What is digital? Easily explained

Our world is digital, that's for sure. However, it does not seem common knowledge what is actually behind the catchphrase and what effects digitalization has on our lives. In the meantime, generations have already been classified according to digital experiences.

Brave new digital world

The digitization of our everyday life is unstoppable and the process is probably no longer reversible. It is therefore important to understand what "digital" actually means.

• "Digital" is derived from the Latin word "digitus", which means "finger". In technology, digital means that something is represented with a limited number of digits.
• Digital technology therefore always processes and transmits information using a limited number of digits.
• The most well-known digital system is the widespread binary system. The binary system consists only of the two characters 0 and 1. These each provide the information whether something is switched on or off.
• Our everyday digital life therefore usually only consists of two simple states: one or off. All digital devices are based on this system. If you consider what you can do with an actually simple information processing, it is fascinating.
• The digital world is not as new as you may think. The first binary system was developed by the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz - and it lived from 1646-1716.
• In common usage, digital is also used as a demarcation from analog technology: e.g. analog radio vs. digital radio. Often, the keyword simply summarizes new technologies, such as smartphones, computers, the Internet, etc.
• Digitization has changed our world. People are divided into two groups today. Generations that have been born since the widespread introduction of digital technologies are referred to as "digital natives".
• In return, the older semesters who still know the pre-digital world are dubbed "Digital Immigrants".
• "Digital Natives" really differ from "Digital Immigrants". Brain researchers have found that, for example, the brain region responsible for thumb movement is significantly enlarged in the former. This is the result of frequent texting. The way of thinking is also changing. Multitasking is a minor problem for digital natives. In return, it is demonstrably more difficult for them to distinguish between important and unimportant. The flood of information from childhood is simply too great.

Cell phones and smartphones are also digital devices. Everyone can use it, but some terms are not easy to understand. That is why we and the next article deal with the topic "Jailbreak" and explain what that means.