In order to support an activity, a computer has to be able to represent that activity. And in order for this to happen, the activity itself must be reorganized. He cited bar codes and smart cards as examples of activities that have been reorganized for computer capture. I can't emphasize that enough. There is a huge variety of installed systems that just work a certain way, and it's very difficult to get out of those patterns.
New technology is new only in some senses.
The NII is not monolithic or inevitable. There will be developments in 10 other important things, like containerized freight, which are just as consequential for the things that we're talking about. It's easy to lapse into single-factor talk.