Notes
My personal notebook for dumping ideas, thoughts, learnings, and all sorts of things that catch my attention.
Developer's obsession
Being devs, we're obsessed with building software. What features to add, what optimization can be done, that's all we care.
The problem is, software doesn't sell itself.
Tailwind CSS
It's just too good, such a breeze to work with.
I now fully understand why it's gradually becoming the norm. A true innovation redefining how we work with CSS.
Web dev patterns
patterns.dev looks like a great resource for learning about JS/React/Vue patterns in-depth, authored by renowned software engineers.
I never got to properly wrap my head around these things, maybe the time is now?
Apple users
"If you are not using an iPhone, MacBook, <insert_apple_products>... you have no taste, you're stink of broke".
Seriously, wtf is wrong with these people? If being "rich" means losing my brain cells, I'd rather stay poor 🤷♂️
Belief
People can have different religious beliefs, the opposite, or even none at all. And that doesn't mean we have to argue or fight just to defend our own beliefs.
It's unnecessary and pointless.
My income growth (2017 - 2025)
$ per month
- Feb 2017 - Apr 2017: $220 (salary)
- May 2017 - May 2019: $120 (military allowance)
- Aug 2019 - Jul 2021: $440 (salary) + $230 (side hustle)
- Aug 2021 - Dec 2021: $760 (salary) + $870 (side hustle)
- Jan 2022 - Dec 2023: $1,270 (salary) + $870 (side hustle)
- Jan 2024 - Jul 2024: $1,270 (salary) + $2,380 (side hustle)
- Aug 2024 - Jul 2025: $1,760 (salary) + $3,170 (side hustle)
Modern marketing
Be loud, post ragebaits, controversial takes on social media, give 0 fks about morals and ethics, throw them all away. It feels like this is one of, if not the most effective, marketing strategies nowadays.
In a nutshell, do everything it takes to get attention, only then do you get sales.
I absolutely hate this.
Proper use of AI
Someone has pointed out a serious problem with developers not using AI properly and becoming reliant on it. He also proposed things we can do instead to adapt and make good use of it without losing our minds.
It's a good read.
Dev doing marketing
Clueless, desperate, and overwhelmed, are the feelings, if you are a dev and try to do marketing on your own.
It's like shouting to the void, dealing with mental illness, and questioning your life choices, most of the time.
Building vs marketing
- Before AI: building was hard, marketing was harder
- After AI: building is no longer hard, marketing is still fkn hard.
Types or NO types
JS brings the superpower of shipping fast, getting jobs done without worrying about literally everything else.
But once we decide to slow down, think about stability, maintainability and scaling (in terms of features), TS starts kicking in...
B2C
A good side of B2C is that, even with little effort spent on marketing, your product can still gain traction. How?
By making a really good product, with 1 or 2 viral factors, and users will be the one doing the marketing for you.
A great leader
A colleague, also my team lead and I read this post by Zed A Shaw.
I expressed my point of view on that matter. My colleague thinks differently.
Despite not sharing the perspective, we were still respectful of each other, and I liked it.
Phone Museum
Some talented young man made this Phone Museum project.
You can experience different retro Nokia phones, in 3D, fully functional. Crazy work!
Best time to post
- Facebook: 5 a.m. – 7 a.m. on weekdays
- Instagram: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. on weekdays
- LinkedIn: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays
- TikTok: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. on weekdays
- YouTube: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays
- X/Twitter: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. on weekdays
- Threads: 7 a.m. — 9 a.m. on weekdays
Credits: Buffer
Win7 Simu web browsers
I'm hitting the wall, again. Each solution for Android and Web works with flaws and limitations.
I guess this is it. I should put up a blog post about the solution for Android, like the one for Web.
Rewriting the codebase
Don't. Just don't. For no good reasons (lots of good reasons).
Users don't care if your code is clean, they don't care about your shiny libraries or frameworks. All they want is for the software they use to have good quality, and the necessary features.
No fks given for what you do behind the scenes. Think about it.
Dedication
Been working on a webtop/OS simulator for 5+ years now, I don't think I've seen anyone doing this longer than I have.
Most just stop at an OS-like portfolio or abandon development after a few months (with a very few exceptions). I might consider this a self-achievement.
Coding
If you enjoy coding, and only care about it above all else, get a full-time job and stick with it. Don't aim for management, don't go higher than a senior level, even if you're capable.
Also, don't try to become a "founder" with your side project.
Cuz if you don't, you'll start doing all kinds of boring jobs that are irrelevant to coding.
Being employed
You get judged and evaluated for the value you're able to provide to the company.
You develop the skill sets that prioritize the company's benefits first.
And when you're no longer needed, the company tosses you away.
So, you'd better be in charge of your own life.
Pricing my software
I keep thinking about increasing the price for my products as I no longer consider them "side projects", and investing a lot of time and effort outside of my day job.
But then I realize, the majority of my audience is from developing countries, my products solve no pain points and have a subpar quality.
A blessed job
Sometimes, I forget how fortunate I am to work as a software developer.
Working from anywhere, in comfortable places, under AC, no heavy lifting, no pressure, handsome salary.
Money is a means
Someone (a very respectable person) used to teach me this.
Money should bring you comfort, happiness, and peace of mind, NOT trade them for itself. It is a means, not the goal.
Overpriced software
Just came across this high-quality interactive ebook on DSA.
The crazy part is that such quality is priced relatively low compared to those niche software products that do silly things.
Right vs wrong
You don't get the recognition, or rewards, for doing the right things.
But you do get the attention, and penalties, for doing the wrong things.
Optimization
Optimizing app's size and performance is addictive, if one knows how to do it (and for good reasons).
Been doing it for Win7 Simu for the last few days, learned tons of things, might as well write a blog about it. Webpack, lazy-loading modules, code-splitting, tree-shaking, those kind of sh*ts.
Writing tests
Having test coverage in place is extremely handy and valuable for long-term projects, especially when you need to refactor existing code or add new features on top of it.
But it's really underestimated.
FAANG
Intro: I'm a proud employee at a FAANG company, Apple to be specific.
Actual job: I reject app submissions from miserable developers, who have to spend their life savings to buy a Macbook, spend $99 a year, and have 30% deducted from every hard sale they earn, just because I have the authority and stupid reasons.
Recruiting
Been recruiting a freelance marketer for the last few days. Something I've never done before.
It feels like I'm given the authority to judge others, since I'm putting my money on the table. Mixed feelings, but I hope I don't get accustomed to this and change.
Raw skills
Like a rough metal, with enough forging, it takes shape and shines. Raw skills, through training and practice, begin to flourish.
The problem is, not everyone is able to find a place for them.
Viral marketing hack
Post about something that is really, really good that people can't help but admire and reshare.
Or do the opposite.
Being an industry leader
You're expected to be bold and innovative, spearheading changes that others would not dare to try.
Some won't doubt your decision on these changes, even worship you like you're some god. Others will roast, criticize, or even discredit your brand and reputation.
The recent WWDC25 event from Apple is an example.
Social media downloader
Cobalt is a handy tool for downloading anything on social media (Reddit, X, YouTube, TikTok etc.)
Built by a 21 yo guy, source-first, privacy-first - no ads, no tracking, no paywall, no nonsense. Truly remarkable!
Minicloud
I've been spending the last few days working on this Brick 1100 feature, a mini cloud storage solution to store and transfer files between web and mobile temporarily.
Thought it'd be quick and simple to build, but no, tons of things popping up, considerations, and concerns from implementation to cost management.
A true influencer
This man popped up in my LinkedIn feed recommendations. I clicked to view his profile since I've seen him quite often lately.
Turned out he's a big deal, like, very, very big. To have a dedicated Wikipedia page talking about him says it all.
Funding
Spacedrive is a promising project. The founder and the team behind have done a wonderful job in crafting such a polished product.
It's kinda sad to see the founder having to look for a job due to fundraising challenges.
Commitment
I used PPSSPP years ago (back in 2014). Today, I happen to come across it on Google Play.
Last update was Nov 4, 2024. A decade and the developer still keeps working on it and rolling out updates. I'm so amazed. Something you'll have a hard time seeing nowadays.
Profitable NSFW site
A dude on Reddit shares about making $500/month with 250k users from his NSFW site.
Spent 5 years on it (since 2020), the cost is roughly about $45/month, use a bunch of tech stack and infras to maintain the site. Pretty interesting sharing.
Choice question
I took my fam out to a nearby bookstore. I saw the security guards, one of them is just...there, to greet and open the door for customers. And that's all he does, day to day, to make a living for himself and his family.
I again appreciate God for blessing me with an easy life.
Choice question
From time to time, I keep questioning this niche (retro/nostalgia) that I have chosen to commit my time to.
While there's apparently an audience, it's not captivating, innovative, or creative at all. Sometimes, it feels good, sometimes not.
AI
If you use X (Twitter), it's not hard to see mindless comments tagging @grok to ask about literally anything. Even the simplest things.
It's like people are losing their common sense on purpose and giving it all up to AI.
MMO
I just learned about this term, short for "make money online". Basically, an umbrella term for all online activities that can bring income.
It's easy to get hooked on this topic, the "success stories" are addicted, but what we also need to care about is the ethics, the responsibility it entails.
Persistence
The winner doesn't always have to be the one to finish first.
It can also be the last one to remain.
Life is not a race. Pick a pace that works.
"Life is not fair, get used to it"
There are things that can only be learned from experiences or being taught.
But some people possess them innately, and make good use of them, making them the top player of a game called "life".
Taste
Someone writes about developing taste, it's a good read.
While the post is kinda design-oriented, the main point is about a mindset, and it applies to everything.
Local market
To grow, we tend to look further and beyond where we're at, but sometimes, we forget that we can solve problems simply for the people around us and make a living from there.
The local market is truly undermined and overlooked at times.
Willem Dafoe
YouTube's algorithm recommended me this video of an interview with Willem Dafoe.
"I don't give advice. People has to find their own way. Just enjoy it."
I used to admire his acting talent, but after watching this short interview, I admire his personality even more.
Pampering breeds ingratitude
Being able to live in peace, we don't know how hard life was during the war.
Being able to live in prosperity, we don't have financial struggles.
Being able to live, we don't cherish life.
Focus
People don't see your effort, they don't care or understand your struggles. They only see you when you're at the top.
So focus on your growth, upskilling, and spend less time consuming.
Family
We went to the church yesterday, my parents, wife, son, and I.
My son was being mischievous as usual (in a good way), and we couldn't focus. I scolded him a bit, but my parents didn't mind, held him and laughed at him, most of the time.
For a moment, I nearly shed tears, the tears of joy. I felt truly blessed, for my son and myself.
Loyalty
Microsoft has laid off yet another big round. Someone has worked for nearly 2 decades, made significant contributions, and is still one of those.
Some people criticize the young for not being loyal and always changing jobs every 1 or 2 years, but do the layoff events make them think otherwise?
A milestone
Thuan has been a collaborator working on Win7 Simu for more than a year now. He's just agreed to work with me as a part-timer.
A milestone for me and my projects, might turn out to be one of the best decisions I will ever make. Let's see.
Advantage
I know the fact that expanding my skill horizon helps me be more versatile and get more jobs done.
But I'd rather be an expert in an area where I'm most confident and can consider my unfair advantage.
Life meaning
20-ish-year-old guys.
One is making thousands of dollars per month, raises millions more, establishes a company and is hiring, has a girlfriend and lots of talented friends.
One is living in his "mom's basement", single, no MRR, no life goals, just chilling and working on his game that no one has yet to know.
Everyone is born different, different in education, different in opportunities, different in mindset.
There's really no good or bad, right or wrong, just differences.
AI
Sometimes I feel like being left behind for not using AI in my day-to-day work.
Sometimes, not so much.
I don't know how to cope with this just yet.
A popular game
Yesterday, someone suggested a game be included with Win7 Simu.
At a glance, it doesn't look very impressive. But the author's Twitter got 1,7k followers, his YouTube got 10k subs, and 10k members in the Discord server. The game has no server, everything is stored in the local storage, no ads, no tracking, no subscriptions.
This is very intriguing.
Russian users
I don't want to be that guy, but from time to time, I get really annoyed by their behavior.
They swarm your product/service, in the most abusive way. They never want to pay, don't respect your hard work. They keep asking for more, for free. They leave random comments, totally unhelpful and irrelevant.
I can understand why some people just straight-up ban Russian IPs from their service.
Technology
They are supposed to be tools that help businesses generate money, get our job done, and improve life.
But somehow, we devs tend to worship them, willing to argue with those who criticize our choice, calling ourselves "advocates".
When you're busy doing that, someone is out there making a fortune with just jQuery or <insert_some_random_js_lib>.
Sharing = best marketing
This guy built his web agency and shared valuable insights in this Reddit comment.
Not a self-promotion, but I think it does him wonders as everything he shared is quite surprising, extremely useful, and genuine. Now, more people will know of and seek his service without him having to seek for clients actively.
The extremes pt.2
Reddit can be hostile and toxic, but it also teaches you to be honest and direct. No fluff, no cringe, no nonsense.
X can be supportive and positive, but mindlessly following everything you see there can eventually lead you to rage quit, burnout, or waste your valuable time.
B2C in a nutshell
- "$2/month is too much."
- "I don't want to pay, but you gotta do these things for me."
- "Don't show me ads, but I won't pay either."
- "Doesn't work." (proceed to rate 1* with no elaboration)
Apple vs Google fees
- Developer account: $99/year ($299/year for enterprise) vs $25 once
- Development: Mac device vs None
- Commission: 30% vs 15%
- Sideloading/3rd-party stores: No (except EU starting 2025) vs Yes
And yet there are still people worshipping Apple and their money-thirst policies... 🤷♂️
Big words
Please. Stop using them. You're not a genius. You're not one of those special folks. Faking it to make yourself look like a big deal. It's ridiculous.
- What is "a founder with 10+ startups"? Do you mean "I built 10+ useless side projects and no one helps me"?
- The hell is "changing the world, one line of code at a time" ??😃??
A negative note, I know. But it's a fact. Please, be humble and genuine. People will appreciate you more.
Titles
I never paid any attention to this before, I guess because everyone does it, it becomes normal. But somehow, lately, I've begun to realize, how obsessive people (including myself) are over titles.
"Software Engineer, Product Designer, Problem Solver, Tech Influencer, Entrepreneur..." ⁉
Well, I guess those sound way bigger and fancier. But, have you told them to people outside of your bubble (industry)? What's the point if they just don't get it, and you have to start explaining those fancy titles in a common sense?
Authenticity
I'm on a fence, not sure if I should keep having my identity concealed, or reveal myself where appropriate.
It's understandable that several platforms (e.g Product Hunt, Peerlist) prefer personal accounts over brand/company accounts for authenticity, but somehow I still feel reluctant to do so.
Being mediocre is OK
It's 12.50 AM, yet I'm still awake.
I found this Reddit post when using Google Search to see if my notes appear in search results. I read the comments there, and it's like every comment under that post touched my soul.
It feels amazing.
Marketing
As an indie maker, I enjoy building a product more than anything. I realized a fact, if I want to get sales and grow my product, people need to know it exists.
But I don't like marketing. At all. Not because I'm shy or afraid to talk about my projects. It's because, the more I'm on this side, the more I realize, marketing involves gimmicks or sometimes blatant lies to capture people's attention.
Sidephone
Just discovered this project, looks pretty damn cool!
I absolutely love the creative design, especially its retro aspect. Let's see how the final product will turn out.
(Probably there are things I can apply to Brick 1100?)
The extremes
Feeling down? Go to Reddit to cheer you up. Plenty of "sharing" about failures that will make you feel you're not a loser.
Feeling lucky? Go to X to crush your energy. People brag about their success here, $10k MRR, $1M MRR... Whatever you've achieved will never be enough, go make MORE MONEY!!!
Ads again
I'm struggling with the idea of ditching popup ads altogether for Brick 1100.
It's intrusive, ik, but it's been my major revenue source since day 1.
Idk if I can make good use of reward ads, or if I can come up with an alternative solution to improve paid user conversions...
A human nature
We see other people succeed, we feel envious. That's human nature.
It's not a bad thing if we could transform it into inspiration or motivation.
But sometimes, it's also OK to settle down. Success is not all about having a lot of money. It's about having peace of mind.
Fate
Every person has their fate defined on the day they were born.
Like it or not, we cannot change it. We can only live in a way that we won't regret.
More than money
I build retro apps for fun, and it's nice to see them making some money. But sometimes, receiving feedback like this is worth a lot more.
Corporate vs indie life
Being on both sides, I can see things from different angles. Each to its own struggles.
- Corporate: I struggle to fit in the social events, work on things I hate, can't catch a break.
- Indie: I feel mediocre, isolated, lonely, and uneasy about my financial situation.
Ads
No matter how hard I try to balance out the user experience and the ads, there are always people displeased and have bad things to say about it.
Though I enjoy working on my projects, I still need to eat, and I have a family too. If you don't want to pay for someone else's work, ads are the only way for them to sustain, you know.
Ideas for Brick 1100
QR generator, file transfer (mobile <-> web), AI-powered features...
I'm having too many ideas for Brick 1100, yet I don't know if this project will ever be "successful", and the most important thing is, I don't have that much time.
Reddit
Reddit's communities never ceases to amaze me with its hostility.
This guy made a post to vent out his frustrations about his product being abused from going viral.
He shared his "lessons", encouraging people to discriminate and permanently block countries as the very first step to "protect" their product.
Embrace the mediocre
After a long time, I've just updated my LinkedIn profile's headline to Writing code to build software for a living.
It now may look "mediocre" to other people, and that is OK.
I'm not seeking anyone else's approval. I'm not trying to live up to anyone's standards. If anyone knows me, they just know.