I guess it all started out with the dot-com thing, huh? Everyone was rushing to study about IT. IT graduates at that time don't know much. Back in those days everyone was using DOS and issuing DOS commands, the only reason IT graduates were hired is to issue DOS commands and that's it.
Now let's look at what IT really is, this is what is provided in Wikipedia.
What is IT?
Information technology (IT) is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications.
In short, it means input data, process it and output valuable information through electronics. So...did you notice that it's basically talking about almost every single damn thing we use or work with today? You can basically say IT is life in the current age we live in. To understand more, ask yourself these questions:
Why does my car make noise/unlock the door/start with only a push of a button?
Why am I reading this article?
What is the thing that I always bring with me in case anyone needs to contact me?
What is the yellow thing on my NRIC?
What is the thing cashiers use?
Why are all my floor tiles perfectly square?
Why doesn't the damn elevator respond to me when I push GO DOWN when it's going up?
How do doctors capture X-rays and produce valuable information?
How does a RC Car work?
What is the thing I always use to do mathematics?
Why does my TV have so many channels which I can choose from?
Why is my music available to me through a push of a button?
What is the program I'm using to do whatever I'm doing?
What is biometrics?
How does GPS work?
How does the radar work?
and so on...
Even on roads...
The Misconception about IT
When you mention IT, what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Computers, yes. What are computers? The thing you're using right now, yes. Is that it?
Almost every hardware, requires a software. Hardware is the tool. Software, is the method of using the tool. With a giant machine it can be a very useful tool, but without programs, you have to manually use it, by hand, or by whatever manual means. Even your router contains software to do its routing.
IT is linked to engineering, as they are with science and technology. In the current era, who wouldn't want to cut cost, be efficient and reduce wastage/redundancy? Competition is great, you need something reliable, something efficient. The tool alone will not help your business. What if it's automated? What if...it can listen to you, just like an employee?
This, is Information Technology. Information is the key word here. Now, what do you understand about the word, "information"? Pretty damn important, eh?
Life Towards IT
Did you know that most information about you is computerized? If you watched the movie, The Net 2.0, vapourizing your existence is as easy as that...if a person has access to your stuff.
Have you seen news where hackers steal money by hacking a bank? Even money is dealt through digital means.
Are you still not aware that every single damn thing we use is in relation to IT? I also have a little problem with people differentiating animation/video editing as NOT part of IT. What is the program used? Why is recording the video even possible in the first place? What is ActionScript which is used in Flash? What is AutoCAD and 3DS Max, used by most architects? Read the definition of IT again, and see why.
Even in hospitals...
Closure
People who take study about computers are venturing into a very crazily large field that they have to somehow specialize in one area no matter what. It's not just Facebook and games when it comes to computers. It's everything we work with now. What you learn about computers, is applicable to almost anything that uses it. Hardware and software included. How much crazier can it be?
It all comes down to whether you want to stick with your damn buggy Windows computer, or you want to go for something else, with embedded software, going down into the designs of electronics, the communication systems we use, and so on so forth.
Love,
Nicholas.
