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Ask HN: What are you working on (August 2024)?

634 points david927 | 2 comments | 24 Aug 24 22:00 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source

What are you working on? Any new ideas that you're thinking about?
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zschuessler ◴[25 Aug 24 14:22 UTC] No.41347508[source]▶
I have been working on porting concepts of the Windows 10/11 taskbar, tray, and window management, to macos. With emphasis on simplicity, speed, and function inspired by Linux Mint MATE.

It has been a wild ride. Often frustrating but rewarding. Some days I may spend 10 hours solving an API for which app is frontmost at a given second. Sure, there's a system API for that, but it doesn't even remotely cover edge cases that exist. And many times with no answers out there on how to do something, it feels like I'm the first, so finally solving it is a great endorphin rush.

Part of the complexity is I wanted the app to be completely pluggable, kind of like Obsidian. The app communicates events to a local socket server in full duplex, which enables cross-plugin communication (but also cross-app!). Plugins access the app's JavaScript system bridge API for pubsub and system calls through a Webkit interface. Edits are hot reloaded and instant, no compile time necessary. The first time I could change my "Start" menu in real time through JavaScript/CSS was quite a feeling.

Sadly, I couldn't leverage existing tools like Tauri or Electron. They don't have adequate system bridge APIs available, and would be more work to leverage instead of less. They are too general, whereas this project only builds to macos. Therefore it can be much more complicated (and useful) by design.

I originally set out to be more productive in macos. But I've also spent time making prototypes for fun. A desktop widget system, real-time system color theme set from Spotify album art, live video desktop backgrounds from Twitch/YT, a Destiny 2 macos system theme, etc.

I plan to open source it and build a community around it one day.

replies(1): >>41347813 #
1. _huayra_ ◴[25 Aug 24 15:06 UTC] No.41347813[source]▶
I haven't used MacOS in years and have been forced to use Windows for work. I'm curious: what's great in the Windows layout that isn't in MacOS?

Coming from Hyprland and even KDE, Windows seems to be lacking a bit out of the box, but maybe I'm missing something deeper about how it all works.

replies(1): >>41348140 #
2. zschuessler ◴[25 Aug 24 15:45 UTC] No.41348140[source]▶
To some degree OS productivity is subjective based on what you grew up with. Your neural pathways form around a certain way of work management and it becomes hard to change that after ten years.

I'm naturally biased then to early Windows and MATE-esque environments. And, it's worth noting that I despise Win11 overall, so a better comparison is indeed Linux Mint MATE[1]. Part of the project inspiration is to never use Windows 11 again, actually!

Before I started the project I wrote down what I consider productivity boosters for me:

1. Fast context switching between open apps and windows, natively. All open apps are in front of me by way of the taskbar, always, and never hidden. I never have to think about where to find my immediate work. I can group apps, pin them, and create custom behavior for them.

2. System tray apps for things that you interact with often, but aren't necessarily immediately working on. Macos has something similar but it isn't really pluggable or widely used yet, and nowhere near as customizable. With Win10 I can add, remove, or hide system tray apps based on how I use my workstation best.

3. Optimized Start Menu. I press a button, I get access to things I've favorited, recent apps/files, and categories of apps I use often. It is highly customizable in Win10, while I struggle to have something as efficient in macos (even though macos global search is wonderful!).

I feel like the old UX rule of "don't make me think" applies heavily here. The macos app dock is a great example of this. You're forced to think about what you want to do with 10-20+ options glaring at you. Disabling the dock is the first thing I do on a new Mac ;)

Lastly, Win10 lets me customize my system to a high degree as my needs change. I just don't get that with macos, nor have I found apps that hit the mark for me.

I'm curious about your own experiences if you care to share :-)

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[1] Linux Mint MATE: https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_vanessa_mate_whatsnew.php