I make things to solve a problem or scratch an itch and then give it away for free to humanity. Or at least, I used to. We all did...
It used to be one of the more noble roles in this, our cyber world. The champions who'd spend their time investing effort and passion into something, and then give it away to the masses. It was an art, like a clockmaker placing intricate gears and springs. The value was in knowing someone cared enough to keep it alive through effort.
There was a time when we believed in the liberation of access. To knowledge, to code, to utility. There was a time I believed. When that was enough to justify the effort.
But I've joined the faceless crowd. Addicted and enslaved by corporate overloards who sit at the tables of world leaders and make decisions on the value of life. All while everything around us falls to enshittification and a mimetic disease.
I want my Saturdays to have that spark once more. My Sunday coffee mornings to be lost in the problems. I want to stay behind. To be reminded of Darcation, ShadowPu15e and C0deR4t. A time when it was all filled with a childlike wonder. When StackOverflow and a random guy named Joe solved my headaches better than paracetamol. I want to journey back, back from how far I've strayed.
Most of my projects were built during a time where wonder still inspired my code. It can be better in a million different ways. And some of these should never be run on a system that isn't air-gapped. But gain the use you can from these traveller. That is all I ever intended.
These are some of the projects I love and use. We are all guilty of taking the poison we despise. But at least, these still make an effort to give back to humanity: