The modern world is a kaleidoscope of electronic gadgets and systems that make possible things we only dreamed about as kids. Thanks to our electronic world, you can buy a house from your cellphone, see what the night sky looks like in real time on the other side of the world, or profit from nanosecond differences in trading times in the stock market. All before you get out of bed.
Just like my “modern” guitar friends, many people seem to take it for granted that the digital systems that underlie these miracles – the Internet, for example – are eternal. So when I hear someone make plans that assume uninterrupted connectivity, I think to myself: “What if the power goes off?”
Which brings me to one of the most frightening ideas I’ve come across in a while.
A U.S. tech giant is reportedly working on a software platform based on … Read the rest