The apocryphal origins of the Hot Dog Stand color scheme

This blog post explores the rumored origins of the infamous Windows 3.1 Hot Dog Stand color scheme, suggesting it was a challenge to create the worst possible theme. The story, shared by an attendee of a 1997 UI design seminar, remains unverified but offers an intriguing perspective on the theme's creation.

The struggle of resizing windows on macOS Tahoe

This blog post discusses the usability issues caused by the large corner radius of windows on macOS Tahoe, making resizing windows difficult and error-prone.

When irate product support customers demand to speak to Bill Gates

This blog post from Microsoft's Devblogs explains a procedure used by product support when irate customers demanded to speak with Bill Gates. If a customer insisted on speaking to Bill, the technician would transfer them to a special phone number where operators pretended to be Bill Gates's secretary, informing the caller that Mr. Gates was unavailable but would get back to them. The customer's message and contact information were logged and supposedly passed to Bill Gates, though it's unclear if he ever received them.

Boing

It’s hard to justify Tahoe icons

This blog post critiques Apple's implementation of icons in macOS Tahoe, arguing that they are cluttered, inconsistent, and poorly designed. The author highlights several design flaws, including lack of differentiation, inconsistent use of metaphors, and excessive detail in small icons. The post emphasizes the importance of adhering to established icon design principles, which Apple seems to have ignored.

Writing Windows 95 software in 2025

Stewart Cheifet Has Died

This obituary for Stewart Douglas Cheifet, a renowned television producer and host, highlights his life and achievements, including his work on PBS programs Computer Chronicles and Net Cafe, and his contributions to the field of technology and education.

Apple iOS 27 to Be No-Frills ‘Snow Leopard’ Update, Other Than New AI

How to Stay Sane in a World That Rewards Insanity

In a world where extremism is rewarded, individuals who embrace extreme positions gain immediate benefits such as certainty, community, and influence, but at the cost of long-term intellectual flexibility and the ability to solve complex problems. To maintain sanity, one must diversify their information sources, distinguish between stakes and truth, and seek communities that value humility over tribal loyalty, even if it means sacrificing immediate rewards for the ability to think clearly and adapt beliefs over time.

A machine to sort a million pounds of LEGO

A machine designed to sort a million pounds of LEGO, developed by LegoSpencer, can be explored further at https://basically.website/sorter-v1. For updates on Sorter V2 and the open-source project, visit https://basically.website/sorter-v2. The project was showcased at Great Brick Lab's warehouse, with source code available on GitHub.

The Untold Story of the Secret Mission to Seize Nazi Map Data

During World War II, a covert U.S. Army intelligence unit, led by Maj. Floyd W. Hough, scoured war-torn Europe to capture invaluable Nazi map data, significantly aiding Allied forces and shaping post-war global order. Their mission, conducted in utmost secrecy, resulted in the largest cache of geographic data the U.S. ever obtained from an enemy power, providing a pivotal advantage in global conflicts to come.

Behind the scenes on how Windows 95 application compatibility patched broken programs

Windows 95 ensured application compatibility by using compatibility flags and, in rare cases, patching problematic programs with vendor permission. Patches were stored in the registry and applied based on detection strings, which matched file attributes or contents. If a match was found, the patch was applied to the program, often changing or appending bytes to correct issues. This approach allowed for efficient and targeted fixes, ensuring that programs ran smoothly on the new operating system.

macOS Icon History — Basic Apple Guy

The Basic Apple Guy blog explores the history of macOS system icons, highlighting the dramatic shift in design with macOS 26, which introduced the Liquid Glass aesthetic featuring softer, shinier icons. The blog aims to document the evolution of these icons over the years, excluding beta versions, and will continue to update the collection throughout the summer.

Why Nietzsche Matters in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Gene Therapy Aims To Slow Huntington’s Disease To A Crawl

Researchers have made significant progress in developing a gene therapy to slow the progression of Huntington's disease, a fatal genetic disorder causing brain degeneration. The treatment involves a custom-designed virus inserted into specific brain areas, delivering DNA to produce microRNA fragments that reduce mutant huntingtin protein levels, slowing disease progression by 75%. Initial trials showed promising results, with patients maintaining better motor function and brain tissue preservation. Despite complications like brain surgery and potential side effects, the therapy could offer a one-time treatment, with plans for market release by 2026.

The Strange Depression Switch Discovered Deep Inside The Brain

Researchers discovered a 'switch' in the brain that can induce profound depression within seconds through electrical stimulation, highlighting the brain's complex emotional circuitry and the potential for manipulating emotions with electricity.

The Mozilla Museum (2000)

The Mozilla Museum, a nostalgic collection of images and information about Mozilla, the mascot of Netscape, showcases various aspects of Mozilla's life and legacy. The site, last updated in 2000, includes galleries, animations, and historical references to Netscape's early days, alongside user experiences and comparisons with other browsers like Internet Explorer and Opera. It also features a collection of pages designed to crash older browsers, highlighting the quirks and bugs of the time.

2 passenger planes nearly collide shortly after taking off from LAX

Two passenger planes narrowly avoided a midair collision shortly after taking off from LAX, with Laurie Perez reporting that the incident occurred just five seconds before a potential disaster.

Europe deciding whether 6 GHz is Wi-Fi or cellular space

Europe is facing a decision on whether the 6 GHz spectrum should be allocated for Wi-Fi or cellular use, with the Wi-Fi Alliance and Dynamic Spectrum Alliance advocating for Wi-Fi, while mobile operators push for exclusive cellular use. The European Commission's Radio Spectrum Policy Group is exploring spectrum sharing, but concerns remain that Germany may favor mobile networks, potentially influencing the decision. The outcome will impact Europe's digital development and spectrum efficiency.

I am Mark Zuckerberg

Mark S. Zuckerberg, an Indiana bankruptcy attorney, shares his name with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, leading to frequent confusion. Despite having no connection to tech or social media, he offers dependable legal advice and has faced numerous challenges due to mistaken identity, including multiple account suspensions and hacks on his personal Facebook account. He humorously embraces his unique situation and aims to provide trustworthy bankruptcy help to Hoosiers.

E.W.Dijkstra Archive: Home page

Edsger Wybe Dijkstra, a pivotal figure in computing science, made significant contributions to algorithm design, programming languages, and operating systems. His extensive correspondence, known as 'EWDs', has been compiled into a web archive, offering access to his unpublished manuscripts. The site includes indexes, transcriptions, and translations of his works, as well as video and audio recordings of his lectures. Dijkstra's legacy is honored through the Dijkstra Prize and Memorial Lectures, and his influence is evident in various blogs and commemorative articles.

The Sega Master System

The Sega Master System, released in 1985, was designed to compete with the Famicom (NES) and serve as an upgrade to the SG-1000. Despite being categorized as a third-generation console, its hardware closely matched the second-generation ColecoVision. The Master System offered significant improvements over its predecessor, including more CPU and video memory, a larger ROM capacity, and enhanced graphics capabilities. While it competed with the Famicom, the Master System's design philosophy was more straightforward, making it easier to program compared to Nintendo's more complex systems. The console's legacy includes its influence on later Sega systems and its role in bridging the gap between the SG-1000 and the more powerful Sega Genesis.

Microsoft's lack of quality control is out of control

The Register's opinion piece critiques Microsoft's declining quality control, once legendary, now infamous for repeated issues like Azure outages and problematic Windows updates. The company's shift from traditional testing to Agile methodologies, including layoffs of testers, is blamed for the decline. Despite slowing down release cadences, quality has not improved, leading to frequent service disruptions and user frustration. The article questions Microsoft's competence and suggests the term 'legendary approach to quality control' should be retired.

Why I don't love Rust (either)

The article discusses various aspects of Rust, highlighting its strengths in error handling and predictability but also pointing out issues with control flow, language bloat, compile-time evaluation, low-level obfuscation, unsafe code, async programming, and the standard library. The author appreciates Rust's safety and performance but criticizes its complexity, long build times, and integration challenges, concluding with a balanced view of the language's pros and cons.

Archive.today: FBI Demands Data from Provider Tucows

The FBI has issued a court order demanding that the Canadian provider Tucows hand over user data for the mysterious website Archive.today, which allows users to access previous snapshots of web pages and is often used to bypass paywalls. The site's operators, who have been operating without strict rules, are now facing potential penalties for non-compliance. The FBI's interest in the site may stem from copyright issues, unclear financing, or suspicions about the operators' origin, with some evidence suggesting they may be based in Russia.

The US Army in Germany is advising its soldiers to use the local German food banks during the shutdown

A government shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations before the September 30, 2025, deadline has impacted services at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria installations, including Rose Barracks, Tower Barracks, Hohenfels, and Garmisch. While life, health, and safety services continue, many other services are suspended or reduced. Essential services like military police, fire department, and vehicle registration remain operational. However, services such as Army Community Service, education centers, and some logistics services are closed or have reduced hours. Emergency service orders are in effect, and the Garrison encourages staying informed via social media and the My Army Post App.