B-book
Computers are used to process data and produce useful information.
Terminology
Bit
A binary digit. Either a
Byte
A collection of 8 bytes. Aka. octet.
Octet vs Byte
In the early days of computing, a byte wasn’t always 8 bits - different computers used different byte lengths ranging from 1 to 48 bits. An octet specifically refers to 8 bits and was used to avoid ambiguity, especially in networking protocols. Over time, the 8-bit byte became standard and now byte and octet mean the exact same thing, though octet remains common in networking contexts.
Information
Computers can process various types of data. When a communication link (such as Internet) is provided, the data can be transferred to other users despite of distance. The computer and communication technologies that made this possible are together referred to as information technology or IT (or, sometimes as information and communication technology or ICT). Computers are therefore at the heart of IT.
An information system is a system with well-defined procedures and techniques to collect, store, process, and disseminate information.