Explore the significance of telemetry in modern software development through this 19-minute conference talk by Owen Diel from Grafana Labs. Gain insights into the speaker's unconventional journey into the software industry and discover how open source technologies empowered his career. Examine the evolving role of monitoring in managing increasing system complexity, from reactive problem-solving to proactive change evaluation. Learn about the expanding scope of monitoring and its importance in simplifying external complexities for both technical and organizational benefits. Delve into the advantages of Prometheus as a monitoring solution and understand how it addresses the challenges of growing system intricacies. Reflect on the broader implications of telemetry in the context of open source, cost considerations, and the democratization of technology access.