Richard MacManus
@ricmac.cybercultural.com
Tech journalist @ The New Stack · Internet historian @ cybercultural.com · Founded ReadWriteWeb (2003-2012) · 🥝 in 🇬🇧
Other Bluesky a/cs:
@cybercultural.com — internet history
@classicweb.site — old web screenshots
Other Bluesky a/cs:
@cybercultural.com — internet history
@classicweb.site — old web screenshots
Pinned
2003: MP3 Blogs and Pitchfork Shake Up Music Media
Online music and blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism.
cybercultural.com
The final post of Cybercultural season 4 -> Online music & blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism. cybercultural.com/p/mp3-blogs-... #InternetHistory #MP3Blogs
The final post of Cybercultural season 4 -> Online music & blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism. cybercultural.com/p/mp3-blogs-... #InternetHistory #MP3Blogs
2003: MP3 Blogs and Pitchfork Shake Up Music Media
Online music and blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism.
cybercultural.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The final post of Cybercultural season 4 -> Online music & blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism. cybercultural.com/p/mp3-blogs-... #InternetHistory #MP3Blogs
Reposted by Richard MacManus
Jamiroquai’s website in 2003, one of many Flash designs that year. Read more about the internet in 2003: https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2003/
December 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Jamiroquai’s website in 2003, one of many Flash designs that year. Read more about the internet in 2003: https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2003/
Remember "social software"? We heard this term a lot during 2003. While it would take another year for Silicon Valley to start inflating another bubble — this one would be named "Web 2.0" — there was a renewed sense of optimism in '03. cybercultural.com/p/internet-2... #InternetHistory
What the Internet Was Like in 2003
Blogging goes mainstream in 2003; and with the launch of Google AdSense, pro blogs emerge too. Also the iTunes store debuts, social networks ramp up, and Flash websites are everywhere.
cybercultural.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Remember "social software"? We heard this term a lot during 2003. While it would take another year for Silicon Valley to start inflating another bubble — this one would be named "Web 2.0" — there was a renewed sense of optimism in '03. cybercultural.com/p/internet-2... #InternetHistory
My wrapup of AI development in 2025 for @thenewstack.io. thenewstack.io/ai-engineeri...
AI Engineering Trends in 2025: Agents, MCP and Vibe Coding
Our top 5 AI developer trends of 2025, from the rise of agentic technology and MCP to the evolution of AI coding tools and the influx of vibe coders.
thenewstack.io
December 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
My wrapup of AI development in 2025 for @thenewstack.io. thenewstack.io/ai-engineeri...
My latest for @thenewstack.io is a look at two new "agentic user interface" projects, one from Google (A2UI) and one being driven by OpenAI and Anthropic (MCP Apps). thenewstack.io/agent-ui-sta...
Agent UI Standards Multiply: MCP Apps and Google’s A2UI
New standards for AI agent UIs highlight key differences between Google's native-first A2UI and the web-centric MCP Apps favored by OpenAI.
thenewstack.io
December 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
My latest for @thenewstack.io is a look at two new "agentic user interface" projects, one from Google (A2UI) and one being driven by OpenAI and Anthropic (MCP Apps). thenewstack.io/agent-ui-sta...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
good post! touches on a lot of interesting things in internet publishing today: website as "online magazine" vs blog & publishing in *seasons*, experiments with "replanting" older articles, the emergent *open social* movement & challenges of recapturing the energy of the blogosphere…
How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks. Also, I reflect on the state of the open web from a publishing pov. cybercultural.com/p/indie-web-... #IndieWeb
My 2025 Indie Web Report and Thoughts on the Open Web
How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks.
cybercultural.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:18 AM
good post! touches on a lot of interesting things in internet publishing today: website as "online magazine" vs blog & publishing in *seasons*, experiments with "replanting" older articles, the emergent *open social* movement & challenges of recapturing the energy of the blogosphere…
How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks. Also, I reflect on the state of the open web from a publishing pov. cybercultural.com/p/indie-web-... #IndieWeb
My 2025 Indie Web Report and Thoughts on the Open Web
How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks.
cybercultural.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks. Also, I reflect on the state of the open web from a publishing pov. cybercultural.com/p/indie-web-... #IndieWeb
Reposted by Richard MacManus
What are your biggest complaints about using the web right now?
December 17, 2025 at 12:07 AM
What are your biggest complaints about using the web right now?
Reposted by Richard MacManus
My official entrance into the blogosphere in 2003 with a Radio Userland blog called Read/WriteWeb. Read more about blogging in 2003: https://cybercultural.com/p/blogosphere-2003/
December 16, 2025 at 3:09 PM
My official entrance into the blogosphere in 2003 with a Radio Userland blog called Read/WriteWeb. Read more about blogging in 2003: https://cybercultural.com/p/blogosphere-2003/
In the final part of my 5-part series on the history of blogging and RSS, we come to 2003: when RSS Readers like NetNewsWire and Bloglines burst onto the scene, Google buys Blogger, WordPress debuts, and 16-year old Aaron Swartz live-blogs a Dave Winer keynote. cybercultural.com/p/blogospher...
The Blogosphere Blossoms in 2003 As RSS Readers Catch On
In 2003, the read/write web becomes a reality when blog software enables anyone to write to the web. Meanwhile, RSS Readers like NetNewsWire and Bloglines bring distribution to the blogosphere.
cybercultural.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:36 PM
In the final part of my 5-part series on the history of blogging and RSS, we come to 2003: when RSS Readers like NetNewsWire and Bloglines burst onto the scene, Google buys Blogger, WordPress debuts, and 16-year old Aaron Swartz live-blogs a Dave Winer keynote. cybercultural.com/p/blogospher...
It's year-end wrapup time and here are my top 5 web development trends of 2025. They show a divide between AI coding tools that favor React and the growing power of native web features. thenewstack.io/web-developm...
Web Development in 2025: AI’s React Bias vs. Native Web
The five key web development trends of 2025 show a divide between AI coding tools that favor React and the growing power of native web features.
thenewstack.io
December 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM
It's year-end wrapup time and here are my top 5 web development trends of 2025. They show a divide between AI coding tools that favor React and the growing power of native web features. thenewstack.io/web-developm...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
MTV2.com circa 2000-2002; an entirely Flash website. Watch a screencast here: https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-v3-flash-2003/
December 10, 2025 at 11:44 AM
MTV2.com circa 2000-2002; an entirely Flash website. Watch a screencast here: https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-v3-flash-2003/
This week I look back at the peak of Flash web design in 2003. In particular, the launch of BowieNet version 3 — designed completely in Flash (which made it a huge challenge to get screenshots from Wayback Machine!). h/t @webdesignmuseum.org for feature image & vid. cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-v...
2003: BowieNet 3 Launch and the Peak of Flash Web Design
Flash websites reach their peak in 2003, becoming almost the default for creative design on the web. David Bowie is on top of this internet trend and commissions a full Flash redesign of BowieNet.
cybercultural.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM
This week I look back at the peak of Flash web design in 2003. In particular, the launch of BowieNet version 3 — designed completely in Flash (which made it a huge challenge to get screenshots from Wayback Machine!). h/t @webdesignmuseum.org for feature image & vid. cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-v...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
ojr.usc.edu in 2001
https://web.archive.org/web/20011009073135if_/http://ojr.usc.edu:80/content/story.cfm?request=585
https://web.archive.org/web/20011009073135if_/http://ojr.usc.edu:80/content/story.cfm?request=585
December 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Richard MacManus
“Now every damn milquetoast æsthete cursing himself for still being stuck working at the Barnes & Noble in Evanston, Reston, or Laramie will want to start his own blog.”
fawny.org in 2002
https://web.archive.org/web/20020823224052if_/http://www.fawny.org:80/decon-blog.html
fawny.org in 2002
https://web.archive.org/web/20020823224052if_/http://www.fawny.org:80/decon-blog.html
December 4, 2025 at 8:49 PM
“Now every damn milquetoast æsthete cursing himself for still being stuck working at the Barnes & Noble in Evanston, Reston, or Laramie will want to start his own blog.”
fawny.org in 2002
https://web.archive.org/web/20020823224052if_/http://www.fawny.org:80/decon-blog.html
fawny.org in 2002
https://web.archive.org/web/20020823224052if_/http://www.fawny.org:80/decon-blog.html
When social networks went mainstream in 2003, with Friendster and then its copycat MySpace, they were initially positioned as dating apps (later that year, Mark Zuckerberg would use the "hot or not" format in Facemash...but that's another, creepier, story!). cybercultural.com/p/myspace-20...
2003: MySpace vs. Friendster in a Battle for Digital Natives
Social networking becomes a trend in 2003, thanks largely to Friendster and a copycat called MySpace. But only one of these sites attracts the newly influential 'digital native' users of the internet.
cybercultural.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:13 PM
When social networks went mainstream in 2003, with Friendster and then its copycat MySpace, they were initially positioned as dating apps (later that year, Mark Zuckerberg would use the "hot or not" format in Facemash...but that's another, creepier, story!). cybercultural.com/p/myspace-20...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
Hands up who used one of KaZaA, Morpheus, LimeWire, eMule or BitTorrent in 2002? That year was utter chaos in P2P, but a lot of fun too :) https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2002/
December 2, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Hands up who used one of KaZaA, Morpheus, LimeWire, eMule or BitTorrent in 2002? That year was utter chaos in P2P, but a lot of fun too :) https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2002/
Let's take a trip back to 2002, when broadband kicked into gear and we got interactive websites like MTV and colorful "tableless CSS" designs like Wired. 2002 was also when "the blogosphere" was defined. Meanwhile, utter chaos ruled in the P2P music sharing scene. cybercultural.com/p/internet-2...
What the Internet Was Like in 2002
With Flash websites and CSS designs, the broadband-fueled 2002 internet is full of creativity. Meanwhile, online music is the wild west and the blogosphere points the way to a more social web.
cybercultural.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Let's take a trip back to 2002, when broadband kicked into gear and we got interactive websites like MTV and colorful "tableless CSS" designs like Wired. 2002 was also when "the blogosphere" was defined. Meanwhile, utter chaos ruled in the P2P music sharing scene. cybercultural.com/p/internet-2...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
2002 was perhaps the peak of desktop-PC blog design. Many blogs of this time had a narrow main column of text and a sidebar stuffed with blogrolls, RSS buttons, photos, biographical information, and more. https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-2002/
November 25, 2025 at 4:10 PM
2002 was perhaps the peak of desktop-PC blog design. Many blogs of this time had a narrow main column of text and a sidebar stuffed with blogrolls, RSS buttons, photos, biographical information, and more. https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-2002/
I talk to the CEO of MozillaAI about Mozilla's AI strategy and why the web doesn't seem to be that important in its new mission. thenewstack.io/how-mozillas...
How Mozilla’s AI Strategy Disconnects From Its Browser Heritage
An analysis of Mozilla's pivot to AI, questioning why its strategy disconnects from its core strengths: The Firefox browser and open web heritage.
thenewstack.io
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
I talk to the CEO of MozillaAI about Mozilla's AI strategy and why the web doesn't seem to be that important in its new mission. thenewstack.io/how-mozillas...
In the latest post in my history of blogging and RSS series, I look at the emergence of the blogosphere in 2002 — a thriving ecosystem of colourful personal sites that interconnected to each other via RSS, trackback and blogrolls. cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-...
How the Blogosphere Takes Shape in 2002, Along With RSS 2.0
The blogosphere becomes a trend in 2002 — a growing ecosystem of weblogs interconnecting via feeds, comments and a new feature called trackback. We also see the debut of RSS 2.0 and Technorati.
cybercultural.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
In the latest post in my history of blogging and RSS series, I look at the emergence of the blogosphere in 2002 — a thriving ecosystem of colourful personal sites that interconnected to each other via RSS, trackback and blogrolls. cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-...
Google’s recent Web AI Summit revealed more about how the company is positioning Chrome as a foundation for AI apps & agents. Also, we heard that Google is “super committed to continuing to invest in an open, interoperable Web,” says Parisa Tabriz, Google Chrome VP/GM. thenewstack.io/googles-web-...
Google’s Web AI Playbook: The Paved Road vs. the Open Field
Google outlines its Web AI playbook, detailing two paths for developers: the "paved road" of frameworks and the "open field" of low-level APIs.
thenewstack.io
November 20, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Google’s recent Web AI Summit revealed more about how the company is positioning Chrome as a foundation for AI apps & agents. Also, we heard that Google is “super committed to continuing to invest in an open, interoperable Web,” says Parisa Tabriz, Google Chrome VP/GM. thenewstack.io/googles-web-...
Reposted by Richard MacManus
I seem to recall "pardon my rust" was a fairly common expression in the early 2000s...back when you weren't posting every day, let alone every 2 minutes on social media.
moveablebeast.com in 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20060107154436if_/http://www.moveablebeast.com:80
moveablebeast.com in 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20060107154436if_/http://www.moveablebeast.com:80
November 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I seem to recall "pardon my rust" was a fairly common expression in the early 2000s...back when you weren't posting every day, let alone every 2 minutes on social media.
moveablebeast.com in 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20060107154436if_/http://www.moveablebeast.com:80
moveablebeast.com in 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20060107154436if_/http://www.moveablebeast.com:80
Reposted by Richard MacManus
Apple's website in 2002 when the 2nd generation iPod came out. Full story: https://cybercultural.com/p/ipod-2002/
November 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Apple's website in 2002 when the 2nd generation iPod came out. Full story: https://cybercultural.com/p/ipod-2002/
This week on Cybercultural, more early-2000s Apple 🍎, including why Steve Jobs didn't want online music to go the streaming route (which of course it eventually did). cybercultural.com/p/ipod-2002/ #InternetHistory
2002: The Second iPod and Steve Jobs on Music Streaming
With its revolutionary 'touch wheel' and double the storage, Apple's 2nd gen iPod is the state of the art in digital music in 2002. But the future is online streaming, which Steve Jobs struggles to ac...
cybercultural.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
This week on Cybercultural, more early-2000s Apple 🍎, including why Steve Jobs didn't want online music to go the streaming route (which of course it eventually did). cybercultural.com/p/ipod-2002/ #InternetHistory