What is the difference between Information Systems and Information Technology


Answers:
Information Systems is a large umbrella referring to systems designed to create, store, manipulate, or disseminate information. Example of an information system is a pencil and a piece of paper. The two objects themselves are just tools, but together they create a system for writing (information). The term Information systems has been around a lot longer than the computer, or the term information technology. These days the two are sometimes thought to be synonymous, but that, in most cases is a misconception.

Information technology falls under the information systems umbrella, but has nothing to do with systems per say. IT deals with the technology involved in the systems themselves, e.g. an information system like wiki.answers.com contains many information technologies. Servers, server operating systems, web-server software (IIS, Apache, et al), and code written for the web-server software (PHP, C#, VB, PERL, Ruby, et al). Even your computer and browser make up part of this information system. Like the pencil and paper example, each one of the mentioned parts of this information system in itself is an information technology.

That being said, most people in the profession no longer make a distinction. Moreover, companies call their IS/IT department a wide range of titles based on more on culture and tradition than anything else.

ad
Relevant answers:
  • What are the differences between Information Systems and Information Technology?
    Information Systems is a large umbrella referring to systems designed to codify, gather, create, store, manipulate, or communicate information. Some examples of information systems are: A coding...
  • What is the difference between an Information technology and Information System?
    I believe that Information Technology refers to everything to do with the 'How' of it like which computer/program/modem/wireless/general equipment is available. The Information System deals more...
  • What is the difference between Information technology and Business information Systems?
    It is the evolution of electronic devices that aid the access to information or data. Computers, servers, mircrochips, etc are all part of electronic devices that give things like your dell or HP...
  • What is the difference between information technology and information systems by authors?
    Information Systems is a large umbrella referring to systems designed to create, store, manipulate, or disseminate information. Example of an information system is a pencil and a piece of paper. The...
  • What is the difference between Information System and Information Technology?
    IT is more concerned with technology creation or what we can call IT Artefacts, while IS is concerned about the usage (by people) of these technologies, and their social implications or effects. IT...


  • Can you answer these questions?