I guess it played a role in getting html5/css3/web-standards features up to speed
The Adobe Flex thing had lot of css3 features early. Funny to see how 'easy' it is to release specs and implementation when you are the sole owner of the tech
Isn't this something like what's been emerging on Twitch and YouTube the last couple of years?
Eg. during The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017 (E3) in June there where multiple YouTube channels streaming with side chat, comments and what not. I think I have seen it with the recent Star Wars releases too.
Maybe it is not quite what you describe, but this seems to be a trend
I use the PhpStorm IDE which comes with it's own database tool which is more or less the same as the stand-alone DataGrip product/tool.
It is customisable and have tabs +a lot of nifty features. Only thing I miss is 'migrate database from vendor to another vendor', but I guess that is too specialised for such a tool.
Antony Beevor's book "Berlin: The Downfall 1945" comes to mind.
There is a chapter in that book where the witnesses describes increased sexual activity in the city during and between the bombardments.