Chapter 18: Technology in the Workplace

People depend on getting information quickly and easily.
$Information technology (IT)$ uses computing, electronics, and telecommunications to process and distribute information in digital and other forms.
$Telecommunications$ is the transmission of information over communication lines. * This covers many technologies, including telephones and computer networks.
Computers are an important part of information technology. * So are telephones, fax machines, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other handheld devices.
Millions of employees work from home.
IT makes these innovations possible.

New technology makes it possible to do tasks in different ways.
Electronic mail, or e-mail, allows workers to communicate with others electronically.
Wearable computers, manufacturing technology, and specialized software allow more work flexibility.
$Telecommuting$ is an arrangement that allows employees to work at home while communicating with the workplace by phone, fax, or modem.
A $wearable computer$ is a small portable computer designed to be used while it is worn on the body.
$Computer-aided design (CAD)$ is software for designing products with a computer. * With CAD, engineers can design without paper. * By using CAD and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programs together, companies can custom-design and make products.
Most manufacturing plants are partly automated. * Robots and computer-controlled machine tools do much of the work.
Electronic information transfer allows tasks to be done quicker. * For example, many companies electronically transfer paychecks to employees’ bank accounts * They can use an automatic teller machine (ATM) or their own computer to transfer funds from one bank account to another.
Virtual training allows people to simulate a real situation using a computer.
Virtual reality is also used in training. Virtual reality is an artificial, three-dimensional visual world created by a computer. * In a virtual world, the computer re-creates places and actions that seem real.

The $Internet$ is a global computer network. * It connects many computer networks, allowing information to flow freely around the world.
The World Wide Web is part of the Internet. * The $World Wide Web$ (or simply the Web) is a system for accessing, changing, and downloading a large set of hypertext-linked documents and other files located on computers connected through the Internet.
Hypertext is a computer language that allows Internet users to access stored images, text, and other files. * It enables direct links to related text, images, sound, and other data.
The Internet is not owned or controlled by any one person or country.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international association in which member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.
A $Web browser$ is a program used for displaying and viewing pages on the Web.
A $search engine$ is a computer program that can produce a list of documents related to a given topic.
An $intranet$ is a computer network used by an organization. * It works like the Internet, but its access is restricted to authorized users.
An $extranet$ is an extension of the intranet of a company or organization. * It gives authorized users controlled access to the intranet.

A $hacker$ is a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system. Internet users are especially open to security risks.
Companies use software tools to track computer users online.
Many Web sites that users visit send cookies to their computer. * $Cookies$ are bits of information about a computer user that are stored on that computer’s hard drive. * Those who do not want companies to store and use their personal information must reject or delete cookies.
A computer $virus$ is a program that can insert copies of itself into a computer without the user’s knowledge, often damaging stored data. * Viruses are a problem for computer users.
Security programs such as anti-virus software protect against different types of viruses.
Spyware is software that tracks what a user does on the Internet.
A firewall is computer software that prevents unauthorized access to system software or data on a user’s computer.