GitHub Archives

Winsage

June 17, 2025

I hope this PowerToys redesign becomes a reality — it’s too easy to get lost in the app

PowerToys is evolving with new features for Windows 11 users, including a proposed redesign shared by software engineer Niels Laute on the PowerToys GitHub page. The new dashboard layout aims to enhance user experience by making essential tools more accessible and aligns with the aesthetics of Windows 11. Despite its versatility, many features of PowerToys are not well-known and require users to explore further. The envisioned dashboard seeks to highlight these lesser-known functionalities and simplify navigation. The concept is still in early development stages, indicating that significant changes may take time to implement.

Winsage

June 15, 2025

Windows 11 finally gets a small, but long-requested Windows 10 taskbar feature

Windows 11 is nearing its fourth anniversary, and Microsoft has reintroduced the clock in the calendar flyout, a feature that users missed since its initial release. This feature allows for a larger clock display with seconds, visible whether the calendar is collapsed or expanded. Users can toggle the clock off in the Settings menu, but the feature is being rolled out gradually. To enable it sooner, users can use the ViVeTool app with specific commands. However, the taskbar calendar still lacks advanced functionalities like displaying user agendas or creating new events.

Winsage

June 15, 2025

I switched to NixOS after using Windows my whole life, and here’s how it went

The author transitioned from Windows to NixOS as their primary operating system after using it intermittently for a year or two. They have extensively used a MacBook for work while maintaining a personal machine with Windows and a dual-boot setup with Linux. Recent statistics indicate that Linux users account for 5.4% of all visitors, with Windows holding a market share of 72.13% and macOS at 15.46%. NixOS allows users to manage the entire system through a single configuration file, offering atomic changes and reliable rollbacks. It isolates each package in its own environment to avoid dependency issues. NixOS supports individual application updates without impacting the entire system, enhancing flexibility. The author notes that while major applications like Photoshop are not supported, open-source alternatives are available. The relevance of Windows is diminishing as Microsoft focuses on Azure and SaaS offerings, making Linux a more appealing option.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

I tried Google’s secret, open source, offline AI app to see if it’s better than Gemini

Google has introduced the AI Edge Gallery, an application that allows users to download and run large language models (LLMs) directly on their Android devices for offline processing. The app features four distinct LLMs categorized into three functions: Ask Image, Prompt Lab, and AI Chat. Users can engage in image analysis, chat interactions, and prompt-based tasks. The installation process is cumbersome, requiring users to download the app from GitHub and create a Hugging Face account. Once operational, the app has a sleek interface and smooth functionality. It can provide travel planning advice, explain complex theories, generate recipes, rewrite text, summarize content, and recognize images, although it struggles with less common subjects like landmarks. AI Edge Gallery does not have the same level of control over devices as Google's Gemini and cannot execute commands like turning on the flashlight.

Tech Optimizer

June 9, 2025

Streamline Amazon Aurora database operations at scale: Introducing the AWS Database Acceleration Toolkit

The AWS Database Acceleration Toolkit (DAT) is an open-source solution that enhances database performance, particularly for Amazon Aurora, by utilizing Terraform for setup, provisioning, and maintenance. DAT helps organizations reduce time to market, improve customer satisfaction, and optimize costs. It is beneficial for DevOps teams, SaaS providers, and enterprises transitioning from commercial databases to Aurora. One example of its effectiveness includes a customer reducing database migration time from 12 months to 4 weeks for over 100 databases, achieving zero outages over six months, increasing database team productivity by 60-70%, and lowering infrastructure costs by 42%. DAT's architecture includes automated resource provisioning and security through Terraform, with source code available in a Git repository. It offers multiple provisioning options for Aurora clusters, including the Terraform CLI and Jenkins pipelines. Key modules include: - Aurora cluster module for creating new clusters with customization options. - Amazon RDS Proxy for enhancing application performance and security. - Aurora GlobalDB for creating clusters across AWS Regions for disaster recovery. - Aurora Monitoring for configuring CloudWatch dashboards to monitor database performance. Use case examples are provided in the Git repository for both Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible and Aurora MySQL-Compatible engines. Deployment options include using Terraform directly, setting up a new Jenkins instance, or integrating with an existing Jenkins setup. To provision an Aurora PostgreSQL cluster, users must clone the DAT repository, navigate to the appropriate folder, configure the Terraform variable definition file, initialize the working directory, execute a plan, and apply the changes. Security features include customer-managed keys, integration with AWS Secrets Manager for password management, and enhanced monitoring through CloudWatch. To clean up, users can destroy the Aurora cluster with a Terraform command.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

I used a self-hosted app to track all my receipts and it’s shockingly good

Receipt Wrangler is a self-hosted tool for managing receipts that offers a straightforward installation process and an intuitive user interface. It allows users to rename, tag, group, and search receipts easily, creating a consistent and searchable archive. The app prioritizes user experience by placing essential functions prominently and supports flexible tagging systems for personalized organization. Receipt Wrangler can connect to self-hosted AI models or external services for automatic scanning and tagging of receipts. Its self-hosting feature ensures data security and ownership, allowing users to back up their information as needed. The tool has transformed the receipt management process into a more efficient and enjoyable experience, encouraging timely filing and reducing procrastination.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Why I Use simplewall Instead of Windows Firewall (And You Should Too)

Simplewall is a rule-based firewall controller for Windows that enhances the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) without replacing it. It allows users to manage network access for applications and services with a user-friendly interface, supporting advanced features like filtering rules by IP, port, or protocol. Users can create tailored profiles for different scenarios and have comprehensive control over network interactions, including blocking telemetry data and automatic updates. Simplewall is lightweight, portable, and operates without background processes or telemetry, ensuring a straightforward user experience. Setting up simplewall involves downloading it, extracting the files, and enabling filters, allowing users to establish a functional firewall profile quickly. While it offers many advantages, such as being open-source and compatible with older Windows versions, it may be overwhelming for beginners and lacks detailed app profiling compared to premium firewalls.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Packet is an Android Quick Share App for Linux

Packet is a Linux application developed in Rust with a GTK4/libadwaita interface designed for wireless file transfer between Android and Linux devices. It utilizes Android's Quick Share feature, requiring devices to have Bluetooth enabled and be connected to a compatible Wi-Fi network. Users can easily send files by dragging and dropping them in Packet or using the Quick Share option on Android. The app allows customization of device names, visibility, download folders, and can run in the background. Packet is available for installation from Flathub or can be built from source on GitHub.

Winsage

June 5, 2025

Microsoft is adding a simpler text editor than Notepad to Windows 11 soon

Microsoft is enhancing Notepad following the discontinuation of WordPad and is introducing a new text editor called Edit for Windows 11, which operates within the Command Prompt. Edit is a compact tool that resembles the classic MS-DOS Editor and has a contemporary interface similar to Visual Studio Code, occupying 230KB of disk space. Users can launch Edit by typing "edit" in the Command Prompt, allowing basic text file editing without advanced features like text formatting or AI summaries. Currently, files cannot be saved directly in Edit; users must copy text to other applications for finalization. Edit is in development and can only be accessed through manual installation from GitHub, with plans to make it the default text editor for command line use in the future.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

This Real-Life Minecraft Compass Points the Way to the Nearest Lodestone

Minecraft has evolved over 15 years from a basic game to a complex platform that allows players to craft advanced tools, including a compass that can guide them to specific locations. Chaosgoo has created a DIY compass that replicates the in-game compass in real life, allowing users to set destinations via a companion app. The compass uses a custom printed circuit board (PCB) featuring an ESP32-C3-MINI microcontroller with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a USB connector, a lithium battery charger, and a digital compass. It includes 42 individually addressable RGB LEDs and a light diffuser that creates a voxel-like appearance for the compass needle. The device is designed for 3D printing and is portable. Documentation for building the compass is primarily in Chinese, but resources are available on MakerWorld, OSHW Hub, and GitHub.