The compound microscope is a device that was invented to extend the function of the human eye. In this role, the microscope has served many uses and has become synonymous with science unlike any other instrument. It still serves as a ubiquitous instrument in research and medicine, mounted on many a desk or benchtop. However, the emergence of digital imaging, novel photophysics, broadband communications, search engines, and analytical software have created a new context for the glass-and-metal instrument familiar to so many. In this blog, we will span the range from presenting large scale trends and applications to the fine details of implementation of all these elements in the particular context of digital pathology.