Every analyst and trend watcher seems to be predicting the future of
information technology these days. Most believe that given the exponential rate
of development in all the fields of IT, it is safe to predict that the future of
IT is bright. But are they exaggerating the effects in their attempt to either
promote certain trends or products and services, or prove their leadership in
the industry?
Assuming that the present milieu surrounding meaningful employment of IT
everywhere continues, chances are likely that it will continue to improve in
United States as well, even though at a much slower rate. And this analysis is
not what developers think, but is straight from the users’ mouth.
Users’ perceptions are already changing noticeably. Most of the analysts, trend
watcher and users this scribe talked to expressed hopes of positive changes IT
is poised to bring about. Development in IT has resulted in expanded access and
pervasiveness of computers. For example, some of the software houses are doing
contractual IT work for western developers in their individual capacity.
Businesses which are online, have crossed political and corporate boundaries,
forming new alliances that were unknown to traditional structures and channels.
Public and private sectors IT institutions are preparing large number of
employable IT graduates every year. And political image notwithstanding,
industry giants are showing interest in investing in Pakistan to take advantage
of the human resource that is familiar with English and is available at
comparative rates.
Similarly, computers and the internet has penetrated households considerably.
Fairly large number can now afford and obtain computers and internet
connections. Rich and middle-class have nearly equal access to cyberspace almost
anywhere and anytime and online activities of home users are maturing beyond
casual communication and fun-surfing.
It is in this situation, people employed in IT and corporate sector say, that
business practices as well as consumers’ behaviours are changing positively:
Businesses have gone increasingly international in scope. Markets have expanded
and monopolies are changing into oligopolies if (yet) not pure competition.
Anyone who can bring a first-class product and harness technology successfully
is bound to prosper in world market.
“The world in which we do business today differs profoundly from that of ten
years ago, and this difference is mainly attributable to IT solutions,” says an
international marketing expert at New York University, Professor Anthony
Gonzalvalus. “Why else are sky suits made in New York and sports goods made in
Bheikho seen prominently in international championships?” he asks.
Anthony feels that a number of business concerns, both large and small, are
poised to make optimum use of IT. “The realization is already upon us that IT
(coupled with standard business practices) is the only way ahead,” he adds.
Call centre technology developer Phill Cotner thinks, “IT is not just a set of
programmers, instruments or utilities processing information. It is a mixture of
all these essentials to achieve business goals and should be able to meet the
needs of any business outfit. It is the output from all the applications and
experience to produce something useful; a product, a process, a system, a
methodology. It is a result that matter ultimately because that is what
businesses want.”
Sheikh thinks that every futuristic concern now believes that employment in IT
results in better efficiency, lower cost, more production flexibility, and
product quality and consistency. He is optimistic of more business adopting call
centers and deploying other IT solutions in future.
People employed in IT and corporate sector say, that business practices as well
as consumers’ behaviors are changing positively: Businesses have gone
increasingly international in scope. Markets have expanded and monopolies are
changing into oligopolies if (yet) not pure competition. Anyone who can bring a
first-class product and harness technology successfully is bound to prosper in
world market.
The power of computers is increasing by the day. They are becoming more
affordable, simpler to learn and massively customizable for different set of
wants which makes them vital part of all contemporary life activities. It is now
imaginable to consider an era where online hotel, airline and rail reservations,
stock exchange trade, banking, shopping, payroll accounting and many other
functions, which have already become part of life in the developed world,
becoming routine here too.
“It is no prophecy because these systems are already successfully working in
other countries. What I see is the local users developing trust in gizmos and
networks to transfer information as well as money economically and speedily,”
says Teri Hansen IT graduate now studying abroad.
IT is not autonomous. It is part of the social and cultural phenomena.
Information is a universal engine of social change. Information found online in
its various forms — voice conversations, still images, motion pictures,
multimedia presentations, and online, including those not yet conceived — is
bringing about social changes; some are already visible. Users are demanding
quality information that they can turn into common knowledge and apply to real
life problems on ground. Sociologist Dr. Phill Methew predicts, “What we find on
the internet is to become part of wisdom ultimately. Or it would have been
rejected right away.”
Past events and measures suggest safer surfing in future. Users have been
complaining of information deficiency syndrome (and information overload), spam,
security concerns, identity theft, cyber crimes, copyright violations, and
unsavory material that mar the internet experience. Only spam has cost millions
to businesses besides irritating individual users by bringing viruses, Trojan
horses, ads for herbal medicines or links to explicit imagery in their inboxes.
But a lot is being done to clean the cyberspace and make it more ‘liveable.’
Majority of local users believe that e-mail, instant messaging, searching,
surfing and bogging will mature and improve in quality in future. Say a hardcore
techie Mark David, “In future, commuting on the information highway will be much
safer. Ethics will get better. But on the downside, I see paid contents on the
internet increasing. More information will go behind subscriptions and or
security firewalls.”
So What’s The Catch?
There ISN’T one! You can take advantage of all the material you find here for
free! Use our
MCSE ,
CCNA and everything else on our website
to ace your
MCSE certification exams
and
A+ certification exams. If you find
our site useful for passing the exam and want to help others in the same way,
you can get a braindump of your own right here. IT plays central role in
business word and lives of individual users, whatever they happen to be doing in
life or career. Academicians, media and IT professionals themselves are best
placed than any other category, to span the gaps between real world and IT and
the gap between IT and perceptions
www.testkingdom.com is one of the best site available on the net.
Needless to say, the new generation will be more techno-savvy than we are.
