Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Why VCDs Kinged Southeast Asia: It Wasn't Just the Mold

2025-07-15

This article explores why VCDs and Laserdiscs were more popular than VHS tapes in humid Southeast Asia. While mold damage to VHS tapes was a factor, economics played a far larger role. VCDs were cheaper, smaller, easily duplicated and distributed, making them the dominant format, especially in the rampant piracy scene. Laserdiscs, while offering better quality, were too expensive for most consumers. The author recounts personal experiences in Singapore, illustrating the VCD market's dominance and its competition with VHS.

(rubenerd.com)

Misc

Solving the Dual-Computer Single-Monitor KVM Puzzle with a USB-C Combiner Box

2025-05-24

The author uses a MacBook Air and a FreeBSD desktop connected to a single Dell 4K monitor in their home office. The MacBook Air connects via a single USB-C cable providing power, DisplayPort video, and a USB 2.0 hub for mouse, keyboard, and webcam. However, the FreeBSD desktop only connects via a separate DisplayPort cable, requiring frequent unplugging and replugging of peripherals when switching computers. To solve this, the author explores using a USB-C combiner box to convert the desktop's DisplayPort and USB signals into a single USB-C signal, enabling convenient switching between the two computers on a single monitor without the inconvenience of a full KVM.

(rubenerd.com)

Hardware

The End of Message (EOM) Marker: A Retro Email Efficiency Hack

2025-03-11

A blog post revisits a 2005 email tip from 43 Folders: adding (EOM) to the subject line to indicate the entire message is in the subject, eliminating the need to open the body. This is highly efficient for high-volume email recipients. The author notes this might work well internally or within established organizations, but could be confusing in general email use.

(rubenerd.com)

Misc email tips

Do I Hate Money? No, I Just Don't Like It

2025-02-26

The author received an email from an Australian financial company with the subject line "Do you not like money?" This sparked the author's reflection on money. The author doesn't "like" money; instead, they view it as a necessary tool for survival. The author prefers what money provides—food, shelter, hobbies, travel, etc.—rather than the money itself. The author finds the idea of "liking" money unsettling.

(rubenerd.com)

Misc outlook on money personal reflection attitude towards life

Why 'Boring' Tech Is Actually the Best

2025-02-11

This article argues that 'boring' technology, exemplified by NetBSD, is superior in system administration and architecture. 'Boring' implies predictability, reducing unexpected failures and maintenance headaches. Mature technology boasts comprehensive documentation, an active community, and a proven track record, not simply age. While ubiquity isn't the measure of 'boringness', mature technologies are generally easier to understand and maintain, thus lowering costs and improving reliability. The author concludes that NetBSD's 'boringness' is precisely its greatest strength.

(rubenerd.com)

Development

Top 10 Tech Joys of 2024: A Tech Writer's Retrospective

2024-12-28

In a year-end reflection, a tech writer shares his ten biggest tech-related joys of 2024. These include the fun of learning Python, inspiration from online creatives, the thrill of modernizing retrocomputers, the enduring usefulness of XML, the positive experience of Mastodon, the simplicity of NetBSD and Alpine Linux, the resurgence of boutique hosting, the satisfaction of hardware repair, and the clean elegance of plain HTML. The post concludes with heartfelt gratitude for reader feedback.

(rubenerd.com)

Tech Programming Online Community

Retrocomputing: Replacing a 386/486 CMOS Battery

2024-12-23

Older 386/486 motherboards often have leaky NiCd or NiMH batteries that can damage the board. This guide details a simple alternative: using three AA batteries and a battery holder. The author compares using a CR2032 and a Tadrian 3.6V Lithium cell, ultimately opting for three AAs due to ease of use, no motherboard modification, and the ability to use rechargeable batteries. Other replacement methods are mentioned, including using a CR2032 holder and Schottky diode, and utilizing an external battery header on the motherboard if present.

(rubenerd.com)

Hardware battery replacement

Is Saving Online Content Worth It? A Blogger's Reflection

2024-12-21

While organizing his online bookmarks, blogger Ruben Schade discovered that most of his years of accumulated links were broken or altered, leading him to reflect on the meaning of preserving online content. He realized the ephemeral nature of the internet and the vulnerability of even the Internet Archive. Although he has saved a large amount of potentially worthless personal blogs, podcasts, and videos, he believes these constitute valuable time capsules of personal memories and history, worthy of preservation. Ultimately, he argues that the value of saving online content lies in its historical significance and personal memories, while the challenge lies in how to achieve efficient and economical preservation.

(rubenerd.com)

Misc online archiving digital legacy