Information technology—Which applications?

Abstract After a short discussion of selected characteristics of the information technology (IT) in operation at present, the paper emphasizes and discusses four different views on IT: a denial, a goal, a utility and a craft approach. This is followed by a critical examination of three selected areas to which IT is applied. Electronic data generation and dissemination, or information handling, is exemplified by means of office automation and electronic publishing. Advantages, problems and disadvantages connected to the selected areas are outlined. New concepts, such as ‘downloading’ from mainframes to micros and ‘intelligent knowledge-based systems’, are considered in relation to data dissemination and information retrieval. Today's IT is found to be a valuable support to the experienced customer but of less value to, for example, casual searchers and other less experienced user groups. The paper points to three different approaches applied by the information industry to solve some of the problem areas raised—in particular related to man-system interface: the traditional, the instructive and the automated approach.