Fade Everything

• 1 min read

Slow Fade Of The Formatting Fetish

Oliver Reichenstein | iA | 31st March 2025

Part love letter to Markdown syntax, part history of document formats. Interesting throughout, with the caveat that this is published by the makers of a Markdown app. Traditionally, file formats like .docx, .pptx, and .pdf were proprietary and intended to reinforce users' commercial relationships with paid software. They also instilled in us an obsession with fonts that has taken years to begin to fade (4,700 words)

Nomido is the Browser's daily word game. Play today's before it's gone!

The Department Of Everything

Stephen Akey | Hedgehog Review | 14th September 2024

Former librarian remembers his time working at the Telephone Reference Division of the Brooklyn Public Library in the 1980s. All sorts of people, from journalists and detectives to "park bench crazies" could call up and ask for "ready reference" facts. Each caller got five minutes or three questions. Answers were found by using "logic, inference, imagination, and a tall pile of reference books" (1,900 words)

We can't give you five minutes of answers, but we can give you five great reads a day. Answer questions you never thought to ask with the full Browser, for less than $1 a week.
Get The Full Browser Experience

Join 150,000+ curious readers who grow with us every day

No spam. No nonsense. Unsubscribe anytime.

Great! Check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription
Please enter a valid email address!
You've successfully subscribed to The Browser
Welcome back! You've successfully signed in
Could not sign in! Login link expired. Click here to retry
Cookies must be enabled in your browser to sign in
search