[xnorswap]

> It's almost certainly a joke but not obvious exactly what the joke is.

That's the conclusion I've come to from all the responses. (Thanks everyone.)

The reason I asked is because I remember web development in the 90's, and the article while irreverent in tone misses the mark for me.

I think it's aiming for "The Register" style irreverence but their style is to have a cynical mocking and sarcastic tone while still being factually accurate, while this article changes facts in a way that feels like a joke, but stops short of actually making the joke or point it wants to make.

It's as if "This joke is left as an Exercise to the reader". Given the range of different explanations of "the joke" that have followed, I've come to the conclusion that the author has nailed the tone of being funny while not actually being funny.