Virtually every network we have, the water network, the telephone network and the electric power network has enormously complex components that are hidden from consumers. Consumers have rather simple devices that access these enormously complex networks. In the PC era, we had a complex devices connected to a complex network. With the Internet, this all started to change. We could take all of the complexity out of the end user devices and move that complexity back into the network and then supply consumers with a very, very simple device.
-Larry Ellison, CEO, Oracle
The above commentary has stayed with me for some time as the impact of the core idea is enormous. Too often we look to show off the complexity of the network we are delivering to show how much we know about it. That may make us feel better, but it is exactly the opposite of what a consumer or business is really looking for. It is not what they value.
So the challenge for us all is to look for complex networks in what we do and begin a relentless mission to deliver it with the simplicty that rivals a basic telephone, water faucet and light switch.