LET’S TECH TOGETHER
Digital Stewards Demystified DIGITAL STEWARDS UPLIFT THE DIGITAL ASSETS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORT PEOPLE IN DISCOVERING AND USING THOSE ASSETS
They are interested in how technology can be used to strengthen a community.
They are patient with people as they learn, knowing that technology is intimidating and can easily frustrate people.
They are curious educators who discover with people and don’t pose as if they have all the answers.
Most importantly, they love to watch people light up as they learn how to harness technology and have fun while they do it.
LOCAL AREA NETWORKS
In 1973, Ethernet was developed by Robert Metcalfe at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, a pioneering center for innovation in technology. Ethernetconnected technology grew in popularity in the mid-1980s, becoming the global standard for wired connectivity. A typical scenario in Ethernet’s early years might involve linking multiple computers together in an office environment using shared coaxial cables, allowing people to share laser printers and data storage. The model pictured above, created by Excelan, demonstrates the possibilities of an Ethernet-wired office in the 1980s. Today, while many people rely on Wi-Fi connections on laptops and smartphones, hardwired Ethernet connections remain a popular option for desktop computers because of their reliable security, speed and stable connection. — KRISTEN GALLERNEAUX, CURATOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE HENRY FORD
PHOTOS FROM THE HENRY FORD ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
50
JANUARY-MAY 2021
DID YOU KNOW? / You can watch excerpts from a candid, no-holds-barred conversation The Henry Ford conducted with Ethernet’s inventor Robert Metcalfe at thf.org/explore/bob-metcalfec