The
last decade of the 20th century saw the explosion of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) across the globe. Never before in human history
had technology advanced as rapidly, and had as far-reaching an impact on the economy
and society as it did during this period. The Internet, the symbol of this technological
revolution, had reached over 50 million people in a span of four years since its
launch, while the radio took close to four decades, and the television over a
decade to reach the same number.
The
impact of ICTs is today visible in almost every sphere of human engagement. Be
it education, business, governance, medical treatment, or entertainment, one can
see the sweep of ICTs everywhere. From the simple word processing in the office
to the complex modeling in a science establishment, it would be hard to imagine
such work not being done on a computer today. Millions use the information superhighway,
the `Internet', everyday to mail, to talk or to simply surf the World Wide Web.
The ubiquitous cellular phone is the preferred means of communication in many
countries today with usage costs getting lower with every passing year. ICTs have
brought down the barriers of time and distance that constrained the flow of information,
and hampered communication. The personal computer, the Internet, the landline
and the cellular phones that are at the heart of this information revolution have
permeated into our lives to a degree where we feel hamstrung when any of these
stop functioning for a brief while. |
