A Desktop Made for One

3 hours ago

The author has developed and replaced nearly all off-the-shelf software with custom-built tools over the past few weeks.
The system consists of two layers: CHasm, a bedrock layer in x86_64 assembly, and Fe₂O, an application layer in Rust on the shared TUI library 'crust'.
Key replacements include: i3-wm → tile, i3bar + conky → strip + asmites, kitty → glass, VIM → scribe, and mutt + newsbeuter + various web logins → kastrup.
Notably, the text editor VIM was replaced by 'scribe' in just three days, despite 25 years of muscle memory, offering tailored features like soft-wrap, reading mode, and AI in the prompt.
The author attributes the feasibility of BYOS (Build Your Own Software) to modern tools like Rust and AI, lowering the barrier for creating personalized software.
The post emphasizes building for oneself, avoiding the complexity of accommodating other users, leading to small, fast, and precisely shaped tools.
Readers are encouraged to consider BYOS as a viable option for customizing their workflow, even if just for one tool.

Hasty Briefsbeta