We become so reliant on technology when it works that we completely overlook the fact that nothing is guaranteed in the world of technology.
When technology works, it works fantastically well. When it doesn't it can bring a person to tears. (I'm serious about that. On of the very first jobs I had, I watched as the person who was responsible for the network sat at her desk and wept because the network was just not working. And, trust me, this was in the days when you really needed a degree in rocket science to get any of this stuff to work.
Today, not only does it work, but it is "point-and-click" simple to set up things like networking, which, in the old days, could literally take days to get working and weeks to get working right.
But the fact of the matter is that you can't rely on technology. There, I've said it! You have to have a "Plan B" - backup - plenty of backup. (You can't have enough backup - but that's fodder for another post.)
How many conferences have you endured when the speaker couldn't get their presentation software to work, or the internet was painfully slow and their demonstration was more a demonstration on how not to do things?
I've found great solace in just assuming that the technology will not work and plan accordingly. In the event it does work, then I am a happy camper and my presentation virtually sings!