The two digits, 0 and 1, together described as binary code, also called bits, used for representing words and also images, traced to the binary number system, invented by Gottfried Leibniz (1646 - 1716) in 1689, accounting virtually for the heart and soul of all electronic devices, may not be familiar to anyone among lay people, found flaunting mobile phones, a scene that is hard to miss anywhere, cities or villages nowadays. Even the term digital technology that has metamorphosed life in every conceivable way may not mean much to most people, including the literati, even as they have no option except to use the various devices in daily life such as bank transactions, communicating with others, far and near, keeping personal data stored with security, entertainment, keeping abreast of the happenings around the world as well as their immediate surroundings, teaching children aided by visuals and what have you. Digital technology has witnessed giant strides from the era of mammoth-sized computers to that of laptops and ipads, not to forget further advances making yesterdays devices obsolete today.
The practice of making children at primary school stage to learn the tables and apply the knowledge, aided by memory, to become arithmetic-able is passé nowadays. Thanks to the mobile phone with multiple uses, the device is virtually a hand-held calculator, not to forget its extensive use in shooting pictures and videos.
