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Why can three letters stop Windows accepting a filename?

Try giving a Windows file an ordinary-looking name such as CON or PRN and it can collide with something much older than the file itself. Windows reserves certain names for devices, and those conventions survive for compatibility. The surprising restriction is a small reminder that a modern interface can carry decades of earlier design decisions.

3–5 min

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Computers and AI

Why can a damaged QR code still work?

A scratch or stain does not always stop a QR code from being read. Its stored information includes redundancy, but that does not mean any part of the image can be covered without consequence.

3–5 min
Computers and AI

How does a website name become an internet address?

You remember a website by its name, while the network needs an address for the connection. DNS supplies that translation, sometimes from a saved answer and sometimes by asking other servers.

4–5 min
Computers and AI

Same emoji, different picture

The same emoji can arrive with a different expression or style from the one you saw when sending it. Unicode identifies characters and sequences, while software platforms choose artwork and decide what their versions support.

2–3 min
Why can three letters stop Windows accepting a filename? | Speech Topic | speaking.app