BOOK REVIEW

IT for All
N Panchapakesan

Introduction to Information Technology V Rajaraman Prentice Hall, India p.370, Price:Rs.225/-, 2003.

Information Technology (or IT) has become very important for society in the last thirty years. Most of us associate it with computers, internet, e-mail, e-banking, e-governance and other such words. We know that it needs difficult programming languages and other software besides the hardware. The need for IT is felt by everyone, whether one is studying history, economics, commerce, accountancy, sociology, law, physics, chemistry or the life sciences. Most universities and technical institutions have introduced a compulsory course in IT in the year of entry. A good text book would make the job of teaching this course considerably easy. Fortunately an eminent computer scientist who is also an experienced teacher and communicator has recently authored a book, which fully meets most of the needs of the students and teachers in this field. Though a textbook, it is quite different from most textbooks. The topics it covers, seem to answer many questions which have arisen in the minds of computer users. The topics it

covers seem highly relevant to our daily needs. It is very user friendly. It uses examples of day-to-day life like, railway reservation, bank transaction, using a washing machine, to illustrate the subject. Most textbooks, specially, of science build up of structures which are considered essential for the understanding of the details of the subject. These are uninteresting, even downright boring, and put off the student by dampening his/ her initial enthusiasm. The style of this book is totally different. It goes to the heart of the matter like a knife through butter. This is to some extent due to the familiarity of students with computers and the terminology associated with them. It is also due to a difference in approach which emphasise(s) reasonably stable fundamental ideas on which ... (information) technology is built and evolves. It does not emphasise routine operations of computers. The book is designed as an introductory core course, a first course, for undergraduate university students in Information Technology. (Preface p xiii). The book begins with an introduction to a computer and a description of the data it deals with. IT is primarily concerned with acquisition, storage, processing and organizing of data. Data can be numerical, text, image, audio or video. To receive and store numbers they have to be represented in binary form. This is because the basic storing device is a two state device, which can be taken to be 0 or 1. When dealing with large numbers it is easier if one deals with hexadecimal numbers system in which there are 16 (24) basic numbers. To store images we need pixels, which are sensi-

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BOOK REVIEW

tive to light, and scanners. As the amount of data needed for representation goes on increasing, we need to have methods of compressing the data without losing quality. GIF and JPEG, which are familiar to many of us, who store photographs in computers, are actually compression codes standardized in the industry. Such discussions in the book are detailed enough to demystify the concept, but at the same time avoid drowning the reader in unwanted detail. A discussion of the digital camera provides information useful to any user. When audio data is stored, Nyquist sampling theorem guides us. This is discussed as well as the MP3 format, now used by all music lovers. When video data is acquired one uses the MPEG format. All this is introduced simply in the first five chapters. The next set of four chapters discuss devices needed for storage, processing and dissemination of data. For this a main, secondary and an archival memory are needed. The average size of the memories and their basic construction are then described. Memories can be ROM (read only memory) or RAM (read and write memory) or others like flash memory used in digital cameras. The central processing unit or CPU is the active brain of the computer. In washing machines and fuel injection system of cars it can be embedded in a chip. Next output devices like monitors, and printers like inkjet and laser printer are discussed . The next five chapters, 10 to 14, deal with software. Beginning with operating systems and basic input output systems (BIOS), higher programming languages are

described. They are classified into categories like algorithmic, object oriented, mathematical, publishing, etc. An introduction to database and spread sheets is also given. Word processing and formatting documents are part of these chapters. The network and internet are then discussed in chapter 15. Markup languages like html and xml are used in web browsers. They are described along with a short history of world wide web and URLs. Search engines like Altavista and Google and processing of multimedia data is also covered. Chapters 16 and 17 relate to business management and ecommerce which discuss system architecture and also data encryption. Legislation like the US Congress Act of 1998 and the Indian Information Technology Act (2000) are also discussed. In the final chapter 18 societal concerns like privacy, security, integrity of information and job opportunities are also discussed.. The discussions are lucid, conversational and hardly use any mathematics beyond multiplication. Anyone who wishes to go more into depth can consult books listed or go to the internet, where a host of other resources are available. A general observation is that the book gives a lot of information. I found it easy to absorb it in the early chapters when it dealt with what I had experienced with my computer. In the later chapters like Business Information Systems one has to persevere harder. I suppose the course goes along with hands-on time on the computer. Applications to specific

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examples, like some Business Systems in a little bit more of detail will also be welcome. Some small projects like getting specific information from the internet or formatting a document would be useful. This would provide the familiarity with content and motivation for learning details. This will also help in assimilation rather than memorizing. Of course in a first course even if one or two later chapters and some parts of earlier chapters are left out there is enough material to constitute a very remarkable course. After initial experience and feedback, one could even advise teachers on what to cover in a one semester or one year course. The exercises are basically of the recall type, though there are a few demanding calculation. Some of the exercises draw attention to information, which is

important but seems to be casually introduced in the text. Thus BIOS gets a fleeting mention in chapter 7 but a question in the exercise draws attention to it. There is a slightly more detailed discussion in chapter 10.2.1, where there are more questions in the exercises. More provocative exercises will certainly emerge when feedback comes in from teachers. The book believes more in economy and simplicity, rather than in volubility and elaborate descriptions. On the whole I can only feel grateful that books like these are being written for our students. I only wish we could have similar books in other science subjects.
N Panchapakesan, Ex. Prof. of Physics, Delhi University, K-110, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 018, India. Email: panchu@bol.net.in.

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