Mike Grindle
Bio
An independent writer, culture critic and blogger covering discussions on consumerism, social history and media. I also write guides on minimalist tech and the small web,
Stories (14/0)
No GUI? No Problem - Use These Terminal Apps Instead
The graphical user interface (GUI) is one of the key defining aspects of nearly any modern computer. And most users are used to doing everything from writing documents, managing files, playing music, and browsing the internet using such interfaces. But despite this, they’re not essential to a Linux system.
By Mike Grindle13 days ago in 01
Attacks on Disability Welfare Are Not Only Cruel but Counter-Productive
In times of trouble, you can always depend on a right-wing government to point their grubby fingers at society’s most vulnerable as the cause of all of society’s ills. The UK’s current Tory government is not much different. And finding themselves trailing in the polls, the conservatives have gone all-out in targeting the usual suspects: liberals, the impoverished, foreigners, and, of course, the so-called “work-shy”. The result has seen them try (and so far, fail) to illegally deport migrants to Rwanda, backtrack on environmental promises, and clamp down on various freedoms, including the right to protest. And now, hoping to appeal to their core base of voters, it seems they’re (once again) going after people with disabilities as well.
By Mike Grindle17 days ago in The Swamp
The Story Behind The Song "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
Many classic rock fans regard "Stairway to Heaven" as one of the best songs ever produced. And to this day, it continues to pop up on various best-ever compilations and lists. Yet few people at the time of its release, including the band members themselves, thought it would become the anthem it did. And even fewer realized how entangled with controversy and conspiracies the song would become.
By Mike Grindle19 days ago in Beat
A Second Look Back: A Retrospective of Colour Green by Sibylle Baier
Is there a more romanticized figure than the forgotten folk-singer songwriter? Say the words, and the collective unconscious pictures a lone figure, guitar case in tow, frequenting smoke-filled venues, long roads, and broken hearts; maybe too: a pile of dusty LPs, where one more forgotten record is waiting for discovery.
By Mike Grindle20 days ago in Beat
"Speak No Evil" (2022): A Tragedy of Manners
Any good horror fan will have, at some point, put themselves in the shoes of the genre's many on-screen victims. And, when doing so, most of us like to imagine that we'd give those psycho killers a good run for their money. That we would run outside instead of upstairs, that we wouldn't trip over our own feet, and that we'd make sure that if the bad guy looks dead, he is, in fact, very much dead.
By Mike Grindle24 days ago in Geeks
An Introduction to Standalone Linux Window Managers
Window managers are a crucial component of any desktop’s user interface (UI). However, if you are new to the world of Linux or other Unix-like operating systems, you’ve probably never given them much thought. Yet choosing the right window manager for you can better utilize your screen’s real estate, optimize your workflow and take the pressure off your computer’s resources.
By Mike Grindle25 days ago in 01
The American Lawn Is an Ecological Disaster
The Domestic Lawn: Is There a More Typically American Landscape Feature? From New England to Chicago, Florida to California, lawn quite literally covers the landscape of the US. There’s estimated to be around 63,248 square miles of lawn in America, and nearly 2% of the entire country is just turfgrass. In fact, despite its ZERO practical use or value, turfgrass is America’s most irrigated crop.
By Mike Grindle26 days ago in Earth
Frutiger Aero: When the Future Looked Optimistic
Nostalgia for the 2000s has been in full swing for a while now, and it should come as no surprise. After all, most of us who experienced the period are getting on in life. Millennials are now closing in on their 40s, and the kids from Gen-Z are also years into adulthood. At the same time, it's never been easier to reach into the past, and paradoxically, the past has never seemed so far removed from the digital present.
By Mike Grindle28 days ago in 01
$26 Billion: That's How Valuable Being The Default Is to Google
Google's antitrust trial has recently revealed just how much the tech giant is willing to pay for its search engine to be the default on tech devices: $26.3 billion - at least, that's the number they paid in 2021. Google had previously made great efforts to hide this number, but experts always knew it was a lot. Now they know for certain.
By Mike Grindle29 days ago in 01
Why Is Windows XP So Fondly Remembered?
Back in October 2001, Microsoft released one of its most beloved operating systems ever, Windows XP. Known for its bright color schemes, easy-to-use interface, and stability, XP would go on to have the longest lifespan of any operating system released by Microsoft. In fact, the OS would almost outlive its successor, Vista, with Microsoft continuing to support the system until 2014.
By Mike Grindleabout a month ago in 01
