spring 1996 topic

[DAVID GRASSMICK <JZMM@MARISTB.MARIST.EDU>]

what is notably missing from any of the "information technology'
topics are words like new, electronic, computer, or digital.

folks up on trendy information technology programs, like
the multi-media graduate program at NYU profiled in Monday's
New York Times, would recognize that folks in the field
consider things like pencil and paper, videotape, 78 RPM
records, slides, film, cardboard, oil paints, and such
to be "information technolgies"

in the "Communication Revolutions" course we teach here, we
remind our folks that things like roads were once considered
(and are still considered by the military) as lines of
communication, hence things like asphalt could be considered
an information technology...

my sister-in-law, an accountant by trade, reminds me that
corporate "information officers" might consider a cost
accounting system to be an "information technology," and
also might find things like the algorithims used in
amortization calculations interesting "technology"
problems.in most businesses, the information officer
deals with financial data and the "technology officer"
deals with the computers, the phones, the copiers, etc.

in other words, information technology need have little to
do with things like computers, telephones, or anything
electronic.  cases on subjects like developing a better
acid free non-bleached paper would be perfectly consistent
with how many folks teach and use the phrase "information
technology."

a closing thought--its not to late to vote for mexico--and
maybe even (since you sign your ballot) you might want
to consider changing your votes . . .

david grassmick

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