This is also why it's been difficult for me to decide on portfolio projects to build. I just don't have anything I really need to build. I made a compound interest calculator as my first React app, but could have made an excel sheet or python script.
replyI use a frustration threshold. A lot of times, I’ve got a working solution, but it’s not “right”, so when that become frustrating enough, I build something.
replyA few examples
dotnet does not work on OpenBSD, so to run jellyfin (supported by the infuse app on the apple tv), I have to run Linux. I wonder if I can replicate the API somehow
calibre is quite nice, but I don’t use much of its capabilities. I could try to make a simpler system for my use cases.
And so on.
Yup! This is fun and cool, but the OBVIOUS solution is "just unpack." You need to do that anyway, and life is giving you motivation.
replyI mean, yeah, that was the joke.
replyI spelled it out a bit more on Bluesky etc:
> There is a mysterious intermittent beep coming from somewhere in your room of unopened boxes. Do you:
> 1. Open the boxes methodically one by one until you find it
> 2. Vibe code software that lets you set up two laptops, two iPads and a phone in various points around the room to triangulate it
https://bsky.app/profile/simonwillison.net/post/3mzvuqd4ndk2...