You may as well ask, "Why communicate and keep records?" The fact is that information technology has existed since the emergence of multi-cellular, complex life forms began to develop complex brains. After all, although animals operate on a level we may think of as “instinctive,” they still require information to survive – where to find food, where to find a mate or spawn, how to avoid predators, etc. This information is stored and processed in even the most rudimentary brains.

Of course, the information needs of humans have grown a lot more complicated since our early ancestors climbed down from the trees and began to walk upright – and particularly over the past ten thousand years. The problem is, the human brain and its basic processes have changed very little over that period of time.

 

Table of Contents

Disclosure.............................................................................................................5

Introduction: Why I.T.?..........................................................................................6

Chapter 1 – I.T. - A Primer....................................................................................8

A Short History of Information Technology........................................................9

The Neolithic Period and the Bronze Age......................................................9

The Hellenistic World...................................................................................11

Early Programmable Devices......................................................................12

Communications and Information Storage...................................................14

Information Technology Since 1980............................................................16

Information Technology Today........................................................................17

Types of Information Tools and Media............................................................19

Personal Computer......................................................................................19

Storage Media.............................................................................................21

Internet Options and Communication..........................................................24

Chapter 2 – Getting Started................................................................................26

Assessing Your I.T. Needs..............................................................................27

Desk and chair.............................................................................................27

Bookcase/Shelves.......................................................................................29

Table............................................................................................................29

Telephone (And Phone System)..................................................................30

Computer and Monitor.................................................................................32

Printer, Copier, FAX Machine......................................................................34

Other I.T. Options............................................................................................35

All Those Bells And Whistles; Do You Really Need Them?.........................36

Getting It Cheap..............................................................................................40 3

Chapter 3: Getting Set Up...................................................................................43

IT For Small And Home-Based Businesses

Setting Up Your Workspace............................................................................43

Organizing the Worktop...............................................................................44

Peripherals and Office Supplies...................................................................45

About Wireless Technology.........................................................................46

Getting Online.................................................................................................48

Dial-Up.........................................................................................................49

Satellite........................................................................................................49

DSL..............................................................................................................50

T1 and T3....................................................................................................51

A Word Of Caution.......................................................................................51

Networking: The Intranet.................................................................................51

Sharing Printers and Programs....................................................................58

About Sharing Programs.............................................................................62

Protecting Yourself And Your Business...........................................................66

E-mail Issues...............................................................................................68

Computer Care And Maintenance...................................................................71

Protecting The Hardware.............................................................................72

Software Maintenance.................................................................................74

Chapter 4 – Taking It On The Road....................................................................83

Staying Connected..........................................................................................83

The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)..........................................................84

Accessing The Office Computer..................................................................86

I.T. In The Great Outdoors..............................................................................86

Notes..................................................................................................................89

Appendix 1: Taking Advantage of Tax Savings..................................................90

Appendix 2: An Short I.T. Glossary.....................................................................92

Appendix 3: Where To Keep Up With The Latest News...................................103

Bibliography......................................................................................................104 4

IT For Small And Home-Based Businesses

 

Consider an average human living in Mohenjodaro (ancient India) some 5,000 years ago. Their IT system consisted of carving symbols on stone. The human brain was capable of processing about 500 word-symbols per minute. Carving on stone was a slow process, requiring perhaps as much as an entire minute to carve one word-symbol.1

 

Today, even a low-end desktop computer can process millions of words per second – yet the human brain continues to

IT For Small And Home-Based Businesses

process about 500 words a minute. We are, at our present stage of development, simply incapable of absorbing, processing and storing all the information that we encounter today. Yet we can take advantage of the processing power of our electronic servants to do things faster and more accurately than ever.

 

 

And much, much more ...

 

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