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Archive: 2021

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Browse By Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 December Arbitrary Calendar Marker Commentary Arbitrary Calendar Marker Commentary December 31, 2021 Arbitrary Calendar Marker Commentary Another year of Tedium is behind us, and gotta say—it’s looking like another thousand years of it. Here’s the tedium you should expect in 2022. Down Is Up, Up Is Down Down Is Up, Up Is Down December 29, 2021 Down Is Up, Up Is Down Pondering why “natural scrolling” exists, despite the fact that the first thing a lot of people do when setting up a new computer is turn it off. Hippos, Punks & Yuletide Cheer Hippos, Punks & Yuletide Cheer December 24, 2021 Hippos, Punks & Yuletide Cheer A look back at a few alternate Christmas novelty songs that may not be on your holiday soundtracks … but definitely should be. You Know, For Kids You Know, For Kids December 22, 2021 You Know, For Kids Pondering the uncomfortable relationship kids and parents have with technology—and making a case that kids deserve the chance to fall in love with gadgets. Old Stories, New Eyes Old Stories, New Eyes December 17, 2021 Old Stories, New Eyes A second opinion on some of Tedium’s stories throughout 2021—including an incredibly unusual coincidence involving braided nylon cables. Give Like You Don’t Care Give Like You Don’t Care December 15, 2021 Give Like You Don’t Care This year’s Tedium gifts-for-strangers guide has a bunch of additional gift ideas from eBay, too. Just wait until you see the boxed water from Farm Aid II. These Eyes Are Trackin’ These Eyes Are Trackin’ December 10, 2021 These Eyes Are Trackin’ Pondering the tale of Gator, a company that created a password manager way back in 1999, but ruined goodwill by going full spyware. (Oops, I mean adware.) Cut-Up Culture Cut-Up Culture December 8, 2021 Cut-Up Culture Pondering how coupons became the lingua franca of the grocery store, and why they might be important to the survival of the newspaper. Booting Up The Cash Register Booting Up The Cash Register December 3, 2021 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. A Linux Labor of Love A Linux Labor of Love December 1, 2021 A Linux Labor of Love The JingPad A1, a flashy new tablet from Linux-land, shows a ton of potential, though you might want to wait for a few rounds of software updates first. November The Can That Always Can The Can That Always Can November 26, 2021 The Can That Always Can The history of WD-40, a chemical substance with an unusual origin story and a rust-fighting ability that has become a standby of workbenches the world over. Dead on Archival Dead on Archival November 24, 2021 Dead on Archival Considering the challenges that face shuttered newspapers with decades or even centuries of material to preserve. Pushing Photos Through Wires Pushing Photos Through Wires November 19, 2021 Pushing Photos Through Wires The technology used to distribute photos through news wire services inspired a whole bunch of innovations with use cases beyond newspapers. Like television. The Scrolling Orb The Scrolling Orb November 12, 2021 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. Open To Conversion Open To Conversion November 10, 2021 Open To Conversion From PCX to TGA to VRML, considering a number of image formats that the world forgot. Not every image standard is going to last, no matter how pretty it is. The Cold Cocktail The Cold Cocktail November 3, 2021 The Cold Cocktail How NyQuil, the over-the-counter cold medicine of choice for millions of sniffling people, innovated by combining a bunch of drugs together in a novel way. October Dancing With The Walking Dead Dancing With The Walking Dead October 29, 2021 Dancing With The Walking Dead Zombies are a big part of pop culture, but songs about them are not—except for one performed by the King of Calypso himself, Harry Belafonte. The Animal Years The Animal Years October 27, 2021 The Animal Years Discussing why anthropomorphism came to dominate early animation, and why that trend never really faded away, while rubber-hose animation quickly did. Embrace Your Inner Stooge Embrace Your Inner Stooge October 22, 2021 Embrace Your Inner Stooge Considering the cultural role of The Three Stooges, one of the most important comedy troupes in history, in the modern day. Would I Lie to Monty Hall? Would I Lie to Monty Hall? October 20, 2021 Would I Lie to Monty Hall? The logic problem involving a game show host that drove people crazy in the early ’90s … and whether it applies to the panel shows of today. Source Tags & Codes Source Tags & Codes October 15, 2021 Source Tags & Codes The saga of the Missouri governor reflects a failure by the powerful to embrace curiosity—curiosity encouraged by the HTML language he fails to understand. Hampster Economics Hampster Economics October 13, 2021 Hampster Economics Pondering how a meme from a quarter-century ago might have gone over in today’s much-more-mature creator economy. Does This Ring A Bell? Does This Ring A Bell? October 8, 2021 Does This Ring A Bell? The chatter around breaking up Facebook makes it a great time to talk about why the last effort to break up a communications giant, AT&T, didn’t really work. Repetition, In Four Parts Repetition, In Four Parts October 6, 2021 Repetition, In Four Parts Pondering the issue of repetition in four different ways, in an effort to not repeat myself. Ever feel like you’re repeating yourself? Read this. Braids of Nylon, Everywhere Braids of Nylon, Everywhere October 1, 2021 Braids of Nylon, Everywhere How braided nylon became such a hip part of our charging cables. Long story short: people like it when their cables feel like rope! September The Story Behind A Box The Story Behind A Box September 29, 2021 The Story Behind A Box The cable converter box, a relic of the cable era of the 1970s, was developed in part by one of the first people to install a cable system. Here’s his story. Yikes! You Call That a Pencil? Yikes! You Call That a Pencil? September 24, 2021 Yikes! You Call That a Pencil? How a pencil made out of compressed particle boards became a schoolyard fad—and what that pencil line has to do with olestra. ACE in the Hole ACE in the Hole September 22, 2021 ACE in the Hole Discussing the unusual legacy of the CableACE Awards, the cable industry’s attempt to promote its quality to subscribers. Eventually, the Emmys did the job. v4 v4 September 18, 2021 v4 Tedium has a new, fresher coat of paint, with a design intended to get you to dive in even deeper, if you so choose. Tedious Failures, Revisited Tedious Failures, Revisited September 17, 2021 Tedious Failures, Revisited A little advice on how to become a successful writer, as explained via lessons on becoming a failed comedy songwriter. Intellectual Pinball Intellectual Pinball September 15, 2021 Intellectual Pinball Q: Following the great video game crash of 1983, where did arcade operators and bar owners go next? A: Trivia games! How I Research Stuff How I Research Stuff September 10, 2021 How I Research Stuff If you’re a longtime reader of Tedium, you might wonder how I manage to uncover so many strange stories. Well, let me tell you. Hopefully it’s inspiring. Vestigial Tales Vestigial Tales September 8, 2021 Vestigial Tales Why the products you use every day, especially electronics, might come with parts or functions you weren’t expecting or have no actual use for. Let’s Go To The Tape Let’s Go To The Tape September 3, 2021 Let’s Go To The Tape Why Memorex, Silicon Valley’s first true startup, evolved into something of a ghost kitchen of computing. I Love LAMP I Love LAMP September 1, 2021 I Love LAMP Giving some well-deserved appreciation to the LAMP stack, a key building block of the modern-day internet that you use daily. It’s everywhere. It may never die. August Renamin’ Cajuns Renamin’ Cajuns August 27, 2021 Renamin’ Cajuns How a somewhat obscure Louisiana university got a gradual name upgrade in the eyes of state law—and of college football (of course). No Sprouts No Sprouts August 25, 2021 No Sprouts Why the fast-casual sandwich shop Jimmy John’s struggled with selling sprouts for so long, despite their obvious health risks. Resident Memories Resident Memories August 20, 2021 Resident Memories How a San Francisco art collective carved a unique path through the creative combination of art and technology. A Downgraded Downgrade A Downgraded Downgrade August 18, 2021 A Downgraded Downgrade Why does it suck so much to downgrade an operating system on a modern computer—particularly, on a Mac—and why do we put up with it? Here’s what I had to do. This Old Scandal This Old Scandal August 13, 2021 This Old Scandal Why Bob Vila, perhaps the most famous handyman in history, may have set the stage for a digital era in which stars aren’t afraid to cash in on their names. Train Tracks Train Tracks August 11, 2021 Train Tracks Pondering how Tom Waits seemingly created the perfect tune for other people to sing. Major rock stars were fighting with one another to cover “Downtown Train.” Package Deal Package Deal August 6, 2021 Package Deal Why did the television industry put so much energy into combining TV sets with VCRs, anyway? It seems like they were everywhere for a while. Plug and Pray Plug and Pray August 4, 2021 Plug and Pray Why an early design decision around the IBM PC created the need for an innovation called plug and play—something we very much take for granted today. July The Things That Go Bump On The Web The Things That Go Bump On The Web July 30, 2021 The Things That Go Bump On The Web Explaining the power of collaborative fiction on the web—particularly the extremely compelling work of the SCP Foundation. (Frozen) Mistakes Were Made (Frozen) Mistakes Were Made July 28, 2021 (Frozen) Mistakes Were Made Exploring the accidental invention of the ICEE machine, and the frozen beverage that changed American summers forever. The Dial-Up Volunteer Army The Dial-Up Volunteer Army July 23, 2021 The Dial-Up Volunteer Army Considering the fact that many early online networks relied on volunteers to help build up their base—until one such network, AOL, got too big. Crashing The Soda Wars Crashing The Soda Wars July 21, 2021 Crashing The Soda Wars The story of Virgin Cola, Richard Branson’s bold attempt to take on Coca-Cola and Pepsi at their own game. Of course it failed, but it did so stylishly. Changing The Channel Changing The Channel July 16, 2021 Changing The Channel Analyzing the complicated state of affairs, and the long goodbyes, that come when one TV network or cable channel replaces another. Here are 10 examples. Slot Insecurities Slot Insecurities July 14, 2021 Slot Insecurities What the heck is a Kensington security slot, and why does your computer probably have one? And how well does it really work, anyway? No Computers Allowed No Computers Allowed July 9, 2021 No Computers Allowed Thinking about what, exactly, remote work and the creator economy looked like before all these computers got in the way. Bog-Standard Multimedia Bog-Standard Multimedia July 7, 2021 Bog-Standard Multimedia Why the PC industry standardized on multimedia in the early ’90s, and why that standardization effort didn’t really last. A Slow-Burning Hot Take A Slow-Burning Hot Take July 2, 2021 A Slow-Burning Hot Take The modern day evolution of charcoal actually has a lot in common with early automobiles. (At one point, some argued charcoal should replace gasoline!) June Ribbon-Cutting Overkill Ribbon-Cutting Overkill June 30, 2021 Ribbon-Cutting Overkill The evolution of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, as seen through the sharp blades of a huge pair of ceremonial scissors. Did a bridge just open nearby? Billboard Empire Billboard Empire June 25, 2021 Billboard Empire The evolution of the billboard, an object that very much tends to keep pace with the times. Who doesn’t love outdoor advertising? ProtoAppStore ProtoAppStore June 23, 2021 ProtoAppStore Assessing the landscape of the app store concept in the years before it became an idea “originated” by Apple. The prior art is strong with this one. The 2021 Sparks Spectacular The 2021 Sparks Spectacular June 18, 2021 The 2021 Sparks Spectacular As a new documentary on Sparks appears in theaters, let’s take a moment to celebrate the unique band's tremendous 50-year music career. Slackers vs. Strivers Slackers vs. Strivers June 11, 2021 Slackers vs. Strivers How a pair of books with dramatically diverging philosophies came out in the same year—and fittingly, the more upright one became better known. Wrapped Up Wrapped Up June 9, 2021 Wrapped Up Discussing the radiant techniques required to shrink-wrap an object before you buy it. You can thank frozen turkeys for making it possible. Electric Ink Analysis Electric Ink Analysis June 4, 2021 Electric Ink Analysis A lot of innovation has been happening in the e-paper space, to the point where the technology can be used for far more than reading. Would you want to? Home Security Insecurities Home Security Insecurities June 2, 2021 Home Security Insecurities Wait, so why could changes to the cellular system cause headaches for your home security setup? And honestly, is it really that big of a deal? May A Tailgate for the Ages A Tailgate for the Ages May 28, 2021 A Tailgate for the Ages In less than 20 minutes, two filmmakers captured a magnificent moment in music history. Heavy Metal Parking Lot is turning 35, and we’re ready to celebrate. A Home for Mobile Linux A Home for Mobile Linux May 26, 2021 A Home for Mobile Linux The $149 PinePhone isn’t a perfect device, but the nuanced ecosystem it’s going to build for Linux-based smartphones is going to be amazing. Retro Psychology Retro Psychology May 21, 2021 Retro Psychology Two memory scholars published a 1983 book on the psychology of video games. What elements of gaming culture are still with us, and what have faded away? It’s Not Delivery, It’s … It’s Not Delivery, It’s … May 19, 2021 It’s Not Delivery, It’s … The evolution of the frozen pizza, the ideal form of sustenance for people who have an oven, a microwave, or an aversion to delivery. (Possibly all three.) Phar Too Ambitious Phar Too Ambitious May 14, 2021 Phar Too Ambitious The story of Phar-Mor, the pharmacy chain that decided that just being a pharmacy chain wasn’t interesting enough and tried to beat Walmart. The World Of Whiteboards The World Of Whiteboards May 12, 2021 The World Of Whiteboards The whiteboard, despite being designed specifically for schools at first, became a huge hit with the business world before schools really embraced it. Boot Vector Boot Vector May 7, 2021 Boot Vector How the live CD, now an essential part of playing around with Linux-based operating systems, found its early footing using a widely mocked disc variant. Worked For Me Worked For Me May 5, 2021 Worked For Me Why it seemed like Hooked on Phonics commercials were everywhere in the 1990s—and why the cassette-tape program was a lot more controversial than you remember. April The 509th-ish Issue Extravaganza The 509th-ish Issue Extravaganza April 30, 2021 The 509th-ish Issue Extravaganza Tedium writer David Buck gets a bit nostalgic about finding Tedium in just about everything over the past four years. Especially weird music. The Letter in the Window The Letter in the Window April 28, 2021 The Letter in the Window The wacky and surprising history of NYC restaurant inspections. That letter grade is a lot more effective than you might think. The Other Q The Other Q April 23, 2021 The Other Q The unusual state of affairs that may have helped to resurface a pop-music enigma left unsolved for nearly three decades. So Much Stuff Out There So Much Stuff Out There April 21, 2021 So Much Stuff Out There It’s been a while since we’ve done a grab bag, so let’s grab that bag and see what’s inside. Hesitancy On Display Hesitancy On Display April 16, 2021 Hesitancy On Display Why the active-matrix LCD panel, despite largely being invented and developed by American companies, was never really manufactured in the United States. Too Terrible For Television Too Terrible For Television April 14, 2021 Too Terrible For Television For decades, TV networks have spent millions of dollars on unsold pilots that will never become series. Here's how they've tried to recoup their investment. Europe’s Big Tech Bet Europe’s Big Tech Bet April 9, 2021 Europe’s Big Tech Bet How the European Union invested heavily in local manufacturing of microprocessors … only for that technology to become completely globalized anyway. March They Might Be Trailblazers They Might Be Trailblazers March 31, 2021 They Might Be Trailblazers One Brooklyn duo embraced a DIY aesthetic and technology to forge a successful musical career. No Shortage of GPUs Here No Shortage of GPUs Here March 26, 2021 No Shortage of GPUs Here What makes a GPU a GPU, and when did we start calling it that? Turns out that’s a more complicated question than it sounds. Novell Cooperation Novell Cooperation March 24, 2021 Novell Cooperation How a networking software company with an unusual approach to competition nearly convinced Apple to bring MacOS to Intel computers in the early ’90s. Newsletter, Untethered Newsletter, Untethered March 19, 2021 Newsletter, Untethered There’s no real reason you have to use a platform like Substack to send email. If you want to get into making a newsletter of your own, understand your options. Tangential Juice Innovation Tangential Juice Innovation March 17, 2021 Tangential Juice Innovation The story of how we got the juice box is really the story of how we got a lot of other things first. And those things look like rabbit holes. Caddy Confusion Caddy Confusion March 12, 2021 Caddy Confusion Trying to answer a complicated question for myself, as a computer user during the multimedia era: Why did the CD-ROM caddy exist, and why didn’t I have one? Even Better Than The Real Thing Even Better Than The Real Thing March 10, 2021 Even Better Than The Real Thing The history of the fake electronics that you sometimes see in furniture stores or in houses for sale. No, that 60-inch flat-screen TV doesn’t turn on. 37’s Signals 37’s Signals March 5, 2021 37’s Signals Explaining why analog television sets never had a channel 37, despite TVs generally able to tune it. Turns out some scientists simply needed that channel more. Thunderbolt Road Thunderbolt Road March 3, 2021 Thunderbolt Road How Thunderbolt, the ultra-fast connector that recently turned 10, started life with a completely different look. (Fun fact: $400 Thunderbolt 3 cables exist.) February Ignoring The Warnings Ignoring The Warnings February 26, 2021 Ignoring The Warnings Two decades later, a parable about safety in sports—one that led to the death of a NASCAR legend—feels more relevant than ever. Marketing That Sticks Marketing That Sticks February 24, 2021 Marketing That Sticks From Big Red to Juicy Fruit to brands not made by Wrigley, chewing gum has surprisingly catchy and effective marketing with a lasting impact on pop culture. Distorting The Electron Gun Distorting The Electron Gun February 19, 2021 Distorting The Electron Gun Discussing the process of degaussing a CRT screen, which is a surprisingly awesome way to spend a Saturday afternoon with a magnet. Scanning And Sorting Scanning And Sorting February 17, 2021 Scanning And Sorting How the banking industry, with an assist from tech, turned an incredibly frustrating, manual process—sorting checks—into an excellent example of automation. I’m Controlling Your Cursor I’m Controlling Your Cursor February 12, 2021 I’m Controlling Your Cursor The evolution of remote desktop access, and why it’s a bad idea for water supplies to be managed through remote desktop access without decent security measures. Windows, Minimized Windows, Minimized February 10, 2021 Windows, Minimized Windows CE was supposed to power everything but the PC. But its identity was seen as a threat to Windows proper. Tab It Your Way Tab It Your Way February 5, 2021 Tab It Your Way How the power-user web browser Vivaldi has managed to maintain a flexible design philosophy in an era when so much is decided for you online. 2001: A Gaming Odyssey 2001: A Gaming Odyssey February 3, 2021 2001: A Gaming Odyssey A look back at 2001, a pivotal year for online gaming. The big-name publishers weren’t really ready, but fan games more than filled the gap. January Canada’s Vegas Vacation Canada’s Vegas Vacation January 29, 2021 Canada’s Vegas Vacation The tale of the star player you’ve probably never heard of … unless your definition of “football” extends past the Canadian border. Respect Your Power Users Respect Your Power Users January 27, 2021 Respect Your Power Users Pondering why, in the internet era, it has become so common for big tech companies to treat their power users like dirt. (Yes, this is about Google Reader.) Dr. Koop’s Digital Korner Dr. Koop’s Digital Korner January 22, 2021 Dr. Koop’s Digital Korner How famed U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, at the age of 82, became an internet entrepreneur, and why his namesake website burned out, fast. Power Struggle Power Struggle January 20, 2021 Power Struggle The most quietly innovative thing that emerged from the latter half of the ’90s was the on-battery power meter. It was the subject of a complex patent battle. Speaking of Klingons … Speaking of Klingons … January 15, 2021 Speaking of Klingons … The Klingon language remains relevant to today’s culture and continues to evolve in surprising ways. (Finally, you must be thinking, some Star Trek content.) The Default Router The Default Router January 13, 2021 The Default Router How Linksys’ most famous router, the WRT54G, tripped into legendary status because of an undocumented feature that slipped through during a merger. Nothing Lasts Forever Nothing Lasts Forever January 8, 2021 Nothing Lasts Forever The key thing to remember about this week’s Congressional chaos is that it seems to be in the rearview. Here are some thoughts about renewal and fresh starts. Correcting An Error Correcting An Error January 6, 2021 Correcting An Error Why error-correcting memory, long an obscure computing concept, suddenly has major relevance outside of the server room. At least according to Linus Torvalds. Thoughts On Flash Thoughts On Flash January 1, 2021 Thoughts On Flash Pondering the demise of Adobe’s Flash through shifting approaches to digital creation these days—and why we may not have anything quite like it again.