Artificial intelligence - THE MOTIVE

CAN MACHINES THINK ? In 1950 Alan turing, considered by some the father of modern computing, published a paper in which he proposed that, "If during text-based conversations, a machine is indistinguishable from a human, then it could be said to be thinking and therefore can be attributed with intelligence. He predicted that a computer will pass a 'TURING TEST' by the end of the century. The Turing test is a proposal (introduced by Alan turing) for a test of the machine's ability to demonstrate its intelligence. It proceeds as follows: a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with one human and one machine, each of which tries to appear human. All participants are placed in isolated locations. If the judge cannot reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine is said to have passed the test and hence posses artificial intelligence (AI). That hasn't happened yet but the question continues to provoke and inspire. AI must be just around the corner or it might be centuries away.

Job aspects in IT sector

PROGRAMMER

Programmers are the information system professionals who modify existing computer program or write a new program to satisfy user requirements. Programmer typically can specialize in one/more programming languages and be trained in university/technical institute. This is a common entry-level IT position.

SYSTEM ANALYST/DEVELOPER

System analysts are IT professionals who specialize in analysing and designing information systems. They actually have some programming skills that are augmanted by greater knowledge of business processes. In addition, analysts use a variety of specialized analysis and design tools. This job also places a premium on communication skills as system analysts must spend a great deal of time with users to determine how best to meet thier needs.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS/NETWORK SPECIALIST

Telecommunications and network specialists have a greater technocal orientation. At higher levels, these specialists often hold electrical engg degrees, although some network specialists may have technical training only in their particular area. This career is both demanding and in demand because thier is critical nature of networks and telecommunication in most organizations.

SYSTEM OPERATION SPECIALIST

System operation specialists keep systems up and running and many have subspecializations with particular types of computing hardware (eg. mainframes) and thier related software, as well as some aspects of telecommunications and networking involved. There are entry level positions where training may be provided by the organization or cantracted out to a training company. As with other areas, ongoing training is always necessary tro keep pace with advances in technology.

BUSINESS ANALYST

A business analyst has IT experience and an in-depth knowledge of the organization's business processes. He or she is often heavily involved with the development of new information systems and act as a "translator" between IS developer and users. This role enables a clearer understanding of business problems and appropriate IT solutions and ensures that the strategic goals and the user requirements are understood and appropriately addressed by the technical IT people.

DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR

Data are an extremely valuable organizational asset for both day to day operations and strrategic objectives. Organizational data reside in database that must be designed and managed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Data base administratot typically have considerable experience and trainin g in one or more types of database software and hardware. Like many other IT positions, thier position requires strong communication skills as well as technocal training so that the database can be as useful as possible to users.

WEBMASTER/E-COMMERCE SPECIALIST

This new area encompasses programming skills as well as knowledge of as oprganisation's processes. With the advent of the internet and e-commerce there has been a high demand for the people who have professional command of the languages and packages used for website development. For many organizations, the website is designed to transact business and thus requires some very advanced programming skills to link what a client sees to many other areas within the company, particularly database and other IT-supported parts of the supply chain.

So finally we have seen that a career in information technology can begin in different ways and follow different technical and mangement directions.

Reality check : Why do need to know about IT

The IT revolution has almost gone to all the areas of human endeavor, from fine arts to medicine to archeology to warfare. These technologies first enable the great advances in human world and then the world immediately demands that all enterprises perform at this new, higher level and this necessary just to survive and compete. That is the central reason for everyone to know about information technology these days. In today's world IT facilitates work in organisation, it is bieng used by all the departments and offers many new career opportunities.

IT vs. computer science

Many of us confuse the term IT with computer science. Actually computer science is a subset of IT. It is the academic study of S/W and H/W concepts of computer while IT may or may not use computers. There is a big overlap between the two but IT is concerned more with information manipulation and business requirements. Basically computers and telecommunications are the tools and IT is responsible for using them to make the real world applications.

What is Information technology ??

Information technology is a broad field that deals with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information. IT particularly deals with computers and telecommunications to convert, store, process, protect, transmit and retrieve information.

Considering science, engineering and technology, science is a systematic and specialized way of thinking. A scientist thinks and makes principles and hypothesis. Engineering means the practical implementation of these principles and hypothesis for welfare of humans with the help of machines that is it takes it to the real world. Technology always deals with OPTIMIZATION(maximum gain with minimum effort) with the help of newer supports like computers and transfer machines. The main aim of IT is to make our information more profitable by making it recent and attractive.