●Notes from building things

Blog

What I learn making small apps — the problems that started them, and the ones I still haven't solved.

Latest

Mac Menu Bar Clock: Show Seconds, Date, and 24-Hour Time

Show seconds, the date, the day of the week, or 24-hour time in your Mac menu bar clock, where Clock Options moved in macOS 26 and 27, and which apps fill the gaps.

Nov 9, 2026
Mac Menu Bar Clock: Show Seconds, Date, and 24-Hour Time

All posts

31 posts
Aug 12, 2026
Stop Using AI Only for Code
Every developer uses AI for code. Here are the uses beyond coding that actually stuck - from weather advice to birthday planning to an app that greets you when you open the lid.
Aug 1, 2026
How to Automate Your Downloads Folder on Mac with Ornix (Full Setup Guide)
Your Downloads folder already has too many files in it. Here's how to set Ornix up once, using every organizing feature it has, so it stops happening.
Aug 1, 2026
Customize Your Mac Lock Screen (and the Wake Screen macOS Forgot)
macOS lets you change almost everything about what your Mac shows while it is locked: wallpaper, screen saver, a custom lock message, which notifications strangers can read. It gives you nothing at all about the moment you open the lid again. Here is every setting that exists, and the one gap they leave.
Jul 17, 2026
7 Mac Apps That Change How Your Screen Looks in 2026 (No Hardware Needed)
Most Mac customization guides start with LED strips. These 7 apps change the screen itself: live wallpapers (Wallper, plus gifPaper and its alternatives), the Aerial screensaver, Ice for the menu bar, and desktop widgets.
Jul 17, 2026
How to Clean Up Your Downloads Folder on Mac - Once and For All
Your Mac Downloads folder has hundreds of files you'll never open again. Here's a 15-minute cleanup method that actually sticks, plus how to stop the mess from coming back.
Jul 16, 2026
Product Hunt Trends 2026: The AI Rotation Nobody Reports
AI trends on Product Hunt rotate every four to six weeks. Here is the cycle we found in the launch data, plus the non-AI categories quietly growing.
Jul 12, 2026
How to Auto Organize Files on Mac: 4 Ways Tested in 2026
Four ways to auto organize files on a Mac desktop or Downloads folder, from free built-in tools to dedicated apps. Includes what breaks after a macOS update and what keeps running.
Jul 8, 2026
Best Mac File Organizer Apps in 2026: A Practical Comparison
Looking for the best file organizer for Mac? We compared 6 apps - from free Automator workflows to premium tools like Hazel. Here's which one fits your actual workflow.
Jun 24, 2026
How to Customize Your Mac Without Apps in macOS Golden Gate
Folder emoji, tinted icons, a Liquid Glass slider, and a menu bar you can strip down: macOS Golden Gate ships more customization than most people use. Here is every built-in setting worth changing, where it lives, and which ones to skip.

10-18 / 31

Built an app out of most of these.

Every post here started as a problem I hit. Some of them turned into apps you can download.

See the apps →