It’s amazing how solving problems with many things in the fast-paced, high-tech world require us to revert back to basics. So much has changed in the cost, proliferation, and innovation of devices, platforms, and connectivity. Yet, the fundamentals remain as important and relevant as ever.
Remember the C:> prompt? Those of us who were at the beginning of the computing revolution do.
Personal computing, the birthplace of uber-connectivity, had humble beginnings. There were no graphical interfaces. There were lots of manuals. Interconnectivity was rare and difficult. Confusion and frustration reined. Progress was difficult. But the promise of future possibilities was profound. And everything that was promised and delivered was built on top of that old foundation.
Sure, it has proven rickety from time to time. And major gaps (security!) still haunt us to this day. But these are the shoulders of giants that were stood upon. Respecting and understanding those underpinnings is key to understanding how things work now, and to leveraging what we have now into new future possibilities.
