Believe it or not, MakeUseOf has been in operation since 2006. That's a relatively long time in terms of websites, and it means we have published more than 30,000 articles over the years.
We add several thousand more articles to the pile every year, and 2014 was no exception. The problem is, with so many websites competing for attention, even our most loyal readers cannot possibly read every single article published on the site.
This is unfortunate, but sadly inevitable. Thankfully, there is an easy solution. Which is for us to point out 10 essential articles published in 2014 that you really cannot afford to miss.
Essential Articles From 2014
This is a small but perfectly formed list of MakeUseOf articles that demand your attention. They're well-written, interesting, useful, and informative. Some were chosen by your fellow readers, while others are ones which resonated with me personally.
With limited space this is nothing but a brief snapshot capturing some of the best articles published on MakeUseOf over the past 12 months. But there are, of course, plenty more deserving of your attention.
Build a Cloud Lamp With Sound Reactive Lightning
Thunderstorm cloud lamp. TOO COOL. pic.twitter.com/EJ0IRpgxZF— Lester Bangs (@mattwhitlockPM) December 1, 2014
You can now build your own cloud lamp which is triggered when you walk into a room. And we have a step-by-step guide showing you how to make this magical lighting solution from scratch.
5 Chromebooks In The Back-To-School Sale
Guess I have no chromebook. pic.twitter.com/15hG25C126— Josh (@158cooldude) December 29, 2014
The back-to-school sale may have ended, but this article still offers a nice introduction to the world of Chromebooks. The five laptops listed should suit all newcomers to the market.
The Internet Arcade Brings Games To Your Browser
So many classic DOS games on https://t.co/vEO6N45sCU! I used to play the hell out of https://t.co/PUhNZo006A— Mike Rayhawk (@mikerayhawk) January 5, 2015
The Internet Arcade is a collection of more than 900 classic video games, all available to play in your Web browser completely for free. And we picked out some of the best for you to try.
Simplifying and Securing Your Life with LastPass
Welcome to "damn that's not in my Lastpass" Monday.— cindi (@cindi) January 5, 2015
This is a longform guide covering everything you could ever want to know about using LastPass and Xmarks. This is essential reading for n00bs and veterans alike.
Stay Protected From Every Type Of Malware
I don't play around with the "Potentially Unwanted Program" label. It's malware. Period. PUP is a fake term created for legal reasons.— InfoSec Taylor Swift (@SwiftOnSecurity) January 1, 2015
Avast! is one of the best antivirus tools available. So, this article offers a comprehensive introduction to Avast!, detailing what it's capable of, and how to get it up and running on your computer.
Linux Distributions For Windows XP Refugees
2015 is the year of desktop Linux. I am finally switching.— Ed Bott (@edbott) January 5, 2015
When Microsoft killed Windows XP off in 2014, fans of the aged operating system had several options available to them. One of which was to switch to Linux, but which distro is best?
Why Taylor Swift Is Wrong About Spotify
Dear @Spotify, when are you going to release a SFW version of your site? I'd love a mode I can turn on w/o mature content.— Jesse Stay (@Jesse) January 5, 2015
Taylor Swift hates Spotify so much she removed her whole back catalog from the service in November 2014. Harry Guinness thought this was a dumb decision, and wasted no time in countering Swift's many arguments.
How Cortana Became The “Other Woman” In My Life
Lol, put my phone down & Cortana decided to listen. Somehow came up with a "Tupac and now" search query. Results: surprisingly compelling.— shannon (@shannonloftis) December 28, 2014
Christian Cawley flexed his creative writing muscles in July by talking about Cortana as if she were a real woman. She isn't, and nor is Siri, but those of us who work at home all day need someone to talk to occasionally.
Consider Switching To Windows Phone
Microsoft's SmartGlass app for Windows and Windows Phone is crashing on launch because of a 2015 bug. It's fine on iOS. Oops.— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 1, 2015
I feel Windows Phone has been treated rather harshly by the general populace. So, in October, I expressed my desire for more people to at least give Microsoft's mobile operating system a chance to impress.
The True History of Assassin’s Creed
I want a TV series based on Assassin's Creed but with the format of Quantum Leap. Made by Netflix.— Simon Honeydew (@SimonHoneydew) January 5, 2015
Assassin's Creed is a beloved franchise. And a series of such epic proportions deserves an article of epic proportions. This is that article, recounting the history of Assassin's Creed from the personal perspective of one of our newer writers.
Continue The Conversation
We hope you enjoyed our short list of essential MakeUseOf articles from 2014. We could have included a great many more, because we don't publish anything unless we feel someone, somewhere will get something out of it. Which is where you come in.
Please continue the conversation in the comments section below, telling us either what you think of the articles we chose to include here, or, even better, suggesting your own essential article from the past 12 months you think anyone else reading this would do well to read.
A Debt Of Gratitude
In order to compile this list of essential MakeUseOf articles from 2014, we received help from the MakeUseOf community. As always, our readers proved to be an invaluable part of the site you’re reading right now.
The readers we need to thank took the time to answer the question,What Was Your Favorite MakeUseOf Article Of 2014?, and their responses helped us compile this article. Noteworthy comments include those from Rafael, KT, Nev, and pete.
Image Credits: Mark Hillary and Emily Tan via Flickr