The impact of information technology development on the world and the society

Technology has forever changed the way we live . From changing the way we work,
where we do not write challenging codes by hand anymore, but instead type basis
of it into the computer which does the rest itself, through enabling medicine to
advance, to the simpler tasks in our everyday life reading the news from multiple
sources almost instantly, watching movies recently released etc .

IT developed rapidly, with the basis concept developing during the World War II for
military purposes, through 1950s where four generations of computers have been
created, where each of them had smaller hardware but more capable software .
The first commercial computer was developed in 1951, by John Eckert and John
Mauchly, used to predict outcome of the 1952 presidential election . Afterwards,
computers were used for science and engineering, designing aircrafts and
predicting global weather patterns . Ever since, people have embraced computers,
sometimes even too much . We rely on them for scientific progresses, mathematical
representations, analyzing complex structures and of course exploring the space .
One of great benefits the IT has given the world is the simplifying of keeping track
of financial records in large businesses, tracking sent and received payments,
keeping up to date on stored supplies which need to be either sold or produced .
IT has helped with providing a better education worldwide making computer
literacy one of essential courses in most schools across the world . Students can
now use the enormous resources found on the internet, instead of relying only on
the physically existing libraries, whereas teachers can use photos, videos and
presentations to take their lectures to a new level .
Medicine has also benefited greatly from IT, because doctors can now view the CAT
scans or MRIs on their computers, having a three-dimensional view of all organs and
tissue, blood flow and body chemistry, which makes identifying the problem and
working on it much easier than before . It has reduced the chances of human error,
as medical equipment works in split-seconds, and is programmed to keep constant
track of the patients status . Simplifying operations must also be mentioned, as
well as usage of robotic surgeries, where the specialists can operate from remote
locations .
In our everyday life, we mostly use technology for entertainment watching
videos, movies, creating something new both on our smartphones and computers.
We have embraced it so easily and effortlessly, that we use it even for the simplest
tasks of calculations, we rely on the alarm on our smartphones and we are
extremely used to having every information we need and every question answered
in seconds, just by tapping a screen .

(https://sites.google.com/site/viveklpm/information-technology-in-veterinaryscience/applications-of-information-technology)

But just how good is that for us ?

The positive sides of using new technology seem to be endless coordinating
activities, planning our day, keeping in touch with friends and family for a very low
price, if not free. Teachers can keep parents updated about class schedules and
meetings through websites and students can do their homework easily with the
resources given on the internet the endless lectures, tutorials and websites for
practicing, we pay our bills online, check the weather forecast, we store our photos
and videos on a cloud We joke, talk to people we would never meet if there
wasnt for the internet, share information easily and essentially have more time for
things that matter .
Our businesses use social media to attract clientele, machines used ensure the top
quality of products and ensure faster assembly. Use of social networks also has an
effect on bridging the cultural gap thousands of people communicating every day
to people from different parts of the world, exchanging cultures and traditions,
views and opinions, thus reducing prejudice .
The boom of IT development also meant a major benefit creation of many new
jobs . The world was suddenly faced with an immediate need of computer
programmers, hardware and software developers, web designers and systems
analyzers, among others . That need has only increased in the last few decades,
which means there is always a job offer in the IT field, which makes it an extremely
valued profession .
As mentioned above, we rely on our technology a lot . From storing information and
protecting it in virtual vaults, allowing only certain users access to adding or
changing data, IT security engineering protects data from being hacked, wiped out
and basically makes it untouchable .
Storing data that way also means we can work from home or other remote
locations, without coming into the office . That makes the job easier, because we
can work whenever we have time for it, thus increasing productivity.
Speaking of productivity, businesses around the world have adapted to the new
fashion, creating their own websites, which makes them available and open 24/7
we can access them at any given time and shop easily, from different countries . We
also like the idea of delivery very much ideally, the item we bought on the website
will be delivered to our doorstep, perhaps already paid for online, we just have to
sign the paper for receiving the package . The companies also benefited in the field
of cost effectiveness and productivity by training employees to use workplacerelated programs, the employees easily manage to get a lot more done, day in - day
out, which increases the profits and thus their own salaries .

It also encourages personal growth, as well as innovation and creativity we can

now start our own jobs and work from home, or use crowdfunding websites to
gather money for our business, educational or entertainment projects, but also
medical . It is now easier than ever to get funds for complex medical procedures of
pay the student loans, all thanks to IT and crowdfunding.

The information technology benefits almost sound too good to be true . Sometimes,
they are we have to be aware of the wrong uses of IT, and the disadvantages.
One of them is job loss we have created so many programs to help us, they are
starting to work so well that humans are sometimes rendered useless . The machine
seldom makes an error, works faster, cheaper, and every product made is the same
quality . The paperwork is processed immediately, finances are calculated in a blink
of an eye, it seems we are replacing humans wherever possible .
One of the main benefits of IT the simplified methods of communication, can also
be turned into a disadvantage we have so many social networks, so many free
messaging apps, programs and tools to contact friends all over the world, and yet
we are so isolated . We barely crave real, face to face social contact and it has
become so popular to use our smartphones even when we are surrounded by
friends . This means we are growing more distant each day, despite the endless
options of communication given to bring us closer.
We must take into consideration that while IT has had an enormous impact on
teaching, it has also brought along distractions . Students often focus on texting,
social media, watching videos and playing games on their smartphones during
lectures, giving the teacher not even half of their attention, therefore suffering the
consequences of bad grades and exams failed. Other than poorly received lectures,
cyberbullying has also increased . Students are now daily targeted on social media,
where they can be threatened, bullied or ridiculed sometimes to the extreme, with
consequences like suicide, depression or avoiding all social interaction altogether .
Their data, along with the data of all of us can be collected and exploited, which
means a massive invasion of our privacy, which results in tracking websites we
access, selling that data to third parties and bombarding us with specifically
targeted marketing ploys and ads . The data can also be used for identity theft and
other criminal acts, of which we are almost never aware . One of the main concerns
is the safety of our bank accounts and our credit card data . Those can be accessed,
and our accounts wiped clean, with criminals accumulating large sums of stolen
money onto their own accounts, sometimes with no consequences as we sometimes
cant even trace them .

In conclusion, there are numerous benefits of IT and it has had a positive impact on
the world, although the best is yet to come . The disadvantages certainly are
worrisome, but we may positively improve them in the years to come. For now, the
IT gives us a lot of space for new ideas, projects and jobs, and while we may have to
be cautious about our finances online, we can protect ourselves by numerous
programs, accessing only safe official websites, keeping track of what data we send
and store, where and with whom we share it. Following these precautions, we are
able to enjoy the best of what IT offers knowledge, convenience and major
scientific breakthroughs of our century .

References
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~kguinee/thesis.html
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/netdict?society
http://www.computer.org/computer/timeline/timeline.pdf
http://www.co.umist.ac.uk/services/academic/resources/level_1/ct101/lec4.rtf
http://www.digital.com/timeline/1965.htReferences

http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~kguinee/thesis.html
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/netdict?society
http://www.computer.org/computer/timeline/timeline.pdf
http://www.co.umist.ac.uk/services/academic/resources/level_1/ct101/lec4.rtf
http://www.digital.com/timeline/1965.htm
http://www.co.umist.ac.uk/services/academic/resources/level_1/ct101/lec0.rtf
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/netdict?tradition
http://info.isoc.org/guest/zakon/Internet/History/HIT.html
http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/principl.htm
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/hacker-history/hacker-history-2.html
Complete IT Professional: Advantages Of Information Technology in Business
Small Business Bible: Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technologym
http://www.co.umist.ac.uk/services/academic/resources/level_1/ct101/lec0.rtf
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/netdict?tradition
http://info.isoc.org/guest/zakon/Internet/History/HIT.html
http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/principl.htm
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/hacker-history/hacker-history-2.html
Complete IT Professional: Advantages Of Information Technology in Business Small Business Bible: Some
Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technology