Technology
Technology can be thought of as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. From the
invention of the wheel to the harnessing of electricity for artificial lighting, technology is a part of our lives
in so many ways that we tend to take it for granted. As discussed before, the first three components of
information systems – hardware, software, and data – all fall under the category of technology. Each of
these will get its own chapter and a much lengthier discussion, but we will take a moment here to introduce
them so we can get a full understanding of what an information system is.