Much of the routine work in business offices such as recording information, writing and sending messages, calculating, gathering and analyzing data has been taken over by machines. The functions can now be performed more quickly and efficiently and the time thus saved can be med lor more challengine and stimulating tasks. Traditionally, machines such as telephones, typewriters calculators and duplicators have been in use in offices for a long time. But now electronics han brought about a revolution in our information secuty. Every second, communication networks formed by telephones, telex printers, radio stations and satellite links transmit millions of messages from one place to another. Under its impact the process of mechanization has gained momentum and forward


looking organizations are moving quickly towards having a paperless office Before we discuss the advent of electronics in offices and describe some of the latest devices of communication technology, let us briefly look at the significant changes it has brought about.


[1] Manual writing or traditional typewriting has been replaced by devices capable of producing neater and more legible documents at a faster pace.


(u) Automation has reduced the incidence of error and the chances of fraud and has led to an increase in output.


(i) The boredom and fatigue caused by clerical work in handling and manipulating data has been considerably diminished.


(iv) New devices of storing data have led to enormous saving in space.


(v) Routine office work has become accurate, casy, convenient and cost-effective.


ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS.


We shall now briefly describe the new machines that have made the performance of communication tasks far more effective. Of these, the most important machine to enter the office is the computer. Ita uses are manifold: planning, research, accounting, and record storage. It is also a part of the techno logy, that through internal and external networks assists the processing of information, the handling of correspondence, and the preparation of documents such as reports, proposals, etc.


To perform these tasks, a computer system can be hooked to other computers to form inter network systems. This network, popularly called Internet, has become a powerful medium of  information storage and dosentation the would never, consung every concern alle latter treated by caste, crved, religion and grographical distance. A work donged to share data and resources among several computers, avcally perumal computers, brated on a fimated gevographical arra sach as a buikling or an ollee on called LAN (Local Area Network) aberrat, a niwisk of grograplacalle distant computers and terminals is termed as WAN Wide Area Network The maraton put on WAN becsames instantaneously available to this ads of organises and mood At persent, laternet consists of more than 11,000 imer comarried companer nefworks The comment growth rate of 20% a month may suwo wake Internet a household arverus hår a telephone connection


The most exciting part of lnterpet is the last growing regen of obset own as Harld War Wik WWW) The Web coments of thousands of intricately, interlinked sites called "hower pagat up be ne screen wwwing in the form of calenthud magane siile pages with wis, paple, wed atanmation and videw form


To be connected is WWW, vor need an automatic set up with an anlame service sa läretat acom provides, which will then give you a bowser lhor explaing the Welt. A Wid user is a witware that enables you to "browse through' and view web sites. It helps locate the kind of information on looking for and also indicates Inks with related wegments of formation. The comuni uwd wel browsen are


Mazosoft Internet Explorer


Netscape Navigator


NOSA Mosan


Sometimes a group of people track or work on a project together, generally wing etmask ing and database technology for that purpose, they develop what is termed as grapner ge colla borative softwar


Later in this chapter, we have discused in more specific terms the fachtes available on the Internet and described several methists of formation esa hange, storage, disemation and repeo ductron. But let us first look at the mam components of the computer and its hue fonctions.


Computer


A crampanter is an electrons the lane that can work with numbers, words, or a subutation of num bers and words to produce data output It has theve man pais lampa bi antal phersing and CPV and (c) the output The CPU is the man body of the computer


Input A muniber of input devers are available and still, new one's are constantly being developed and anirodored. We will have a look at the unes most commoth awil


Punded card readers normally use the Stt colunan pourbed card Cards are panhed, gructals by hand and automathe key panies Then correctors os sented and these are thet sent the card trader in batches abere the reader sensus the encoded avessage and niputs it into the computer's remoty


Punched paper tape reader have als bera mine fot a long time. As in paper card wader, characters are represented on the tape by panctung holes along the width of the tape thavan allitental advantage over the card tradgas it is fastet, suoples and cheaper. Muscover, being Jeso bulky, it is eaty to trampost. Mitedetails are given latet in this chapter.