Editorial Standards & How We Work

Elegant Machines publishes independent technology coverage for people who use, configure and think critically about digital tools. We aim to make our work useful, accurate and clear about what we know, how we know it and where uncertainty remains.

How we research and test

Our articles may be based on hands-on testing, research and reporting, analysis, or a combination of these.

When we describe something as tested, we mean we have genuinely used or examined it ourselves. Where relevant, we identify the version, platform, device or other conditions that may affect the result.

When an article is based primarily on research rather than first-hand testing, we do not present sourced information as our own experience.

Sources and verification

We favor primary and first-party sources where appropriate, including official documentation, product information, research, regulatory material and original data.

We also use reputable independent reporting, specialist sources and community discussions. Community sources can be especially useful for identifying real-world experiences, undocumented behavior and workarounds, but we do not treat them as a substitute for authoritative documentation when authoritative evidence is available.

Important factual claims are checked against their underlying sources, and information that may have changed is rechecked for freshness.

Editorial independence and recommendations

Editorial conclusions are based on our assessment of the available evidence, not on payment from a company or product.

If Elegant Machines uses affiliate links, sponsorships, paid contributions or other commercial relationships, we disclose them where relevant. A commercial relationship does not guarantee favorable coverage or determine our conclusions.

Product and service recommendations are made because we believe they may be useful to readers, taking into account factors such as capabilities, limitations, value, usability and available evidence.

AI-assisted editorial work

We may use AI tools to assist with parts of the research, drafting, editing or production process.

AI output is not treated as evidence on its own. Sources, factual claims and editorial conclusions remain subject to human review. We do not use AI to fabricate testing, quotations, sources, experiences or certainty that the evidence does not support.

AI-generated or AI-assisted illustrations may be used for editorial presentation, but they are not presented as documentary evidence.

Corrections and updates

Technology changes quickly. We update articles when changes to products, interfaces, policies, ownership, availability or other relevant facts would otherwise make the article materially misleading.

Significant factual errors are corrected when we become aware of them. Update dates are intended to reflect meaningful editorial changes rather than cosmetic edits.

If you believe something we have published is inaccurate or outdated, please contact us.

Bylines

Standard editorial work is published under Elegant Machines Editorial rather than under fictional individual author identities.

Questions about our methodology, sources or published work can be sent through our Contact page.