Computing
Non-AI computing: networks, servers, hardware, software engineering, and digital security and privacy.
#3471: What OS Actually Runs Inside a Siemens PLC?
Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff — the OS choices inside modern PLCs are more varied than you'd expect.
#3454: Bluetooth Range Lies: How to Get Audio Through Concrete Walls
Your phone's Bluetooth antenna can't punch through concrete walls. Here's the dedicated transmitter that can.
#3450: Who Actually Buys a Luggable Computer?
The people who need a 27-inch workstation in a hard case. Military, oil rigs, and live events.
#3446: Where to Clip a Speaker for the Best Sound
Tiny placement changes dramatically alter sound. Learn the physics of where to clip your speaker for the best audio.
#3431: How YouTube Stores 500 Hours of Video Every Minute
YouTube's videos are shredded, replicated across global servers, and stored at a cost approaching zero. Here's how.
#3425: How Cellular Coverage Fails in Tunnels and Skyscrapers
Why your signal drops between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv — and how leaky feeder cables fix tunnels.
#3403: Why Clip-On Speakers Beat Headphones for Parents and Workers
Clip-on speakers solve problems headphones can't. Who uses them, what they clip onto, and which ones are actually good.
#3399: Why Mail a Disc to Your In-Law?
Cloud backups are durable. Physical backups give you sovereignty. Here’s why both matter — and how M-Disc fits in.
#3358: Why Spies Still Use Dead Drops in 2026
Encryption is everywhere, so why risk a physical exchange? The answer reveals the limits of digital security.
#3346: How $500M Trades Actually Work (Not Venmo)
No, fund managers don't have a "send $50M" button. Here's the actual plumbing behind $145 trillion in assets.
#3334: Can a City Physically Run Out of Internet?
The internet can't run out like water — but your neighborhood can. Here's the physics and economics behind throttling.
#3322: Desk Pets: Local AI on Your Desktop
Are desk pets useful tools or expensive Tamagotchis? We break down the local AI, privacy tradeoffs, and psychology behind these devices.
#3289: From Breadboard to PCB: Your First Board Design
You can code and breadboard. Here's how to cross the gap to custom PCBs with free tools and minimal risk.
#3228: Bulk Ethernet by the Reel: Where to Buy, What Size, Is It Worth It?
Where to buy bulk Ethernet cable by the reel, what spool sizes exist, and whether crimping your own beats pre-made cables.
#3227: Reading the Blink Codes on Your Network Switch
Your switch LEDs tell you exactly what's wrong — if you know how to read them. Here's the diagnostic language of blinking lights.
#3226: Why Your Phone Must Stay in Airplane Mode (Even With Starlink on the Roof)
The paradox of phone bans vs. onboard Starlink, explained through physics, paperwork, and Swiss cheese safety models.
#3225: Why Loose Batteries Can't Fly in Checked Bags
Thermal runaway, Halon blind spots, and why your laptop is fine but a power bank isn't.
#3224: Pink vs Silver: The Truth About Anti-Static Bags
Pink poly bags don't actually shield your components. Here's what does.
#3223: Handcuffed to a Petabyte: Urgent Physical Data Transfer
When data moves faster by plane than fiber, couriers handcuff petabytes in reinforced cases across oceans.
#3222: How Petabytes Move at Light Speed
From 40 gig to 3.2 terabit—the hidden infrastructure moving science data at unimaginable speeds.