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Information Technology: Inside and Outside
David Cyganski
John A. Orr
Richard F. Vaz, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

ISBN-10: 0130114960
ISBN-13: 9780130114969

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2001
Format: Paper; 338 pp
Published: 10/26/2000
Status: Instock

Suggested retail price: $106.00
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For a one-semester, undergraduate course that introduces the basics of information technology and engineering for students outside the electrical engineering and computer science disciplines.

Assuming no formal engineering or computer science education, this book prepares students from various disciplines to take advantage of new information technologies. The goal is to teach leadership skills that students can utilize throughout their careers, rather than just survival skills.

Java-based applets on CD-ROM included—Contain examples and exercises which enable students to experiment with the principles described in the text.
- Allows students to vary parameters and observe results, letting them see the underlying principles of information technology in action. Ex.___

Accessible to all college-level students—Assumes use of only high school math and science background.
- Brings information technology to those with little prior experience, and develops a solid understanding of the concepts of information technology. Ex.___

Laboratory exercises require only standard PC hardware—Designed for use in standard computer labs or on the student's own computer.

Exercises develop a substantial understanding of the ideas behind digital technology through the development of modern communication and Web skills, while building mathematical, computer, and science knowledge.

(NOTE: Each chapter begins with an Introduction and ends with a Summary and Try These Exercises.)

I. INTRODUCTION.

1. What is the Information in the Information Revolution?

Information, Messages, and Signals. Examples of Information Systems. Representing and Quantifying Information. Analog and Digital Information. The Move Toward Digital Information Technology.

2. The World Wide Web: A Unique Product of the Information Age.

Why Introduce the Web This Early in the Book? What Is the Web, and Why Was It Created? The Origin of the Web. How the Web Solves Our Document Distribution Problem. How the Web Was Won. The Success of the World Wide Web. The Structure of the Web. Technologies That Enhance the Power of the Web. Java and the Web.

II. FUNDAMENTALS OF BINARY REPRESENTATION.

3. Representing Information in Bits.

Information and Its Representation. The Search for an Appropriate Code. Bits as Building Blocks of Information. Convenient Forms for Binary Codes.

4. The Need and Basis for Data Protocols.

Using Protocols to Organize Information. Saving Information: Tapes, Disks, and CDs. Protocols for Sending Data. Word Processor and Web Protocols.

III. GRAPHICS AND VISUAL INFORMATION.

5. From Real World to Images and Video.

Images: Information Without Words or Numbers. Cameras and Image Formation. Human Visual Discrimination and Acuity. Other Types of Image Formation. Converting Images to Bits. Binocular Vision and 3D Displays. From Images to Video.

6. Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality.

Synthesizing Images. Two Ways to Store Images. Displaying the Bit-Mapped Image. Display Device Formats. From Numbers to Images. Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The Organization of a VRML Scene. Placing a Surface on a Virtual Object.

IV. DATA COMPRESSION.

7. Compressing Information.

Why Can Information be Compressed? Messages, Data, and Information. Information Theory. Probability-Based Coding. Variable Length Coding. Universal Coding.

8. Image Compression.

Image-Specific Compression Methods. Lossless Image Compression. Virtual Lab Demonstrations of Lossless Compression. Lossy Compression.

9. Digital Video.

Video Compression. MPEG Video Compression. Digital Television.

V. BANDWIDTH AND INFORMATION THEORY.

10. Audio as Information.

The Physical Phenomena Underlying Sound. From Sound to Signals. Limitations on Human Hearing. Sinusoidal Frequency Components. The Frequency Content and Bandwidth of Audio Signals. Frequency Content of Audio Signals.

11. Sampling of Audio Signals.

Sampling an Audio Signal. Reconstructing Audio from Samples.

12. Digital Audio.

Digitization of Audio Samples. The Process of Quantization. Quantization Noise. Adding Up the Bits: Home CD Players. Reconstruction. Other Applications, and a Few Tricks.

13. The Telephone System: Wired and Wireless.

The Original (Analog) Telephone System. The Digital Telephone System. Cellular Telephone Systems. Satellite Telephones.

VI. TRANSMISSION AND STORAGE TECHNOLOGY.

14. What Is Bandwidth and How Is It Used?

Real-Time Data Transmission. Delay Time and the Speed of Light. Finite Data Rate and Real-Time Transmission. Physical Origin of Bandwidth Limitations. Fiber-Optic Transmission. Human Laws Set Limits Too! Pulse Transmission Limits and Bandlimits. Information Rates above the Pulse Rate.

15. Wire and Fiber Transmission Systems.

Wire as a Transmission Medium. Fiber-Optic Cable.

16. Radio Frequency and Satellite Systems.

Overview of Radio Communications System Design. Satellite and Other Long-Distance Communications Systems. The Global Positioning System.

17. Large Capacity Storage.

Magnetic Disks and Tapes. The Compact Disc. Digital Versatile Disk. Future Digital Data Storage Media.

VII. NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET.

18. Telephone and Data Communications Networks.

Circuit-Based Networks. The Packet-Switched Connection.

19. The Local Area Network.

Datagram Packet Switching. The Ethernet.

20. Organization of the Internet.

How Would You Organize Universal Mail Delivery? What Makes up the Backbone of the Internet?

21. Electronic Commerce and Information Security.

Threats to Information Security. Security Services. Data Security and Cryptosystems. Computationally Secure Symmetric Key Cryptography. Public Key Cryptography. Digital Signatures. Digital Certificates. Electronic Commerce.

22. Voice Over IP and the Convergence.

Circuit-Switched Telephone Systems. The IP Packet Connection. How to and Why Move to VoIP?

Appendix A: ASCII Character Codes.

Appendix B: Related Organizations.

Appendix C: Example Projects.

Glossary.

Index.

Management of Technology (Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering)
Introduction to Electrical Engineering [CORE TEXTS] (Electrical and Computing Engineering)
Freshman Electrical Engineering (Majors) (Electrical and Computing Engineering)
Engineering Management [OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST] (Industrial Engineering)
Multimedia Information Systems [OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST] (Electrical and Computing Engineering)
Introduction to Engineering [OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST] (General Engineering)

Reviews
Backcover Copy

"It's critical for persons in all areas of business to have some familiarity with the rapidly evolving world of communications. This book was the basis for a course at Lucent Technologies focused on introducing financial managers to this area. The material was very successful, got very positive reviews all around, and will continue to be a key part of our education of non-technical managers in important infrastructure markets, technologies, and capabilities."—Donald K. Peterson, Chief Financial Officer, Lucent Technologies

This book presents the underlying engineering behind information technology that is transforming our economic and social systems so dramatically. It addresses a need that has arisen from the impact information technology is making on all professions, technical and non-technical. Understanding of information science and engineering, underlying high performance computing and communications is relevant for students from all disciplines today. Covering a broad range of technologies and assuming no formal engineering or computer science background, this book prepares readers to become active practitioners and leaders in the on-going information revolution. Using technology to educate the reader about the technology, the accompanying CD contains links to a set of Java-based virtual laboratory experiments. The integration of Java and Java Script-based applets with the book greatly enhances the presentation of material by allowing the reader to experience the underlying components of information technology in actin, rather than merely in description.

Companion Website
Cyganski, Orr & Vaz
©2001 | Prentice Hall | On-line Supplement; 0 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0130310093 | ISBN-13: 9780130310095

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