@nikitonsky True. But... Also engineers in the 80s:

Is our protocol in any way a set of commands? Let's use Hayes AT commands over a simulated modem connection.

"Engineers used to be so careful with every bit because they were precious."

Actual 80s/90s engineers: we encode binary data in ASCII Hex, basically doubling the size of everything.

"I can test it with my modem software" was the old version of "I can test it with my browser."