CBCT2203

FAKULTI BISNES & PENGURUSAN

SEMESTER JANUARI / 2019

CBCT2203

BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

NO. MATRIKULASI : 890805025473001

NO. KAD PENGNEALAN : 890805-02-5473
NO. TELEFON : 011-55320530
E-MEL : munir89@oum.edu.my

PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN : ALOR SETAR LEARNING CENTRE

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Basic Concepts Of Informations Technology

1. Introduction:
 Meaning of information technology.

2. Differentiation between the web and the internet.

3. Relationship among the web,webpages and web servers.

4. The purpose of a browser,a search engine and an online social network.

5. Digital security risk:

 virus
 malware
 privacy
 health
 environment

6. Differentiation between operating system and applications.

7. Differentiation between wired and wireless network technologies and the reasons individuals
and businesses use networks.

8. Conclusion

9. References
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

From Anonymous (2019) IT or information technology refers to the development,

maintenance, and use of computer software, systems, and networks. It includes their use for
the processing and distribution of data. Data means information, facts, statistics, etc.,
gathered together for reference, storage, or analysis. Information technology refers to
anything related to computing technology. The Internet, for example, comes under the
umbrella term IT. So does computer hardware, software, and networking.

Another opinion come from Anonymous (2018) information technology (IT) encompass
the study and application of computers and any form of telecommunications that store,
retrieve and send information. IT includes a combination of hardware and software used
together to perform the essential functions people need and use every day. Most IT
professionals will work with an organization to focus on and meet their needs technologically
by understanding what they need, showing them options on what current technology is
available to do their needed tasks, then implementing the technology into their current setup,
or creating a whole new set up.

2.0 DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE WEB AND THE INTERNET

The web and the internet becomes main aspect in information technology. From
Anonymous (t. t.) web is the common name for the World Wide Web, a subset of the internet
consisting of the pages that can be accessed by a web browser. Web pages are formatted in a
language called Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). It this language that allows users to
click through pages on the Web via links. The Web uses HTTP protocol to transmit data and
share information. Browsers such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
are used to access web documents, or web pages, which are connected via links. The web is
just one of the ways that information is shared over the internet, others include email, instant
messaging and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
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Many people assume that the web is the same as the internet, and use these terms
interchangeably. However, the term Internet actually refers to the global network of servers that
makes the information sharing that happens over the web possible. The web does make up a
large portion of the internet, but they are not one and same. Anonymous (t. t.) state that the
internet is a globally connected network system that uses TCP/IP to transmit data via various
types of media. The internet is a network of global exchanges including private, public, business,
academic and government networks connected by guided, wireless and fiber-optic technologies.

The terms internet and World Wide Web are often used interchangeably, but they are not
exactly the same thing, the internet refers to the global communication system, including
hardware and infrastructure, while the web is one of the services communicated over the internet.
The web is just one of the ways that information can be disseminated over the internet. The
internet, not the web, is also used for email, which relies on SMTP, Usenet news groups, instant
messaging and FTP. So the web is just a portion of the internet, albeit a large portion, but the two
terms are not synonymous and should not be confused.

3.0 RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE WEB, WEBPAGES AND WEB SERVERS

From Parasoberoi (2018) the difference between a website and a web page is that a
website is a collection of web pages with information on a subject, and a web page is a smaller
part of a larger website usually containing more specific information. If a website were a book,
then a webpage would be a chapter in that book. Each web page of a given website provides
explicit links most of the time in the form of clickable portion of text that allow the user to move
from one page of the website to another. To access a website, type its domain name in the
browser address bar, and the browser will display the website's main web page, or homepage.

A web page is a document commonly written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) that is
accessible through the Internet or other networks using an Internet browser. A web page is
accessed by entering a URL address and may contain text, graphics, and hyperlinks to other web
pages and files. All web pages available on the web are reachable through a unique address. To
access a page, just type its address in your browser address bar.
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A document which can be displayed in a web browser such as Firefox, Google Chrome,
Opera, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Edge, or Apple's Safari. These are also often called just
"pages." website. A collection of web pages which are grouped together and usually connected
together in various ways. The web server will send any web page from the website it is hosting
to any user's browser, per user request. More importantly, since a web server can host multiple
websites, the term web server is never used to designate a website, as it could cause great
confusion.

4.0 THE PURPOSE OF A BROWSER, A SEARCH ENGINE AND AN ONLINE SOCIAL

NETWORK

From Anonymous (2014) web browser is used to run the software application that allows
retrieving, presenting and traversing the information from one place to another. Besides, web
browser provides the resources using the WWW (World Wide Web) this can be identified by
URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). Web browser also fetches the data like web page, image,
video or other piece of content from the server and displays it accordingly. Web browser uses
hyperlinks to display the resources and allow the users to navigate their browsers according to
the resources. Web browser also defines the application software that is designed for the user to
access and retrieve the documents using the internet.

Refer to Anonymous (2014) search engine is used for searching the information which is
present in the web. Searching in the search engine is done with the help of keyword. Some of the
examples of search engine are Google, Bing, Opera and Yahoo. Purposes of search engine are to
locate the information which the user is seeking. From Henry Perks (2018) search engines aim to
be a tool for finding what the user wants from a very large pool of information and data. Google
have long used the expression that they wish to surface the most relevant authoritative content
that best matches the users searching intent. This would apply to all search services.
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From Will Kenton (2018) social networking is the use of internet-based social media
programs to make connections with friends, family, classmates, customers and clients. Social
networking can occur for social purposes, business purposes or both through sites such as
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Classmates.com and Yelp. Refer to Carrie Grosvenor (t. t.) the
definition of online social networking encompasses networking for business, pleasure, and all
points in between. Networks themselves have different purposes, and their online counterparts
work in various ways. Loosely speaking, a social network allows people to communicate with
friends and acquaintances both old and new.

5.0 DIGITAL SECURITY RISK

Refer to Anonymous (t. t.) a computer security risk is really anything on your computer
that may damage or steal your data or allow someone else to access your computer, without your
knowledge or consent. There are a lot of different things that can create a computer risk,
including malware, a general term used to describe many types of bad software. We commonly
think of computer viruses, but, there are several types of bad software that can create a computer
security risk, including viruses, worms, ransom ware, spyware, and trojan horses.
Misconfiguration of computer products as well as unsafe computing habits also pose risks.

Viruses are malware that are attached to other files in computer system and may be used
to destroy data. Viruses have many capabilities but unlike worms, it usually require human
interaction to spread from system to system, even if the user is unaware that viruses are
spreading it. Computer virus, much like a flu virus, is designed to spread from host to host and
has the ability to replicate itself. Similarly, in the same way that flu viruses cannot reproduce
without a host cell, computer viruses cannot reproduce and spread without programming such as
a file or document.
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In more technical terms, a computer virus is a type of malicious code or program written
to alter the way a computer operates and is designed to spread from one computer to another. A
virus operates by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that supports
macros in order to execute its code. In the process, a virus has the potential to cause unexpected
or damaging effects, such as harming the system software by corrupting or destroying data.
Never neglect to take action on a computer virus residing in computer system. There are chances
that computer might end up losing important files, programs, and folders. In some cases, the
virus damages the system hardware too. There by, it becomes mandatory to have an effective
anti-virus software installed on the computer to steer clear of all such threats.

Healthcare has a unique culture, sharing and openness is critical to support its mission of
saving lives, but also presents security and privacy issues. Refer to Mercedes Vasquez (2014)
digital security affects your health by a step by step process. The virus or hacker could steal your
identity, then take all your personal information, which then allows you not to receive your
monthly medication. Such as someone hacking into your medicare account, and taking away you
health benefits. One of the reasons why the healthcare industry is prone to cyber attacks is the
limited budget allocated by healthcare institutions to cyber security investment. The high
demand for patients’s medical records in the black market is fueling the numerous cyber attacks
that have hurt the reputation and finances of health care institutions. Hospitals and healthcare
organizations can minimize the risks of cyber attacks if they have staff who are very much aware
that carelessness can put their companies at the mercy of cyber criminals.

From Anonymous (t. t.) a growing number of online entities are collecting vast amounts
of personal data. Data "mining" and advances in data analytics now make it possible to infer
sensitive information from data which may appear trivial at first, such as past individual
purchase behavior or electricity consumption. The misuse of these insights can implicate the core
values and principles which privacy protection seeks to promote, such as individual autonomy,
equality and free speech, and this may have a broader impact on society. While protection by law
is essential, privacy in an increasingly data-driven economy would benefit from a multifaceted
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strategy, reflecting a whole of society vision, and supported at the highest levels of government.
Privacy online is basically our life so we want to protect it with digital security. It is a good idea
to have security, but there are risks such as bugs or viruses hacking our social media accounts.
For examples, twitter, instagram, snapchat and facebook.

Besides that, security is also a risk towards the people around the environment. Such as if
the personal computer has a virus and some of our friend downloads something off your
computer with his thumb drive, and he plug it into his personal computer and he/she notices that
there is a virus in your computer.

6.0 DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN OPERATING SYSTEM AND APPLICATIONS

Richard Kenneth Eng (2017) there is an artificial line between an application and an
operating system (OS). An OS is software that manages the hardware devices in your computer,
things like processor, memory, disk storage, keyboard, mouse, monitor, USB bus, network
adapter, etc. An application is software that runs in an OS to (typically) perform a particular task
for the end user. However, this distinction is blurred in some instances, such as embedded
applications that control everything in the computing device (there is no OS). An OS, then,
represents a convenient division of labor where an application developer need not concern
themself with managing the hardware and can focus on the higher level task. This can aid in
portability, too.

To make it clear, operating system is a set of programs, library files, drivers and other
system components that control every hardware inside a computer in a systematic way. Next,
application software is the programs that help to accomplish daily tasks while using the computer
like writing a letter, creating a monthly budget plan, image editing and web surfing. For
examples include Microsoft Office, Google Chrome and Adobe Photoshop.
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7.0 DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN WIRED AND WIRELESS NETWORK

TECHNOLOGIES

Although the current trend is definitely towards wireless networks, mainly because they
are often more convenient for users, wired networks can be superior when it comes to issues
such as network security and faster upload/download speeds. From Sagar Sukhdane (2016) in
computing terminology, the term "wired" is used to differentiate between wireless connections
and those that involve cables. A wired setup uses physical cables to transfer data between
different devices and computer systems. The cables can be copper wire, twisted pair or fiber
optic. Wired network is used to carry different forms of electrical signals from one end to the
other.

Most wired networks use Ethernet cables to transfer data between connected computer.
Ethernet works or operates in a narrow range and it is little bit difficult to configure as compared
to wireless networking technologies. Wired setup use LAN (Local Area Network) that consists
of Ethernet cards housed in computer or laptops. These cards are connected using Ethernet
cables. The data flows between these cards. For small wired network router is used to connect
few number of desktop or laptop. In order to increase the network coverage for more number of
systems multiple switches and routers are used.

However, wireless network refers to the use of infrared or radio frequency signals to
share information and resources between devices. Wireless technologies are designed to reduce
the time and different type of obstacles created by the cables. Wireless network does not use
wires for data or voice communication, it uses radio frequency waves as mentioned above. Many
types of wireless devices are available today. For example, outdoor cellular technologies such as
GSM, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Satellite and many more. Indoor wireless technologies such as
Wireless LAN(or WiFi), Bluetooth, IrDA, Zigbee, Zwave and many more. The biggest
difference between these two types of networks is one uses network cables and one uses radio
frequencies.
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8.0 REASONS INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES USE NETWORKS

Paul Goodman (2019) said the needs of modern homes and work spaces are for greater
and more versatile internet coverage than just having a single computer, or group of computer
wired up to a router with Ethernet cables. The are many reason why individuals and businesses
using both wired and wireless networks now days. Both wired and wireless network had their
own advantages which useful to individuals and businesses during day time and work time. The
main advantage of a wireless network over a wired one is that users can move around freely
within the area of the network with their laptops, handheld devices and get an internet
connection. Users are also able to share files and other resources with other devices that are
connected to the network without having to be cabled to a port.

Besides that, wireless networks can sometimes handle a larger amount of users because
they are not limited by a specific number of connection ports. Instant transfer of information to
social media is made much easier. For instance, taking a photograph and uploading it to
facebook can generally be done much quicker with wireless technology.

Refer to Anonymous (2017) when configured properly wired networks provide reliability
and stability. Once the hubs, switches and internet cables are installed, the end result is a
workhorse system that is extremely reliable. Although wireless connections are constantly
improving, you will find that wired networks are generally more stable and reliable.

Another reason wired networks are reliable is because the signal is not influenced by
other connections. For example, if you have wireless networks that are close to one another, one
signal could interfere with another which can compromise stability. Or, if you have walls or
objects nearby, this has an impact on a wireless connection where a wired network connection is
unaffected by these factors.
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Wired networks are generally much faster than wireless networks. Data speeds have
continually improved with the inception of Gigabit routers and other new technologies.
Additionally, wired networks tend to be void of any dead spots that are occasionally present in a
wireless connection. This is mainly because a separate cable is used to connect each device to the
network with each cable transmitting data at the same speed. A wired network is also faster since
it never is weighed down by unexpected or unnecessary traffic. Any unauthorized user is unable
to connect to the network unless their device is connected using an internet cable.

9.0 Conclusion

The computer technology can be said to have evolved significantly. While there are the
positive aspects of the advancement in the technology, there is a negative side related to security
issues that have also developed with such advancements. Hackers, spies, and system viruses are
factors that are also in need for effective measures to be dealt with effectively.

It can be concluded that computer technology has significantly advanced and is offering the
world with greater benefits, at the same time however requiring the need to overcome the
negative issues related to the systems as well.

(2973 words)
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