Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is “the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware.” IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.
Today, the term information technology has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term has become very recognizable. The information technology umbrella can be quite large, covering many fields. Many people from the different field enjoy the improvement of the ICTs. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.
When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information technology, or “infotech”. Information Technology (IT) is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. Presumably, when speaking of Information Technology (IT) as a whole, it is noted that the use of computers and information are associated.
The term Information Technology (IT) was coined by Jim Domsic of Michigan in November 1981.[citation needed] Domsic created the term to modernize the outdated phrase “data processing”. Domsic at the time worked as a computer manager for an automotive related industry.
In recent years ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE is the ACM working group for defining these standards.
References
* Adelman, C. (2000). A Parallel Postsecondary Universe: The Certification System in Information Technology. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
* Allen, T., and M.S. Morton, eds. 1994. Information Technology and the Corporation of the 1990s. New York: Oxford University Press.
* Shelly, Gary, Cashman, Thomas, Vermaat, Misty, and Walker, Tim. (1999). Discovering Computers 2000: Concepts for a Connected World. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Course Technology.
* Webster, Frank, and Robins, Kevin. (1986). Information Technology—A Luddite Analysis. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Major information technology companies
Cellular hardware
Audiovox · Alcatel-Lucent · Apple · Sony Ericsson · HTC · Kyocera · LG · Motorola · Samsung · Nokia · Palm · Qualcomm · RIM
Conglomerates
Bull · GE · HCL · Hitachi · LG · Panasonic (JVC, Matsushita) · NCR · News Corp. · Philips · Samsung · Siemens (Infineon, Qimonda) · Sony · Thomson · Toshiba · Vivendi · Wipro Infotech · Yamaha
3G Networks
3Com · Alcatel-Lucent · Allied Telesis · Avaya · Ericsson · Foundry · Huawei · Nokia Siemens · ZTE
Dot-coms
Amazon · AOL · eBay · Expedia · Google · Monster Worldwide · Yahoo! · Ask
Semiconductors (General)
AMD · Analog Devices · ATI Technologies · Fairchild · Freescale · Infineon · Intel · Micron · National · NVIDIA · NXP · Renesas · Rohm · Skyworks · STMicroelectronics · Texas Instruments · TSMC
Electronics manufacturers
Celestica · Elcoteq · Flextronics · Foxconn · Jabil · Kimball · Plexus · Quanta · Sanmina-SCI · SMTC
IT services
Accenture · ACS · Atos Origin · Avanade · BearingPoint · Booz Allen Hamilton · BT · Bull · Capgemini · CGI · Cognizant · CSC · Deloitte · EDS · First Data · Fujitsu · Getronics · HCL Tech · i-flex · IBM · Indra · Infosys · Keane · Logica · Neusoft · PA · Perot · SAIC · Sapient · Satyam · Steria · Syntel · TCS · ThoughtWorks · Tieto · Titan · Unisys · Virtusa · Wipro · Xansa
Server and Network Hardware
Bull · Cisco Systems · Dell · Juniper Networks · IBM · Hewlett-Packard · Sun Microsystems
Display / DTV
Acer · BenQ · LG · Samsung · Sharp · Sony · Toshiba · Trident Microsystems · ViewSonic
Software
Adobe · Apple · Bull · CA · Compuware · Corel · IBM · Idealab · Intuit · Microsoft · Oracle · PTC · Red Hat · SAP · Sun Microsystems
Gaming
Activision Blizzard · Capcom · EA · Infogrames · Microsoft · Nintendo · Sega · Sony Computer Entertainment · Take-Two Interactive · Valve Corporation
Computer system
Acer · Asus · Apple · Bull · Dell · Hewlett-Packard · Lenovo · NEC · Panasonic · Sony · Toshiba
Security
AVG Technologies · ESET · F-Secure · Kaspersky Lab · McAfee · SOFTWIN · Sophos · Symantec · Trend Micro
Tags: Computer Science and Engineering News
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