Information technology essay free essay sample

Communications is defined as the process of sending and receiving information from one person to another. Communications Technology is all the systems we use when we communicate, this technology helps us to communicate without the need to be face – to – face with each other. This includes telephone, radio, television, computers and mobile phones. Mobile phones and telephones can be defined as the process when two people are making a conversation over a phone away from each other, this method has become very popular nowadays, for example the new iPhone. Computers help us to communicate online, we use internet to socialise with our friends. Television is able to broadcast different programs and shows that we can watch. Radio keeps us up to date with everything happening around us, we can hear news through radio. My chosen topic of communications technology is computers. Computer is a device which is able to store, retrieve, process and change data and it is also widely used to go online. We will write a custom essay sample on Information technology essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For a computer to work properly it needs hardware, software and input. A computer hardware includes all the physical features your computer has, in the inside or the outside of a computer. A software is anything that you install on your computer, it can be your internet explorer or your operating system. A computer cannot work on its own, this is when we provide data on the computer, this creates input, and then the computer provides us with output. There are five generations of computers, these have changed dramatically over time because of new technology invented. First generation computers were founded in 1940 and ended in 1956. These computers used vacuum tubes to run. They could fill the whole room and needed a lot of electricity, this created problems as these computers would heat up very easily. An example is ENIAC computer founded by John Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly. Second generation computers (1956 1963) saw the introduction of transistors. Computers run faster because a transistor is a device that controls the heat in the computer. In 1964 Computers used integrated circuits that could hold thousands of transistors. Fourth generation computers started in 1971 are the ones we use today. Microprocessors were invented to store all the functions of a computer in a single chip. Also laptops were introduced which changed the way we use computers today. Fifth generation computers are still in development. We can already see some of  the fifth generation computer features, like voice recognition and cloud sharing. Some of the advantages of using a computer are: Saves money – Computers allowed us to communicate over a distance, as we don’t need to travel long distances just to make a conversation with someone. Another great way of communicating over a distance is using Skype, it lets you make calls anywhere in the world from your computer. Internet – You can access the World Wide Web via the internet. This allows you to keep up with your friends online through social networking sites like Facebook. Through internet you can also advertise online, this helps you create a new business idea or helps your existing business to develop more. Education Students have an advantage when using a computer, as they can easily type an essay, and make necessary changes without spoiling the essay. Microsoft Word has helped develop writing skills for students. Online courses are also available when using a computer. Disadvantages of using a computer: Addiction – People who tend to use computer too much have a risk of becoming addicted to it. This is mainly because people have access to Internet and they get exposed to different websites. There is an increased number of people getting addicted to social networking. Online games also are becoming very addictive, especially among children. Security – A computer can easily get a virus from any untrusted website or a hacker can get access to your personal information. Every computer should have an antivirus installed for protection against viruses. There are also a lot of security features installed already on our computer, like Firewall. Health problems – A big disadvantage is that your health worsens if you spend too much time on the computer. More and more people have computer vision syndrome, which makes your vision blurry. Your nervous system is also affected, and this results in brain not functioning properly. Communication Technology has a huge impact on both out personal, business and social life. Socialising with friends is made easier because of the technology invented. You can access any website online. Also technology has a big impact on our relationships, this has created a lot of problems because some people don’t realise how much they use a computer, this results in computer addiction and we no longer have time to meet our friends. We spend more time on Facebook than  actually talking to someone face to face. At work we use technology all the time, this helps us to get everything done on time, but there is also more stress due to increases work load when using a computer. There are a lot of new job opportunities available because of technology, we are able to make international business calls and advertise our products online. The downside for technology at work is that we become more distracted. Imagine if you are having a conversation with your boss and suddenly your phone is ringing. There is also legislation related to communications technology, Data Protection Act 1988 states that you have a right to store, change or access any personal data stored on the computer. This information should be kept private. This law also states that any information you give out to someone should be correct, you cannot provide false information about yourself. Another important legislation relating to communications technology is health and safety at work. Every business should ensure that everyone has a safe area to work at. Technology needs to be updated to make sure that accidents don’t happen, for example if your computer is connected to a faulty electricity it can cause your computer to blow up. Copyright Act 2000 was introduced to help protect your information. When you are copying someone else’s work and passing it on as your own you are committing plagiarism. You are exposed to copyright when you publish something online as a lot of people may have access to this information.