KB: x509/ITU/OpenSSL
From Morse Code to OSI: How Modern Networking Standards Came to Be When we talk about modern networking—things like OSI layers, digital certificates, and global interoperability—it’s easy to forget that the roots of all this go back to the mid-1800s , long before computers existed. This post summarizes how communication evolved from Morse code to the OSI model , and why the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was formed in the first place. The Original Problem (1800s): Communication Didn’t Cross Borders Cleanly In the early days of telegraphy, countries built their own systems independently. Even though electrical signals could travel over wires, there were major issues: Different versions of Morse code Different electrical characteristics (voltage, timing, polarity) Different operating procedures Different administrative and billing rules As a result, messages often broke down at national borders . A signal sent in one country might not be correctly int...