We have met the Devil of Information Overload and his impish underlings, the computer virus, the busy signal, the dead link, and the PowerPoint presentation.
James GleickRead
Strangely enough, the linking of computers has taken place democratically, even anarchically. Its rules and habits are emerging in the open light, rather shall behind the closed doors of security agencies or corporate operations centers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The interconnectedness of computers has developed openly and without centralized control, contrasting traditional methods of governance.
James Gleick's quote highlights how the evolution of computer networks has occurred in a democratic manner, characterized by openness and transparency, rather than being dictated solely by powerful organizations or government entities. This reflects a shift in how technology can foster collaboration and innovation free from authoritarian oversight, leading to a more communal and accessible digital landscape.
Themes
ComputersDemocracyOpennessTechnologyInnovation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire discussions during technology conferences about the importance of open-source software.
More from James Gleick
All quotes →A good part of 'The Information' is about the transition from an oral to a literary culture. Books effected such a great transformation in the way we think about the world, our history, our logic, mathematics, you name it. I think we would be greatly diminished as a people and as a culture if the book became obsolete.
James GleickRead
I'm trying to look at many, many things in modern life that I believe are going faster, and I'm trying to look at why they're going faster and what effect they have on us. We all know about FedEx and instant pudding, but it doesn't mean we've looked at all the consequences of our desire for speed.
James GleickRead
Everything we care about lies somewhere in the middle, where pattern and randomness interlace.
James GleickRead
Every time a new technology comes along, we feel we're about to break through to a place where we will not be able to recover. The advent of broadcast radio confused people. It delighted people, of course, but it also changed the world.
James GleickRead
"Half genius and half buffoon," Freeman Dyson ... wrote. ... [Richard] Feynman struck him as uproariously American-unbuttoned and burning with physical energy. It took him a while to realize how obsessively his new friend was tunneling into the very bedrock of modern science.
James GleickRead
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