I recently wrote a tool that allows me to copy AWS secrets to another aws account for testing. It ended up being far simpler than doing a copy-paste for doing it repeatedly. I plan to write a few more in the appropriately named repo.
Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
51–60 of 671 posts
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#52A simple server to send notifications to my phone, and an app to view/receive. Now setting up alerts anywhere is super easy.
How did you go about rolling your own? I've used discord webhooks for this.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#53When starting my freelance career back in 2012 I had a pretty simple idea on how to track time using only google calendar and this tiny web app I wrote. Used it literally every workday since then, and even got a colleague (another freelancer) to use it with the quote “the first time tracker to ever work for me, and I’ve tried a lot!”. He is still using it last time I checked.
So I guess it is actually used by one more person than me!
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#54All the time.
I started using python scripts to invest in the stock market when nobody did that and earned some money.
I modified a digital hygrometer and thermometer so I can register the temperature cycles inside and outside my house. I also do it with my plants in the garden.
I reverse engineer all my GPS(garmin) clocks so I can store or upload GPS coordinates and tracks without some stupid and inefficient web app that the manufacturer controls for me.
I reverse engineered and hacked the routers from old Internet providers and posted the instructions on the internet for others to replicate.
I scan and OCR and process every single ticket and receipt... Do the same with books.
I also have friends that do the same kind of things so it is kinda normal to do those things all the time.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#55How complex? I wrote a bash script that mounts my encrypted store and opens my work applications. It's not exactly a big program, but it's a procedure that I execute pretty often :D
I had a diary that I'd written in rails and used it for a couple of years. I'd written a fretboard calculator to visualize playing positions on my pedal steel guitar.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#56Hundreds. Look, computers are tool builders and tools hosts, so when you need a tool you build it, if an adequate solution is not already available.
And tools can be anything: organizers, information accessors, information processors, learning aids...
As already mentioned, months ago I had to build a full word processor for Android. I just needed it and what was available was faulty. Worth mentioning because I had to laugh in front of the odd situation of having to build a Word Processor from scratch in 2021 - but there you go, you may need anything.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#57When starting my freelance career back in 2012 I had a pretty simple idea on how to track time using only google calendar and this tiny web app I wrote. Used it literally every workday since then, and even got a colleague (another freelancer) to use it with the quote “the first time tracker to ever work for me, and I’ve tried a lot!”. He is still using it last time I checked. So I guess it is actually used by one mor…
Thanks for the story. Can you share a link, please? I've tried a bunch, too, and not fully satisfied.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#58I’ve recently made an email testing tool like mailhog. I like mailhog but it didn’t display recipients etc in a way that I liked.
I am considering adding IMAP or POP3 to it to make checking emails in popular clients easier
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#59I wanted to record Jeopardy everyday.
A Tivo subscription was too expensive, so I built my own DVR software to record from Locast. Worked like a charm until Locast shut down.
I had to replace it with a bunch of cron jobs + shell scripts which record using a local TV antenna connected to a NUC.
Puts out nice little mp4 files into a NFS which I can access anywhere in the world over Tailscale.
Re: Ask HN: Have you created programs for only your personal use?
#60I created a program that outputs one of my kid's name if the day of year is even, the other kid's name if it's odd. I use it to determine who's turn it is to take a shower first. They'll argue with me and each other all day long but for some reason they will not argue with the computer.