This week: an excellent elevator! And: just text.

• Polymatt made a floppy disk from scratch. Slight spoiler: it only sort-of works at the end, but the process to get there is fascinating. As someone who's terrible at any craft that doesn't include an "undo" option, the effort and skill put into replicating the technology astonished me. I'd never heard of a Meyer rod before! (Thanks to the many readers who sent this over!)
   
• A last ride in New York City's disappearing horse elevators. No, not an elevator for disappearing horses: a tribute to, and documentation of, an old design that no longer meets code, filmed as a professional documentary. Do stick around to the end: there's one unexpected moment here, and one lovely button at the end. (Thanks to Liam for the suggestion!)
   
• Okooptics examines light transport and constructs an image from a projector's point of view. There are parts of this video where the mathematics required get a bit beyond me, but if that's true for you as well, stick with it: the explanations and final effects are worth it. Full marks here for referencing and citing the source paper, too. (Thanks to an anonymous reader!)
   

• The story about AOL finally discontinuing dial-up internet was well referenced by various news sites this week, but I have to mark its passing here too. I presume that there were a few people out there still using it: while they won't be able to load most web sites over a connection at that speed, e-mail and some older protocols would still be fine.
   
• Searching all the text on every public Street View image of New York City leads to some interesting discoveries. (Very strong language; thanks Thomas for sending this over!)
   
• Helsinki has gone a full year without a traffic death.
   

And finally: just text.

All the best,

— Tom