, providing faster data access speeds compared to HDDs but often at a
higher cost per gigabyte.

USB Flash Drives: Portable storage devices that connect via USB ports, offering a
convenient way to store and transfer smaller amounts of data between devices.

External Hard Drives: Similar to internal HDDs but housed in an external casing,
these drives can be connected to a computer via USB or other interfaces.
 Cloud data storage
Cloud data storage involves storing data on remote servers accessed via the
internet rather than storing it locally on physical devices like hard drives or
servers.

Types of Cloud Data Storage:

Public Cloud Storage: Offered by third-party service providers like
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or
Microsoft Azure, where users can store data in a shared infrastructure.
Private Cloud Storage:
Utilizes dedicated cloud infrastructure for a single organization, offering
more control over security and customization.
Hybrid Cloud Storage: Combines both public and private cloud storage,
allowing data and applications to be shared between them.
ICT Platforms
1. Communication Platforms
These platforms allow real-time interaction, enabling people
to communicate through different channels such as messaging,
voice calls, and video conferencing.
Examples:
• Zoom.
• Microsoft Teams.
• WhatsApp Business
Cont…

2. Collaboration Platforms
Collaboration platforms are designed to help teams work
together, even from remote locations, by sharing files,
working on documents, and managing projects.
• Examples:
• Google Workspace (formerly G Suite): Offers tools like
Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Meet etc.
• Microsoft SharePoint: A collaboration and document
management platform integrated with Microsoft 365.
Cont…

3. Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Platforms

These platforms allow users to store, share, and access data from any
device connected to the internet.
Examples:
• Google Drive
• OneDrive
4. Social Media and Networking Platforms
These platforms allow users to interact, share content, and create
networks of personal or professional connections.
Examples:
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
Cont…

5. E-Commerce Platforms
E-commerce platforms allow businesses to sell products or services
online by managing inventory, payments, customer service, and
more.
Examples:
• Shopify
• Amazon
Thank you