How information technology is conquering the world : workplace, private life, and society / Kai A. Olsen.

"This book is an extended and updated version of Formalizing Internet, Web and eBusiness Applications for the Real World, Scarecrow Press (2005)."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

pt. 1. Fundamentals -- Welcome to the virtual world -- Information technology -- Formalization -- Cases of formalization -- Formalization levels -- Cases of formalization level -- Symbolic data -- Cost-benefit of formalization -- pt. 2. Constraints -- Computer intelligence -- Constraints on technology -- Case studies: technical constraints -- The devil is in the details -- Cultural constraints -- Case studies: cultural constraints -- Privacy and security -- Case study: Internet elections -- pt. 3. Usability -- Interactive computing -- Usability -- Simplicity -- Case: flexible user interfaces -- Bad systems -- pt. 4. System development -- Developing a system -- Software engineering -- Packages and ERP systems -- Simpler software development for niche companies -- Case 1. In-house programming -- Case 2. Developing apps -- pt. 5. Internet and WWW basics -- HTML and XML -- Internet protocols -- Development of web protocols -- E-mail, chat and text-messages (SMS) -- Browsers -- World Wide Web -- Searching the Web -- Organizing the Web: portals -- Web presence -- Mobile computing -- Automated Web and push technology -- Dynamic Web pages and the form tag -- Embedded scripts -- Peer-to-peer computing -- Social networks -- Web 2.0 -- pt. 6. Business-to-consumer applications -- Symbolic services: information providers -- Online symbolic services: case studies -- Long tail -- Online retail shopping, physical items -- A better model? -- pt. 7. Business-to-business applications -- Data exchange -- Formalized data exchange -- Electronic data interchange (EDI) -- XML -- Web services -- Automated value chain -- Electronic marketplaces -- Outsourcing -- pt. 8. Cloud computing and large data repositories -- Cloud computing -- Collecting data -- Automatic translation -- Case: proofreading -- Case: an adaptive system -- Crowdsourcing -- Cloud data for the individual: a personal assistant -- pt. 9. A digital world -- Continuously online -- Internet and democracy -- Changing the world -- Effects of IT technology -- Afterword.

Information Technology (IT) is conquering the world. It affects our jobs, our lives as private citizens, and society. Its impact is greater than other technologies, such as railways, personal cars, and the telephone. However, while most can understand the potential and constraints of these technologies, IT is often experienced as a "black box," producing its effects without giving a clue as to how they are achieved. The aim of How Information Technology Is Conquering the World is to open this box and to offer a basic knowledge of the technology and how it works. We will then understand why IT can put toll both operators, metro train engineers, and stockbrokers out of a job, but at the same time have limited impact on bus drivers, nurses, and teachers. This book focuses on the interface between the technologies and the real world in order to explore not only where these technologies have their advantages but also where their limitations become apparent. The difficulty of introducing a new technology is emphasized with the practical goal of enabling readers to use technology to full advantage. This book is useful for those involved in, affected by, or interested in the technology; for students taking an introductory course in computing; and for managers and others who are interested in seeing how this rapidly evolving technology will affect their lives, jobs, and businesses now and in the future. -- Publisher description

Print version record.

English.

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