Think of it: the lowest common denominator in being digital is not your operating system, modem, or model of computer. It's a tiny piece of plastic, designed decades ago by Bell Labs' Charles Krumreich, Edwin Hardesty, and company, who thought they were making an inconspicuous plug for a few telephone handsets. Not in their wildest dreams was Registered Jack 11 - a modular connector more commonly known as the RJ-11 - meant to be plugged and unplugged so many times, by so many people, for so many reasons, all over the world.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Digital connectivity relies on simple, universal standards like the RJ-11 jack rather than complex hardware.
- In plain terms
- The key to being digital is a small, old plastic plug, not a fancy computer.
- What can you take from it?
- Simple, universal standards enable widespread digital connectivity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What simple tools enable complex systems?
- How did old tech shape the future?
Another view
Modern connectivity increasingly relies on fiber and wireless rather than RJ-11.
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