Tag
Computers
Every article tagged Computers across the Atmosphere.
66articles
Articles
Publications
The Tech Coup
The Tech Coup is an insightful, easy read on the various ways in which tech and government intersect and conflict. Given the author's experience in the European parliament, advisory boards and broad involvement with the tech industry, she is well-positioned to expound on tech harms and regulation. The book itself provides a detailed explanation of the state of tech's influence on governments around the world, the US' reactive (or often nonexistent) approach to regulation, Europe's proactive approach to regulation and China's manipulative embrace of technology as a tool for control. I don't believe that markets and technology can save democracy in China, enable it or make it possible. It's used as a tool of surveillance and control, an approach which has been quite successful. What can be fought is the export of China's approach to managing the internet and its people. I do believe that Europe's — at times — heavy-handed approach to regulation is generally the right approach to dealing with large companies, tech and otherwise. The American approach is quite clearly failing as companies capture regulatory agencies, manipulate elections and buy favor with a thoroughly corrupt and vicious federal government. So, how do we solve this? When the government fails the people, when it stops serving the people, the people need to save the people. That will take the shape of embracing truly decentralized technology, abandoning centralized platforms, spending as little as possible with the largest of tech companies, pushing for legislative action at every level and a refusal to engage with companies that actively manipulate their users and corrupt their institutions. Institutional failure doesn't make change it possible, it shifts the responsibility to fight back onto the people those institutions have failed.techpolitics
Processing Cycles
You may not have to imagine a world where air conditioning uses more energy than computing for much longer. Also: As the Commodore turns.computershvac
CSS in Depth
An approachable, thorough and clear explainer on CSS. Handy if you’re new to the language and a nice refresher regardless of how much time you’ve spent with it. Highly recommended.developmentwebdev
Code Dependent
A nuanced look at AI and it's effects on the modern world — it's not as negative or absolutist as I am myself. It touches on some benefits of the technology and focuses in on the human side of its impact. The author raises questions at each step and is objective throughout. It's made clear that technology isn't always good and that the impacts on people touched by AI are often negative. It's thorough, it's fair and the author holds out hope that the technology may yet be used for good. A highly recommended read, even if I remain decidedly pessimistic about the whole thing.computers
The Liaison
How firmware became the layer between our hardware and software experiences. It was only sorta like Halt and Catch Fire.firmwarehardware
The Sneaky Standard
How Intel screwed over a standards body in the midst of giving computer users one of the most resilient technologies around.intelPCI
Counterfeit Computing
Discussing the piratical efforts to rip people off by counterfeiting computer hardware. It’s been happening for more than 40 years.computersapple ii
Sorry State
SSD prices are insanely low right now—but manufacturers focused on bottom line have built computers designed to prevent consumers from leveraging this trend.ssdstorage
The Squeal of Data
The through line between the telegraph and the computer is more direct than you might realize. Its influence can be seen in common technologies, like the modem.computerscomputer history
A Splash of Impatience
Discussing the legacy of splash screens, those annoying windows that appear when you’re trying to load up a giant program on your desktop machine.splash screenloading screen
Friction, Baby
In a world where technology is trying to make things increasingly easier, make things a little harder on yourself. You’ll get better results.productivityfriction
The Artist and the Amiga
Andy Warhol was enamored with the first computer he ever owned—and he didn’t seem all that worried about the risks of disruption.syndicationandy warhol
CISC-y RISC-ness
An unusual type of processor from the early 2000s seemed to offer the best of all worlds—and may be the most inventive approach to the CPU ever developed.transmetarisc
Socket To Me
Why the processor socket, an important part of most desktop computers, lost its upgrade path as computers became smaller and more integrated.computersprocessors
Slot Wars
The battle to replace the standard expansion slot in the IBM PC reflected an effort by two sides of the PC world to gain control. Spoiler: The clone-makers won.computerspc
The Execution of All Things
A list of executable file formats that didn’t make it. That said, if you want to load up an Adobe AIR application, we can’t stop you.executable filesexe
Camper Van Mainframe
Why the first “portable” computers, produced before integrated circuits, would really stretch the term today. Some portables needed a truck to move.computerscomputer history
Plot Point Does Not Compute
On laughably bad uses of computers in mainstream movies and shows, starting with the virus upload in Independence Day.independence dayid4
You Spin Me Right Round, Baby
Before hard drives became the main way for us to back up our stuff, they were a key evolution for the business world. They were also huge and costly.computer historycomputers
Booting Up The Cash Register
Computers didn’t immediately lend themselves to retail, but ambitious early computer retailers sold ‘em anyway. Eventually, they got trampled.computersretail
The Scrolling Orb
The evolution of the trackball, which is more than an upside-down mouse. It's the Royal Canadian Navy’s greatest gift to modern-day computing. Really.mousecomputers
Bog-Standard Multimedia
Why the PC industry standardized on multimedia in the early ’90s, and why that standardization effort didn’t really last.computerscomputer history