Information Technology

New Developments in Information Technology

Information technology refers to the design and development of computer hardware and software application. It also involves the implementation and management of computer based information system. It enables easier management of data input, processing, output and storage. It also increases data security and information. The use of information technology has made all kinds of data to be managed easily. This has included videos, sound, images and text. Information technology has gone further to include other technologies such as mobile phones.

In simple terms it is all what computers can do in terms of communication. The use of computers has made communication easier between persons. People can now communicate cheaply and from all over the world in a relatively short time using facilities such as email. Technology keeps on changing for the better. Innovations come up all the time which in turn makes peoples lives better. It is this change and a desire to have a change that led to development of online communication. The use of online communication has introduced various groups such as facebook to the market.

Facebook has made it easy for people to communicate. It allows its users to have interactive communication with one another. The site was developed by Mark Zuckerber with assistance of his school mates Eduardo Saverin, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz as way of communication among the Harvard university students. It initially started in 2004 and was expanded in 2005. Its expansion was very rapid. Soon everyone in colleges and universities around the US was using facebook. In 2007, people who were not in school were soon using it (Graham, 2008). It cut across borders and is now used across the world and it is now used by anyone who has a valid email and is above the age of thirteen. It is currently used by over two hundred million people across the world (New York Times, 2009).

Facebook has many advantages. It benefits the friends who want to catch up, those who wants to look for old contacts who they were schooling with, the marketer and business person who wants to expand their business and enlarge their client base, the teacher who wants to catch up with her students, the lonely person who is looking for a friend and anyone else who is bored and curious about what it is all about. Facebook users interact with their family, friends they already know and look for new friends.

They use text, pictures and videos to communicate. Facebook makes it possible for one to form long lasting relationships and bond with people. It unites people with common interests by making it able for them to form virtual groups and join online communities. A person is able to upload videos and pictures and post comments about themselves and what they think about life in general. A person using facebook posts his profile (name, likes, hobbies and other information). This allows people to have better knowledge of one another.

Facebook actually provides job opportunities for users. Employers look at the profile of a potential client to know their background and lifestyle so it really does to have a professional profile. The connections that a person makes on facebook can help him or her in getting a job. A person using facebook can join an online community and help in making themselves known. Joining facebook is easy and being in it is fun too. (Graham, 2008).besides that fact, it requires absolutely no extra costs since one does not need to acquire any software.

Different professionals have found a way to use facebook in their careers. Teachers are not excluded in this. They cite several ways in which facebook has made their work easier. Facebook is easier and more fun to use than email. It has a facility which allows a person to use their photos and this reduces any confusion especially where two or more people may have the same name. Assignments are delivered on time. Facebook users look at their messages more than twice a day and so a teacher is assured that the assignment has been delivered. This is unlike email which is accessed after some days.

It allows for easier exchange of information between persons. Students, as well as teachers, can share information regarding several issues. It is also easier to keep up with students activities and learn about other issues concerning them (Ramirez, 2009).

Marketers and business people are perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of facebook. Besides advertising through facebook, they can use facebook to retain their existing clients and add others. They are able to effectively tell the consumers about their product and answer any questions they might have. They can also bond with the clients and enhance their relationships. They can also plan events and other activities and inform others by using facebook. Politicians can also use facebook to influence the voters’ decisions especially the young people. They can introduce debates and motions and use them to make an estimate about their current performance and also gauge their supporters (Kirkup et al, 2010).

Despite the numerous advantages, facebook face various hurdles (Jody, 2007).

Facebook does have its limitations. Chief among them is that it is addictive. Users want to keep up with their friend’s updates and post comments after every few minutes. It is also time consuming. One has to respond to a friend’s question, read interesting articles which might have been posted and so forth. This is time that could have been used for something else constructive. Besides this there are also health concerns to take into consideration. Prolonged use of computers can cause eye weakness. This is also applicable to mobile phone usage which is used more widely. Those who spend a lot of time seated in front of their computers have to worry about the sedentary life that they are leading.

Once a person chooses to register with facebook, they choose to expose a part of their life. There are intimate details that a person who is enlisted as your friend gets to know. If one has workmates and other acquaintances listed as friends they get access to the person’s private information and contact.  Some things should be known only to very close friends and family members. There is also the issue of having stalker friends among your list of friends. These are people that one accepts merely because they asked for an invite. In addition to this, there is no chance to see a friend and the face to face meetings which are so important are forgotten.

There are various things which can be done for one to overcome some of these hurdles. By using the security tools and only inviting the people you know well. A user should also have a strong will and be able to limit the amount of time spent on facebook. This will enable him or her to avoid wastage of time and possible addiction. Some messages that a person writes on the walls can be viewed in negative light especially by those who don’t know the user wee. Hence messages of such nature can be avoided. It is recommended for one to take breaks to avoid damaging their health. Technically speaking, some features can be improved. When a person has a video that he or she wants others to see it has to be short. This can be rectified.

Despite all the limitations, facebook is an information technology invention that is readily acceptable by everybody. It is facilities such as this which makes a person to have an appreciation for science and what it can do for the human race. Some few years ago, nobody would have thought that this is possible. The benefits exceed the limitations and facebook is something that should be recommended to everybody.

 

 

 

 

References:

Graham, W. (2008). Facebook API Developers Guide: Birmingham, UK: Apress and friends

Weber, S. Wired for Work: Get a Job FAST using LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter: San Diego, CA‎: Steve Weber

Ramirez, L. L. (2009). Empower English Language Learners with Tools from the Web: Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press

Jody. (2007). 11 Business Benefits of Using Facebook Applications retrieved from http://www.marketing-jive.com/2007/09/11-business-benefits-of-using-facebook.html

(2009). Facebook. Retrieved from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/facebook_inc/index.html

Kirkup, J. & Holly W. (2010). TV election debate: Internet is the instant focus for the spin-doctors. Retrieved from //www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7596115/TV-election-debate-Internet-is-the-instant-focus-for-the-spin-doctors.html