In today’s world, technology often gravitates toward unnecessary complexity, with bloated software and intricate systems like AI dominating development. I believe we should prioritize simpler methods that empower humans, avoiding overcomplication that can lead to inefficiency, loss of control, and even economic disruption.
Most of us view technology as computers or electronics, but even a chair, glasses, and the stairs we climb are technologies that aim to address human needs.
Several years ago, during a hiking trip, I had a fascinating conversation with an engineer about the fax (facsimile). While fax machines are often mocked, their underlying technology offers a powerful lesson in designing simple, human-centered tools.
The Fax Machine: A Model of Simplicity
A Brief History
In 1846, Alexander Bain invented a chemical device that reproduced graphical shapes via the telegraph, laying the groundwork for fax technology. By 1865, after improvements by other inventors, the first commercial telefax service connected Paris and Lyon. Nearly a century later, in 1964, Xerox introduced the modern fax machine—a device many of us love to hate, especially if you’re old enough to recall its quirks.
Why the Fax Machine Matters
The fax machine, in both analog and digital forms, embodies simplicity. It scans a page, attaches metadata, and transmits it using basic signals like radio waves or sound to produce an identical copy elsewhere. This process doesn’t require complex systems like AI, relying instead on straightforward electrical wiring or software.
Digital fax machines use a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a microprocessor that converts analog signals to digital and vice versa. Using simple copper wires and telephony filters, it translates human-audible sounds into metadata and shapes. Software-based solutions, like SpanDSP and protocols like T.38 for Fax over IP (FoIP), further streamline this process.
Consider this: with basic electrical or audio signals, we can achieve reliable results without overthinking the design. Once fax machines became commercially available, anyone who could use a printer or dial a phone could operate one—provided the machines and supplies were affordable—hence it’s an intuitive system.
The Consequences of Overcomplication
I’m old enough to remember floppy disks, which stored multiple applications in minimal space. These programs used little RAM yet delivered impressive functionality. Even complex software managed with multiple disks, swapping data as needed, without demanding excessive resources other than storage space for its resources.
These resource-efficient designs highlight the drawbacks of today’s complex systems, which carry serious consequences.
Modern technology often abandons simplicity, with serious consequences. For example, containers like Docker or Podman require complex network stacks, registries, proxies, gateways, and often privilege escalation. A simple .tar.gz file with statically compiled binaries or a .rpm/.deb package with clear dependencies could suffice. Ecosystems like Kubernetes amplify this complexity, increasing development time, maintenance costs, and error risks, while distancing users from intuitive control. Developers often need to manage multiple database or server instances or build custom dependency instructions. This can slow execution or create security risks, such as running containers as ‘root’ or ‘Administrator’ when a ‘nobody’ user with Linux capabilities would have sufficed.
Similarly, AI is often treated as the ultimate tool, overshadowing simpler alternatives. Its complexity—while powerful—shouldn’t dominate every solution. The “all-or-nothing” mindset, where AI is seen as the only path forward, risks sidelining human labor entirely. This could have dire economic consequences: if AI automates most work, people may lose access to jobs and income, potentially rendering currency obsolete as economic power shifts to machines. Instead of complementing human efforts, AI becomes a replacement, eroding the human-centered purpose of technology.
A Call for Simpler, Human-Centered Design
Overcomplication doesn’t just make technology harder to use; it risks inefficiency, user alienation, and economic instability. Just because we have abundant computing resources doesn’t mean we should bloat software or rely solely on AI. Technology should empower humans, not overwhelm them or render their contributions obsolete.
The fax machine reminds us that simplicity can be powerful. By prioritizing straightforward, human-centered design, we can create tools that enhance our lives, preserve human agency, and maintain economic stability. Let’s think simpler, ensuring technology serves people first.
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