Essays

The new millennium is about to see a complete revolution in the history of mankind- the information technology revolution. Although information technology has already entered the homes, offices and hearts of our global citizens, yet some new feat are likely to be performed by our information technology experts within a period of a few years.

We know that information technology is the fastest growing field in the world India has a major stake in this field and our software experts, hardware firms and information technology specialists have been contributing a great deal towards this ever-growing field. For example, the annual revenues of Indian software industry would touch the US $ 6 billion mark by the year 2000. During 1995-96, the Indian software exports were 16.2 per cent in the global customized software market which is a great achievement keeping in mind that there was an overall recession in most the major economies of the world. Therefore, our interest in information technology is natural as Indians have already made their presence felt in this vital field.

Let us now discuss what lies ahead. We are already aware of mobile phones, pagers, LAN/WAN networks, high speed and thrilling games. Internet and finally, very high quality software for various engineering, scientific and business applications. The information-technology experts are aiming even further. Let us have a look at the future.

The first major area of Information Technology (IT) in the next few years to come would be Electronic Mail (briefly termed as E-mail). This is a high speed communication made through Internet. An E-mail costs less than 1 Rupee per page and can be sent to or received from any corner of the world; this unique facility is already operational in the West. In India, it is catching up fast. It is cheap, economical and efficient. All we need is a computer (a Pentium computer with 32 MB RAM and 266 MHz CPU speed would be good enough), an E-mail connection, a telephone with STD facilities arid a modern card. E-mail would be to medium of communication for the future. It would eliminate the need of postage, courier and telephonic conversation. Data, text, picture, tables and all types of special information can be transferred via the E-mail.

Second most vital area of development would be Electronic Commerce (also called E-com). E-com has already been initiated in Europe and the U. S. A. The concept is simple; we would send an E-mail to the nearest grocery shop for our daily grocery shop for our daily grocery needs. The information would be sent to the grocery shop through Internet and the grocery would be delivered at our door step. The concept of E-com goes even beyond this. Corporate firms would float their tenders and projects through Internet. The vendors, managements consultants, engineering consultants and other business associates would discuss the project on- line through Internet. The costing, calculations, engineering details and prices would be shared on-line. The orders would be placed on-line and the executions would also be through Internet. The information transfer would involve engineering information and all types of text, graphics, tables and figures. The concept of E-com is picking up in the Indian industry as well.

Information technology would make its presence felt in consumer electronics as well. In fact, it has already created new concepts at home and in the office. Examples could be cited of mobile phone trucking systems, computer monitors with facilities of television, digital monitors, high memory Magneto Optic Drives (MO drives).  Digital Video Disks (DVDs) for video applications, STD calls at the rate of Rs. 3 per minute, high definition stereo systems and a host of facilities for the telephone users. These services have not been provided in India with complete efficiency or in all parts of the country. However, it is hoped that within two years, these new gadgets of information technology would storm the markets of urban and rural India.

Another significant development envisaged in the field of information technology is the advent of Internet shops in all the parts of urban India. Internet surfers would be delighted to send E-mail, receive E-mail, surf through various sites of Internet and collect information required by them. Internet is also full of fun. All the magazines, newspapers, city guides, fashion news, movies and other entertainment shows are available on-line on Internet. So, we should not be surprised if the STD booth in our area would have Internet connectivity. Earlier, people were crazy about video games. In the years to come, people would surf through Internet for education, information, business and leisure.

Further, the new millennium would find people communicating with great ease. The mobile communication modes would become very cheap. The price of the mobile phone has already come down. Further, a new technology has been developed which would enable our telephone to be used as a mobile phone. A base set would be connected to the telephone line at our home or in our office. We would carry an instrument like the mobile phone with us. We can communicate with our office or home in which the base set has been installed and there would be no charges payable. The base set would also be able to communicate with the mobile set. Further, if we want to make a call (while we are on the moye), we would be able to do so through our telephone (or base set). But the range of this mobile phone would be limited to 25-30 kms.

Further, another extension to the technology of mobile communication described earlier would be quite thrilling. This is a combination of radio mobile trunking system and mobile phone we would have a base set installed at our office or our residence where we have been allotted the telephone connection. We can have any number of mobile sets which would always be linked to the base set. The mobile sets would -- be able to communicate with the base set at nil cost. Further, the base set would also be able to communicate with them and what is more, the mobile sets would also be able to talk to each other. They would be able to use a single phone connection (connected to their base set) for making mobile phone calls. The entire system would be efficient but would remain limited to a distance of 15-25 kms only. Their range is likely to be increased as the researches in the field yield more concrete results.

Satellite phones would be another feather in the cap of IT professionals in the new millennium. We would have satellite phones for talking to any person across the globe or for sending fax or E-mail to him. Satellite phones are not popular in India. But going by the current trends in IT, we could soon witness major growth in India. Cost is the basic inhibiting factor; when the cost would come down, the satellite phones would be sold like hot cakes.

Information technology would usher the modern man in the era of paperless office. All the offices and homes would Dl' be connected through LAN/WAN networks and Internets.  The Internet connectivity would also be common by the beginning of new century. Information would be collected, analyzed, tabulated, presented and transferred electronically and through cordless modes. The real emphasis would then be on performance and not on paperwork.

Other vital growth areas of JT would include multimedia, animation. Internet, website development. Computer Aided engineering, Computer Aided Design, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Factory Automation and new facilities in telecommunications. The trends are healthy and are likely to spread through the Indian subcontinent. However, resource shortage, industrial recession, policies of the government and above all, global IT trends could adversely affect the growth of the IT products and services in India. Let us hope that the healthy trends spill over into the new millennium.