Articles
Guides and stories about internet culture and web video.
How to Rickroll Someone (Nicely)
The whole point of this site. Here's the classic move, plus a few more inventive ways to spring a clean, ad-free rickroll on the people you love.
Where Rickrolling Came From: A Short, Slightly Silly History
How a duck on wheels, a message board full of bored people, and a cheerful 1987 pop song combined into the internet's most beloved prank.
Why Some Jokes Take Over the Internet (and Most Don't)
The internet makes a million jokes a day and forgets almost all of them. Here's what actually separates a viral meme from a dud.
What Actually Happens When You Press Play
Pressing play feels instant, but there's a tidy little relay race going on behind the scenes. Here's the plain-English version.
MP4, WebM, HEVC: Why One Video Plays Everywhere and Another Doesn't
Ever had a video play fine on your phone but show a black screen in a browser? The culprit is almost always the codec. Here's the no-jargon guide.
Running Your Own Tiny Video Server (It's Easier Than You Think)
You don't need a giant platform to put a video online. Here's what a small, self-hosted video server actually has to get right.