Richard MacManus

Screenshot of tenth-muse.com in 2006

tenth-muse.com in 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20060703210129if_/http://tenth-muse.com

Building Ask Ricmac: my first experiment in the Web AI stack - Richard MacManus Over the past few months I’ve been exploring what I think of as the Web AI stack — the emerging intersection of artificial intelligence with the open web. As part of that exploration, I built a small ...

As part of my Web AI explorations, I built an AI chatbot for my personal website called Ask Ricmac. Under the hood, it runs on a Cloudflare Workers backend that uses Vectorize, D1 and Workers AI. During development, I also used the WordPress MCP Adapter and Claude Desktop. ricmac.org/2026/03/06/b...

1995: From Batman Forever’s cinematic design to HTML tables 1995 begins with web designers creating cinematic experiences using images and browser tricks, and ends with the arrival of table support in Netscape Navigator — giving true control over layout.

♛ 1995: From Batman Forever’s cinematic design to HTML tables. History lesson and appreciation by @ricmac.cybercultural.com.

cybercultural.com/p/1995-web-d... #WebDesign #WebDesignHistory #DesignHistory #WarnerBros #cinema #movies #films #marketing #promotions

1995: From Batman Forever’s cinematic design to HTML tables 1995 begins with web designers creating cinematic experiences using images and browser tricks, and ends with the arrival of table support in Netscape Navigator — giving true control over layout.

In the latest post in my web design history series, I look at Batman Forever, an influential 1995 website by @zeldman.bsky.social and friends. Also, later in the year HTML tables arrive, along with early visual design tools FrontPage & PageMill. cybercultural.com/p/1995-web-d... #WebDesignHistory

Yowzers.

Becoming a Web AI Practitioner: A Map of the Emerging Stack - Richard MacManus Earlier this month, I was laid off from my job as senior editor at The New Stack. While I figure out what’s next, I resolved to dive into a technology stack I’ve been deeply interested in for a while: Web AI. Only this time not just writing about these technologies,…

While I figure out what’s next in my career, I resolved to dive into a technology stack I’ve been deeply interested in for a while: Web AI. Only this time not just writing about these technologies, but building apps with them too. ricmac.org/2026/02/26/w... #WebAI

Ditto! Next time I'm in London, I'll be sure to give you and Simon a shout.

Thanks Blaine, and I've been following with interest what you're doing at Roundabout/New_ Public. Hope to catchup soon.

Personal update: after nearly 6 years at The New Stack, my role has come to an end as part of a broader round of redundancies. I’m now exploring ideas at the intersection of AI and web systems, particularly how AI is reshaping the architecture and future of the open web. I welcome conversations.

1994: Cool Site of the Day and the rise of curated web design Although the Web is technically limited in 1994, it is a fast-growing network and so curation quickly becomes a design problem. Enter Glenn Davis and his website, Cool Site of the Day.

Although the Web is technically limited in 1994, it is a fast-growing network and so curation quickly becomes a design problem. Enter Glenn Davis and his website, Cool Site of the Day. cybercultural.com/p/1994-cool-... #WebDesignHistory

The Internet Underground Music Archive (IUMA) website in 1994

The Internet Underground Music Archive (IUMA) website in 1994, showing what was possible using colorful graphics and minimal HTML. Read more about 1994 web design: https://cybercultural.com/p/1994-web-design/

This whole series is unendingly delightful. Especially if the 90s is the internet you remember most fondly.

1994: Publishing comes to the Web — and design matters 1994 marks the Web’s shift into a publishing medium. As site authors seek control over formatting and design, the WWW-Talk mailing list hosts an early debate over style sheets and presentation.

In the latest post in my history of web design, we enter 1994 — when the Web shifts into a publishing medium. As site authors seek control over formatting and design, the WWW-Talk mailing list hosts an early debate over style and presentation. cybercultural.com/p/1994-web-d... #WebDesign

Screenshot of tobaccofreekids.org in 2000

Suggested update for 2026: Big Tech, Still Addicting Kids
tobaccofreekids.org in 2000
https://web.archive.org/web/20000618170315if_/http://tobaccofreekids.org:80/?

Le WebLouvre, a 1994 virtual art gallery

Le WebLouvre, a 1994 virtual art gallery (via https://www.ford-mason.co.uk/resources/stw/node52.html)

Screenshot of the first web design of Global Network Navigator, O'Reilly's 1993 "online magazine"

This is the first web design of Global Network Navigator, O'Reilly's 1993 "online magazine". It was designed by Jennifer Niederst Robbins, arguably the world's first web designer: https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-global-network-navigator/

Drupal turns 25: From simple to complex — then simple again With the release of Drupal CMS 2.0, Drupal marks its 25th year by returning to a simpler content management system — rebuilt for the AI era.

For @drupalassociation.bsky.social's 25th anniversary, I spoke with founder Dries Buytaert. His advice for building a long-term open source community: “Don’t expect overnight success. I think anything successful in life usually takes 10 years.” thenewstack.io/drupal-turns... #OpenSource

1993: Global Network Navigator and the first web designer It's difficult to apply design to a website in 1993, but that doesn't stop O'Reilly & Associates from launching an 'online magazine' called GNN. Suddenly Jennifer Niederst, a book designer, has a new ...

Continuing Cybercultural's history of web design, we're still in 1993 but now we come to perhaps the world's first web designer: Jennifer Niederst Robbins. She designed O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator (GNN). cybercultural.com/p/1993-globa... cc @jenville.bsky.social @rachelandrew.bsky.social

Why platform companies keep buying frontend framework teams The news of Cloudflare acquiring the company behind Astro is just the latest in a string of similar frontend framework deals. We look at the risks and rewards.

The news of Cloudflare acquiring the company behind Astro is just the latest in a string of similar frontend framework deals. Some of these arrangements go well, some...not so much (RIP Gatsby). thenewstack.io/why-platform...

🧵 Your micro-memoir doesn't need to be about life-changing moments.
It can be deeply nerdy about whatever you actually care about.
Here's what a tech history newsletter taught me about documenting the small, obsessive details that only you would think to preserve:

MTV, April 1994

The first 1993 post is now on Cybercultural and it tells the story of how the MTV website was born. Unfortunately screenshots are rare for any 1993 website, but this image from April 1994 gives you an idea of what it looked like. https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-mtv-internet/

1993: Web Browsers Add Multimedia and MTV.com Goes Online Mosaic adds an image tag for HTML and becomes the first modern web browser in 1993. Soon after, MTV VJ Adam Curry builds one of the world's first commercial websites — not that his bosses care.

In 1993, web design didn't really exist — you couldn't even change the background color of your web page from grey. But Mosaic launched the first era of visual web design and soon after an MTV VJ (@curry.com) improbably created one of the first commercial websites. cybercultural.com/p/1993-mtv-i...

Web Design Index by Content.02 book cover

Web Design Index by Content0.2, showing screenshot images inside the book

Had a day off today and went to Hay-on-Wye (the UK’s book town) with my daughter. I managed to find a 2006 web design book, packed with screenshots. Anyone else a fan of the “Web Design Index by Content” books? #WebDesignHistory

StyleX vs. Tailwind: Meta's Take on CSS-in-JS Maintainability Meta's StyleX is a CSS-in-JS solution for large apps. We look at how it compares to Tailwind on code maintainability, scale and atomic CSS.

Everyone here loves a CSS-in-JS system, right? I took a look at Meta's StyleX & how it compares to the more commonly used Tailwind. While "just use CSS dammit" is the normal response to such tools, StyleX has a very specific (& rare) use case: highly scaled apps. thenewstack.io/stylex-vs-ta... #CSS

Oh my goodness! Look at that, 20 years. One of my favourite designs, gosh

big q for Leaflet + standard.site: how can we rethink 'subscribing' for the social web?

different from subbing via RSS feed or email newsletter!

& this succeeds to the extent it's a great social experience, where ppl can interact w/ an ecosystem of many readers & writers, w/ lots of entry points…

The History of Web Design, 1993–2012: Season 5 Launch Introducing Cybercultural's history of web design, from the grey web pages of 1993 to the colorful, mobile-centric web designs of 2012. A celebration of the peak years of personal websites and blogs.

A history of web design, from the grey web pages of 1993 to the colorful, mobile-centric web designs of 2012. A celebration of the peak years of personal websites and blogs. By Richard MacManus.

cybercultural.com/p/history-of...

The History of Web Design, 1993–2012: Season 5 Launch Introducing Cybercultural's history of web design, from the grey web pages of 1993 to the colorful, mobile-centric web designs of 2012. A celebration of the peak years of personal websites and blogs.

Today I'm launching season 5 of Cybercultural: the history of web design from 1993 till 2012. It will be a celebration of the peak years of personal websites and blogs! I invite you to subscribe now for weekly updates via email or RSS. cybercultural.com/p/history-of... #WebDesignHistory

New Mobile SDK Brings Low-Code Development to On-Device AI A new mobile development SDK for building AI apps uses small language models and personal data storage to keep everything on-device.

One of my current areas of interest is Web AI, where apps use AI models on-device via the browser. But this is also possible using native mobile apps, as a UK company called DataSapien is doing with its new SDK. I spoke to its founder and CEO StJohn “Singe” Deakins. thenewstack.io/datasapiens-...

Screenshot of radiofreeblogistan.com in 2004

Group weblogs...you don't see too many of them these days. Who has time, I guess, with all those social media accounts to update.

radiofreeblogistan.com in 2004
https://web.archive.org/web/20040830025833if_/http://www.radiofreeblogistan.com:80