The things we got wrong
This is a log of corrections—not a list of achievements. It exists because every site that writes about tech gets things wrong. The difference here is that we’re naming them, in order, so you can judge whether the rest is worth trusting.
A correction log is useful only if it’s real. You’ll find no vague excuses here, no mistakes that turn into strengths by the last sentence, and no humblebrags about how hard we tried. Only what failed, how long it lasted, and who fixed it.
Three we had to fix
The first three mistakes were the ones that mattered most: the ones that could have made the site useless before it even started. They’re listed here, most consequential first, so you know what we’ve already learned.
The wrong command-line examples
- 1Linux commands that didn’t work
The first tutorial on terminal basics included a `rm -rf` example with no warning. It went live for 12 hours before a reader pointed out that running it without a path deletes everything in the current directory. Milton Kirchner removed the example entirely and added a standalone warning about `rm` in the troubleshooting guide. The fix included a checklist of safe alternatives for file deletion.
- 2Windows PowerShell typos
A guide to PowerShell scripting had a typo in a `Get-ChildItem` filter that would silently fail. Milton Kirchner corrected the syntax and rewrote the section to include a live test script at the bottom of the page. The rule now is that every code block must be copy-pasted into a real terminal before publication.
- 3Outdated software versions
A review of Ubuntu 22.04 referenced a package manager command that was deprecated in 22.10. The article remained up for two weeks, during which three readers reported issues trying to replicate the steps. Milton Kirchner updated the guide to specify version requirements and added a ‘Last Verified’ date to every tutorial. Now, all content is flagged if it’s older than six months without an explicit note.
What those three changed
These mistakes forced three rules into existence. They’re still followed today, even when no one is watching.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Every command-line example must be tested in a fresh terminal session before publication. *(From the Linux `rm` mistake.)*
- Software versions and dependencies must be explicitly called out in every guide. *(From the Ubuntu package manager typo.)*
- Reader-reported errors in comments are treated as urgent fixes, not suggestions. *(From the PowerShell typo.)*
The people behind this
Milton Kirchner is the founder and editor of *Formula Basics*, and the only person who signs corrections here. You’ve just met him through the things he got wrong—not the ones he got right, which are easier to hide.
That’s how this works: the log introduces the people, and the rest of the site proves they’re still learning.
Keeping a correction log is uncomfortable. It means admitting that the work isn’t perfect, that the first version isn’t always the best, and that the people behind it are human enough to make mistakes. But it’s also the only way to earn trust.
If you’re reading this, you’re already judging whether we’re worth following—and that’s the point.
Milton’s first real mistake wasn’t public. It was the time he reformatted a hard drive without backing up the data, then spent three hours recovering files from a corrupted partition.
He still has the screenshot of the error message on his desk as a reminder: *‘This could have been avoided.’* That’s the kind of detail this site cares about—the small, ordinary failures that teach the most.
If you find something wrong on *Formula Basics*, the next correction might be yours. Start with the contact page.
There will be a next one
This list isn’t finished. The site will keep growing, and so will the log. If you spot a wrong number, a broken method, or a page that shouldn’t exist, the contact page is where to send it.
No email address is needed—just the details, and we’ll add it to the next update.
The guides are grouped by category: App, Coding, Hardware, Operating System, Outlook and PowerPoint.