Technology
Hardware, software, networking, and development
#3866: What's Actually Inside Your Plastic Storage Bin?
Two bins can both say "polypropylene" — one lasts two years, the other two decades. Here's why.
#3865: The Spudger Problem: Thin vs Strong
Why pry tools bend and what materials science says about the perfect spudger.
#3864: How to ID Mystery Metal Before You Drill
A practical workflow for identifying unknown metals before you engrave, drill, or grind them at home.
#3863: Mohs Scale to Dremel Bits: What to Buy First
From Friedrich Mohs to your Dremel: what hardness means for engraving wood, metal, glass, and stone.
#3858: Why We Carve: 75,000 Years of Marking What Matters
From a Dremel in Jerusalem to 75,000-year-old cave engravings — the ancient impulse to make a permanent mark.
#3824: How Small Markets Fix Broken Consumer Protection
Why big box stores ignore you when there's nowhere else to shop — and what Singapore, New Zealand, and Norway do differently.
#3817: Hide Your Desktop in a Closet: The Gear You Need
USB4, Thunderbolt 5, and active cables now let you stash your PC in another room. Here's how.
#3815: Should You Rack-Mount Your Desktop PC?
Tower form factor fighting you? We explore when and how to rack-mount a desktop for better serviceability and cooling.
#3808: Tracing a Packet: 3 Home Switches vs the Internet Backbone
Three home switches add 36 microseconds. Your cable modem adds 5-15 milliseconds. Let's follow a packet from phone to Google News.
#3807: Why Cloud Servers Cluster in Only a Dozen Cities
Submarine cables, carrier hotels, and network effects concentrate cloud infrastructure in just 15-20 metro areas worldwide.
#3804: Stateful Firewalls vs. Modern Threats
Is a basic firewall still enough in 2026? We break down what each security layer actually catches—and misses.
#3803: Can You Touch Your Cloud?
Boutique cloud operators let you visit your rack. Here’s how dedicated hosting works in 2026.
#3802: What's Really in That Private Network Cable?
Virtual cables, MPLS circuits, and dark fiber — how cloud providers connect data centers behind the scenes.
#3799: Why Printers Demand PDFs (And PNGs Fail)
PDFs are shipping containers for print. PNGs are loose cargo. Here's what actually matters for large-format output.
#3797: How Self-Reverting Watchdogs Save Broken SSH Sessions
A dead man's switch for server configs that automatically rolls back risky changes when connectivity drops.
#3795: The Fifteen-Cent Screw That Stops Server Builds
A seized M.2 screw, a missing heat sink, and why inventory blind spots cost more than any technical skill.
#3794: The Screw That Beat Me for Two Hours
Why that M4 screw stripped — and the one tool that actually saves you.
#3793: Solving the Bulk Redirect Problem for System Migrations
What tools exist for managing bulk redirect mappings when QR codes are already stuck on physical assets?
#3792: Cloud Brain, Local Fingers: Decoupled Home Assistant
Can Home Assistant run in the cloud while Zigbee stays local? We explore the decoupled control plane architecture.
#3791: Who Still Runs Windows Server in 2026?
Windows Server still holds 32% of x86 server shipments. Here's where it's the rational choice.