Computer+Apps+Vocab

=Computer Applications Vocabulary=

What is //Technology//?
People's use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The [|prehistorical] discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the [|wheel] helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent [|technological developments], including the [|printing press], the [|telephone], and the [|Internet], have lessened physical barriers to [|communication] and allowed humans to interact on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of [|weapons] of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from [|clubs] to [|nuclear weapons]. Technology has affected [|society] and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced [|economies] (including today's [|global economy]) and has allowed the rise of a [|leisure] class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as [|pollution], and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its [|environment]. Various implementations of technology influence the [|values] of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of [|efficiency] in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms. Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the [|human condition] or worsens it. [|Neo-Luddism], [|anarcho-primitivism], and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, claiming that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as [|transhumanism] and [|techno-progressivism] view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other [|primates] and certain [|dolphin] communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations. (Definitions taken from [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology)]
 * Technology** is a broad concept that deals with the usage and knowledge of [|tools] and [|crafts], and how it affects the ability to control and adapt to the [|environment]. In human society, it is a consequence of [|science] and [|engineering], although several technological advances predate the two concepts. "Technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as [|machines], [|hardware] or [|utensils], but can also encompass broader themes, including [|systems], methods of [|organization], and [|techniques]. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "[|state-of-the-art] technology".

What is //Innovation//?
The term innovation may refer to both radical and incremental changes in thinking, in things, in processes or in services (Mckeown, 2008) The goal of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better. Innovation leading to increased productivity is the fundamental source of increasing wealth in an economy. ...innovation is typically understood as the successful //introduction// of something //new// and //useful//, for example introducing new methods, techniques, or practices or new or altered products and services. "An important distinction is normally made between invention and innovation. Invention is the first occurrence of an idea for a new product or process, while innovation is the first attempt to carry it out into practice" (Fagerberg, 2004: 4) Innovation occurs when someone uses an invention or an idea to change how the world works, how people organize themselves, or how they conduct their lives. A convenient definition of innovation from an organizational perspective is given by Luecke and Katz (2003), who wrote: //"Innovation . . . is generally understood as the successful introduction of a new thing or method . . . Innovation is the embodiment, combination, or synthesis of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services.// (Definitions taken from [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology)]

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