Yesterday I stumbled upon a text file distributed via a torrent from 2013. The name of the file: “To Watch This On Your TV.txt”. The contents:

You need to connect your TV to your PC. HDMI cable is easiest but there are
lots of other ways depending what ports your TV has on the back.

Download the Cyberlink Power DVD 10 from here [omitted]

When you have connected your PC to the TV, on your PC, right click on the
desktop and select "Screen Resolution". When you open that up select "Multiple
Displays" and choose "Extend Desktop".

You will now see your desktop on your TV. Install PowerDVD or use Windows Media
Player or whatever you want to watch it with. Open up the program but don't
maximi8se the screen, you need to be able to drag it about your desktop. Drag
the screen to the side of your desktop and you should see it come up on your
TV. Maximise the screen and you can watch TV shows on your TV and still be able
to use your PC whilst watching TV.

Ignore the subtle ad for another torrent. The content is what made me laugh. It begs the question: who was the target audience for this? Why include a hardware tutorial for someone who possesses the technical background to torrent files in 2013?

But on the other hand, it’s a wholesome artifact. After all, torrents are only sketchy and dangerous.

Reading it gave me flashbacks. It reminded me of a time when people published things on the internet simply for the love of it, to help a stranger, with zero monetary incentives.

I miss this era of the web.

Strange how a random text file in a 13-year-old torrent can bring it all back.

Thank you, kind stranger.