CBCT 2203

Basic Concepts of
Information technology

Topic: 1
Introduction to Information
Technology
Objectives:

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Define Information Technology (IT)

• State SIX differences between information era and
previous eras
• Identify FIVE components of information technology
• Discuss a brief history of computers
• Restate FIVE classifications of computers
• Explain about Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia (MSC
Malaysia).

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Introduction:

• Information technology (IT) which has been around for

more than half a century had its beginnings in a
laboratory

• Now, IT is taught in schools and considered

one of the major resources in business organisation

• IT has even be used in the latest IT and information

and communication technology (ICT) gadgets, such as
smart phone and tablet

3
Information Era:

Industry

Agricultural

Information era
4
Era:

Era Description
Agricultural Most workers are peasant farmers, where
their lives depend on agriculture

Industrial Work processes are simplified through

mechanisation and automation, while the
number of factory workers continues to grow
 
Information Most workers get involved in the creation,
distribution and use of information
 

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Era:

Era Agricultural Industrial Information

Mostly Peasants/ Factory Knowledge workers
farmers workers

Workers/ Man and land Man and Man and brain

partners machine

Tools Hand-based Machineries Computer/

tools telecommunications

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What is IT?

Data Information

Knowledge

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What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

• 3, 6, 9, 12
What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

3, 6, 9, 12

Only when we assign a context or meaning does the data

become information. It all becomes meaningful when we
are told:

3, 6, 9 and 12 are the first four answers in the 3 x table

What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

3, 6, 9, 12

If we now apply this information to gain further knowledge

we could say that:

4, 8, 12 and 16 are the first four answers in the 4 x table

(because the 3 x table starts at three and goes up in threes
the 4 x table must start at four and go up in fours)
What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

• cat, dog, gerbil, rabbit

• 161.2, 175.3, 166.4, 164.7
What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

• cat, dog, gerbil, rabbit

• 161.2, 175.3, 166.4, 164.7

Only when we assign a context or meaning does the data

become information. It all becomes meaningful when we
are told:

• cat, dog, gerbil, rabbit is a list of household pets

• 161.2, 175.3, 166.4, 164.7 are the heights of the five
tallest 15-year-old students in a class
What is IT?
Example: Looking at the examples given for data

• cat, dog, gerbil, rabbit

• 161.2, 175.3, 166.4, 164.7

If we now apply this information to gain further knowledge

we could say that:

• A lion is not a household pet as it is not in the list and it

lives in the wild
• The tallest student is 175.3cm
What is IT?
Element Definition
Data Raw facts, figures, diagram and other
details, such as quiz marks and the cost of
computers
Information An organised and meaningful interpretation
which is useful about the data, such as quiz
performance and computer specification
Knowledge Understanding and giving attention to a set
of information and on how the information
can be used well, such as to give extra
classes or to upgrade computer
performance
What is IT?

• In general, IT is the main player in the information era

• This technology is used to access, store and distribute

information, especially information in digital form

• IT refers to the use and deployment of various items in

the creation, storage and distribution of information

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Five Components of IT: Data

Data

Procedures Software

People Hardware
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Five Components of IT: Data

Data

• A collection of raw facts and

Procedures figures that are used by Software
programs to produce useful
information

• This data can be organized

in databases or file systems

People Hardware
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Five Components of IT: Software

Data

Computer programs such as:

Procedures • Application software (word Software

processor, spreadsheet,
graphical package, database)

• System software (Operating

System, communication
software)

People Hardware
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Five Components of IT: Hardware
Data

This consists of the computer and its

components:
Procedures Software
• input hardware (keyboard, mouse)
• processing hardware (processor,
memory)
• output hardware (monitor, printer)
• storage hardware (disk drive)
• communication devices (modem)

People Hardware

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Five Components of IT: People

Data

• Information systems are

program by people and
Procedures people are also the users of Software
IT available

• The success or failure of an

IT system depends on people
too

People Hardware
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Five Components of IT: Procedures
Data

These are policies that define:

• how and by whom the IT is used
• actions that are used by people when
Procedures processing data into information Software
• operating procedures to operate the
computer
• data entry
• communication
• maintenance
• back-up
• recovery
• troubleshooting

People Hardware

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Five Generations of Computers

Generations of Computer
Computer Classifications

Classifications of Computer
Classification of Computers
Microcomputer Minicomputer Mainframe Supercomputer
Jobs To perform a For scientific To handle all For advanced
variety of tasks laboratories, kinds of problems scientific
Including research whether scientific research such as
research, institutions, or commercial, nuclear physics.
communication, engineering i.e. performing
banking, plants and complex
Learning places where mathematical
institutions and processing calculations.
libraries. automation is
required.

Speed Microseconds Under 100 Under 70 Under 15

nanoseconds nanoseconds nanoseconds
Cost Cheapest Medium Expensive Most expensive
Size Fits on top of a Small filing Large filing Roomful of large
small desk cabinet cabinet filing cabinet
Classification of Computers
Microcomputer Minicomputer Mainframe Supercomputer
# of 1 10 -100 100 - 500 500 thousands
Users
Chara Uses a More powerful More powerful Largest, fastest,
cterist microprocessor than a than a most powerful
ics to process data. microcomputer minicomputer. A and most
For example, but smaller mainframe expensive. A
desktop, laptop and less also has large supercomputer
and personal powerful than storage also generates a
digital assistant. a mainframe. capacity but it is lot of heat, thus it
less powerful than requires a
a supercomputer complex cooling
and also less system.
expensive.

Exam
ple
Eight IT Principles

Reliable

Secure

Flexible

Foster Innovation

Responsive

Easy & Transparent

Consistent Interoperability

Affordable
 Functions of IT

Collecting Processing Generating Storing Retrieving Delivering

• Collecting • The process • Assembling • The • Locating • Taking/

records of of changing, information computin data and sending/
activities analysing, into useful g process obtaining presentin
to be calculating forms, of storing them g to
used later and whether as data and again
synthesising text, audio or informatio • E-mails,
all forms of image n to be • Faxes, e-
• Reading voice
data or used later mails,
voter mails
information • Electricity voice
informati
o, reading bills, tables, • Income mails,
electricit • Counting graphs tax reports
y meters votes, records,
processing traffic
of electricity offence
bills, word records
processing

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Benefits of IT
• A relative value – computers can
Speed perform within seconds, at speeds that
are much faster than humans

• Computers are efficient in doing

repetitive jobs consistently, i.e.
Consistency producing the same results for the
same jobs

• Computers work very accurately –

Accuracy tracking even small differences

• With their speed, consistency and

accuracy, we can trust and rely on
Reliability computers in producing the same
results again and again
Government and Industry Bodies in the ICT Sector
Malaysia Digital MDEC is a government-owned institution
Economy that is responsible for the management of
Corporation the Multimedia Super Corridor, also known
(MDEC) as MSC Malaysia.
www.mdec.my

Malaysian MCMC is the regulatory body that is

Communications entrusted with the role of promoting and
and Multimedia regulating communications and multimedia
Commission laws in Malaysia.
(MCMC) www.skmm.gov.my

Ministry of Energy, Mainly focuses on research and

Science, development, forging close
Technology, collaboration with the industry, promoting
Environment and the commercialisation of new technologies
Climate Change in the marketplace and increasing industrial
(MESTECC) productivity through the application of
science and technology.
www.mestecc.gov.my
Government and Industry Bodies in the ICT Sector

Malaysian Global MaGIC supports entrepreneurship

Innovation and development through creativity and
Creativity Centre innovation by enabling dynamic
(MaGIC) programmes and capacity-building
initiatives in collaboration with other
government agencies, corporate entities
and community groups.
www.mymagic.my

National ICT With a membership of over 800 companies

Association of involved in the delivery of a
Malaysia or wide range of ICT products and services,
Persatuan Industri PIKOM represents the interest of the ICT
Komputer dan commercial sector. Collectively, its
Multimedia members command some 80 per cent of
Malaysia (PIKOM) the total IT trade in Malaysia.
www.pikom.org.my
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