Inside arXiv—the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science
On the library’s side, some people thought Ginsparg was too hands-on. Others said he wasn’t patient enough. A “good lower-level manager,” according to someone long involved...
The Best Programming Language for the End of the World
Coding in Forth reminded me of the lawless dystopia in Mad Max. You make your own rules, subject to the limits of the context. You can...
The Worm That No Computer Scientist Can Crack
The Santa Ana winds were already blowing hard when I ran the first worm simulation. I’m no hacker, but it was easy enough: Open a Terminal...
Microsoft at 50: An AI Giant. A Kinder Culture. And Still Hellbent on Domination
No question about it: Nadella’s Microsoft is a triumph. Finally, in the 2020s, Microsoft has centered on the most innovative tech since the PC itself. And...
Meta Missed Out on Smartphones. Can Smart Glasses Make Up for It?
Meta has dominated online social connections for the past 20 years, but it missed out on making the smartphones that primarily delivered those connections. Now, in...
Intel Is Cutting More Than 15,000 Jobs Despite Getting Billions From the US Government
In a move likely to raise a few taxpayer eyebrows, Intel said today that it will cut 15 percent of its workforce, or more than 15,000...
Back to BASIC—the Most Consequential Programming Language in the History of Computing
For someone just getting into this weird craft, BASIC felt positively thaumaturgic. It was spellcasting: You uttered words that brought iron and silicon to life, and...
The Eternal Truth of Markdown
Markdown became a core part of how I wrote. The simplicity and flexibility meant I would live the dream of write once, run anywhere. It did...
Apple’s iPhone Browser-Choice Option Sucks. Its Competitors Have Ideas to Improve It
A few representatives from smaller browser companies also expressed that they wanted more information included with Apple’s choice process, like definitions of what a browser is...
Google Parent Alphabet’s Spending on Acquisitions Cratered in 2023
Pennies were pinched in Mountain View last year. For much of its existence as a public company, Google had made a headline-grabbing acquisition at least once...