I’ve been spending a lot of time in the terminal lately. There is something satisfyingly efficient about staying in one window to get work done, rather than tab-switching until my browser looks like a deck of cards.
Recently, I’ve moved my primary AI workflow over to OpenCode.

​It’s the open-source answer to things like Claude Code or Cursor, but it gives you back the steering wheel. If you like staying nimble, this is a setup worth looking at.

The biggest hurdle with AI is the "knowledge cutoff." It knows a lot about 2024, but it’s often clueless about what happened on Reddit three hours ago.
​
I’ve started using a specific skill called last30days, originally built by Matt Van Horn. Even though it was designed for Claude, it works perfectly with OpenCode’s skill architecture. It gives the AI "eyes" on:

• Reddit & Hacker News (The "boots on the ground" sentiment)
• X (Twitter) (The immediate news cycle)
• YouTube (The deep-dive tutorials)
• Polymarket (Where people are actually putting their money)

How to add it:

1. Grab the SKILL.md file from the last30days GitHub.
2. Drop it into your OpenCode skills folder (usually ~/.config/opencode/skills/).
3. Restart your session.

I know, "OpenCode" sounds like it’s strictly for developers. But once you give an agent the ability to scan real-time sentiment, it becomes a powerful research assistant for almost any industry.

Take a Realtor, for example.
​Say a client is nervous about listing their house because of a headline they saw this morning. Instead of digging through news sites, the Realtor can ask OpenCode:
"Use the /last30days skill to check r/Vancouver and X for any shifts in buyer sentiment this week. Also, check Polymarket for the latest odds on the June interest rate cut."

Within seconds, the AI returns a summary:

• “Reddit users are reporting increased activity at open houses in North Van over the weekend.”
• “Prediction markets have moved from a 20% to a 65% chance of a rate cut.”

That Realtor isn't just reciting a script; they have real-time data to back up their advice.

Starting a new DIY project always piques my interest as a coder - it's like tackling a new programming challenge. My latest endeavor was creating an 11-foot netless gathered-end hammock from scratch, optimizing it with some custom design tweaks. To get a solid foundation, I did a deep dive into over 50 hammock-related patents one afternoon, essentially auditing the codebase of prior art. So many fascinating implementations and experimental features to explore!

From there, I immersed myself in the hammockforums.net community, the open-source knowledge-base for this niche. I spent hours trawling through threads, extracting insights from veteran hammockers on best practices, anti-patterns to avoid, and new feature enhancements to consider. Definitely some gems in there amongst the version history!
​
With a solid architecture mapped out from my research, I was ready to start prototyping my optimized hammock build. Iterative development and bug testing in the real-world would commence.

For materials, I looked back at what I had used for my previous hammock prototype - the HyperD XL fabric and thread from ripstopbytheroll.com, some miscellaneous cordage from Amazon.ca, and a few components I already had on hand. Initially, I had planned to source everything directly from Dutchweargear.com for a streamlined supply chain. But after factoring in shipping fees and currency exchange rates, I decided to see if there was a Canadian supplier for the components.
​
After some research, I discovered a promising Canadian vendor - hofmanoutdoorgearsupply.ca. They stock a wide range of hammock, camping and MYOG (make your own gear) supplies. While they didn't carry the exact HyperD XL fabric, they did offer Hexon W from Dutchwear, which seemed to be an optimized fabric designed specifically for hammocks.

With the fabric acquired, I carefully measured and cut it to 11'5" including seam allowances to achieve the desired 11' finished length. Applying tips that I learned after my last build, I marked fold-to guides along all edges - 1" rolled hems on the ends and 1/2" hems on the sides.

​Knotty Mod Prep
At 2' and 4.5' from the foot end on each side, I marked buttonhole reinforcements where the shock cords would anchor for the Knotty Mod, deviating slightly from standard implementations.

Suspension
Having tried a number of different suspensions, I've found I like the ones that are simple, fully adjustable, don't take up a lot of room, require as little "hardware" as possible, and are quick to set up and take down. Most suspensions, I've played with, require at least 2 connect/disconnect points on each end, and you wind up with multiple bits that need to be stored or put together each time. For this hammock, I was looking for something as simple as possible. Originally I was going to go with beetle buckles and a Dutch clip with a tree strap and continuous loop. However, with buying things from Hofman instead of Dutchwear and wanting to keep costs down I went with cinch buckles, continuous loops, tree straps, and a soft shackle.

Feeding the continuous loop attached to the cinch buckle through the end channel made for a simple connection to the hammock.

n old all-in-one hammock I have had 4 small pockets, one on each side at each end, about 1' from each end. I found these very useful for keeping things close at hand, without having them wind up in the bottom of the hammock, and without having them hanging on the ridgeline. I had some fabric left over, and some clips intended for tarp tie outs, so I made a couple of pockets. The clips allow for them to be positioned wherever they are needed. 

With the last bit of fabric I made a simple ridgeline bag as well using the pack clips.

Since the weather outside is typical Alberta spring (i.e. 10 inches of snow and -14 C) I had to setup a tensahedron stand made out of old army surplus antenna mast poles in the basement. (I'll post some info about that, as well as some plans for a smaller, packable aluminum one soon!)

Hi there Mrs. Olley and Alisha!

Thank you so much for reaching out and providing that wonderful feedback. I really appreciate you taking the time to share those kind words and resources.

Mrs. Olley, it's fantastic to hear that the links page was so helpful for you and the students you're tutoring on their coding project! I'm delighted that Alisha and the rest of the group found value in the programming language resources listed there. Please pass along my congratulations to all of them on the impressive work they're doing.

And a huge thank you to Alisha for surfacing that excellent collection of AI coding and programming tools (www.aiprm.com/education/ai-coding-and-programming-tools/)! I'd be more than happy to include that on the links page. What a fantastic resource, especially as artificial intelligence integrates more into classroom curriculums these days. I can definitely see the benefit in students getting some hands-on experience with AI coding assistants.

In fact, I think that opens up so many fun possibilities for engaging young minds! A few project ideas that come to mind:

1. Use an AI storytelling tool to collaboratively write and illustrate a wacky choose-your-own-adventure story as a class. The AI could help generate imaginative plot lines, characters and images based on the kids' silly prompts!
2. Have students train a simple AI image recognition model to identify their favourite toys, pets, foods or objects. They could take turns feeding it examples and watching as the AI slowly learns to distinguish between the different items. It's an engaging way to grasp the concept of machine learning.

​The potential is endless when you blend that technical know-how with creativity! I'll be sure to give Alisha a shout-out on the links page for providing such a valuable resource.

Wishing Alisha the best of luck with those upcoming report cards. With her clear enthusiasm for learning and exploring new tech, I've no doubt she's going to keep soaring. Please let me know if there's any other way I can be of assistance!

If anyone is interested in learning more about the Fuller's Library, I'm sure they would be happy to show you around as well.

Hi Elizabeth,

Thank you so much for reaching out and for your kind words about the links page. I'm delighted to hear that it has proven to be a valuable resource for you and the homeschooling students you guide on their coding journeys.

First off, please pass along my sincere congratulations to Samantha! What an impressive initiative she has shown by discovering that insightful resource on "Introducing Coding to Young Minds" from BestCodingBootcamps. I would be more than happy to include that link to the page. Resources like that are invaluable for nurturing young minds and sparking their interest in coding from an early age.

It's incredibly heartening to see students like Samantha taking such an active role in enriching their own educational experience. Her eagerness to share that helpful advice piece demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter. Please let her know how much I appreciate her motivation to enhance the learning resources available to her peers!

As a homeschooling parent myself, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of fostering computational thinking and programming skills from a young age. It equips students with vital problem-solving abilities that will benefit them immensely, no matter what future path they pursue. Getting an early start can be so empowering and fun!

A few thoughts on engaging young coding students:

• Gamify the experience with coding puzzles, activities and visual programming tools
• Encourage them to first simply play around, get curious and creative without boundaries
• Relate coding concepts to video games, apps and tech they already understand and enjoy
• Celebrate their "ah-ha!" moments of clarity, no matter how small

​The collaborative nature of your homeschooling environment sounds like the perfect nurturing space for igniting those coding sparks! I'm excited at the potential for us to keep sharing resources and insights.
​
Please give my warmest regards to Samantha and all the students. I look forward to any other suggestions they may have to continue enhancing the links page. Every new addition helps create more opportunities to inspire young innovators!

In today's super cool world of technology, coding and programming are like magical powers that can make awesome things happen. Coding is like a wild rollercoaster ride of fun and creativity! It's a superpower that lets you create awesome things using your imagination and technology. You won't believe the amazing feeling when you see your ideas come to life as cool games, websites, or even robots!

Let's give a high-five to Sarah from the Lyndhurst STEM Club for Girls! She's a rockstar who sent us a link to a Glossary of Coding and Programming Terms—a treasure chest of knowledge just for us coders! This magical glossary will help us understand all those fancy words that programmers use. Thanks a million, Sarah! You've made our coding journey even more awesome, and we're incredibly grateful for your generosity. Now we can all be coding wizards!

STEM Clubs are like secret hideouts for young geniuses like you! They're places where we can come together, make friends, and explore the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Lyndhurst STEM Club for Girls is one of many such clubs inspiring kids and helping us unleash our coding superpowers. Let's give a big cheer for STEM Clubs!

Wishing Sarah and the Lyndhurst STEM Club for Girls a Super-Duper Coding Summer! As summer arrives, we hope it brings you endless coding adventures, creativity explosions, and mind-blowing projects. May your summer be filled with excitement and discoveries that make your coding dreams come true. You're all stars in our coding universe, and we can't wait to see the incredible things you'll create!
​
Learning to code is like stepping into a world of endless possibilities and unlimited fun. So, let's put on our coding capes, unleash our imaginations, and get ready for an amazing coding adventure this summer and beyond! You're all coding rockstars!

After playing with the code for the last post a bit, a colleague asked how hard it would be to do the same with a random python library. A quick search turned up PyAutoGUI, which seems ok.

Popping open the last chat that was used to generate the code for the previous post, and simply asking it to "Ok, now generate a python script to use the gherkin test case. Use the pyautogui library."

This generates:​

Hmm, now I just need to build a test library that will test AI generated tests.....

AI-powered Execution and Analysis
With these test cases in hand, an existing test library like watir can be integrated seamlessly. With a few more prompts like, "Now generate the ruby code to run this test using the watir library. Use the page object pattern, and separate the code into the correct files. Use a test_params.yaml file to store the variables like urls, usernames, passwords, etc."

Here is what we get:

It even generated some helpful instructions:

Hey there, multi-device multitasker! Are you tired of juggling multiple mice and keyboards while working on multiple computers? Well, say hello to Mouse without Borders! In this article, we'll explore how to set up and use Mouse without Borders on Windows to effortlessly control multiple computers. Let's get started!

Download and Install
First things first, let's grab Mouse without Borders. Visit the official Microsoft Garage website (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/garage/project-details.aspx?project=mouse-without-borders) and download the installer for Windows. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on each computer you want to connect.

Configuration
After installation, launch Mouse without Borders on each computer. You'll be prompted to choose if the computer is the main (server) or secondary (client) computer. Select the appropriate option for each machine accordingly.

Set Up Security Code
To ensure secure communication between your computers, Mouse without Borders requires a security code. On the main computer, you'll see a security code displayed. Make a note of it. Then, on each secondary computer, enter the security code to establish the connection.

Arrange Computers
Once the connection is established, you can arrange the computers based on their physical placement. Drag and drop the computer icons on the Mouse without Borders main screen to reflect their physical layout.

Control Multiple Computers
Congratulations! You can now control multiple computers using a single mouse and keyboard. Simply move your mouse cursor to the edge of the screen in the direction of the desired computer, and it will seamlessly transition to that machine. You can now use your keyboard and mouse on the selected computer.

Drag and Drop
With Mouse without Borders, you can effortlessly drag and drop files and folders between connected computers. Just drag the file or folder to the edge of the screen, and it will move to the adjacent computer. It's like magic!

Clipboard Sharing
Need to copy and paste text or files between computers? Mouse without Borders has got you covered! Copy the text or file on one computer, move the mouse to the other computer, and paste it there. It's a breeze.

That's it! You're now enjoying the convenience of controlling multiple computers using Mouse without Borders. But wait, there's more!

Settings and Preferences
Mouse without Borders offers various settings and preferences to customize your experience. Explore the options to configure features like keyboard shortcuts, mouse behavior, and more.

Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues during the setup or connection process, refer to the Mouse without Borders documentation or support resources for troubleshooting tips and solutions.

Now you can bid farewell to the hassle of managing multiple mice and keyboards. Embrace the simplicity and efficiency of Mouse without Borders as you effortlessly navigate between multiple computers with a single mouse and keyboard. Happy multitasking!

Hey there, tech enthusiast! Are you tired of the hassle that comes with testing APIs? Well, fret no more because Insomnia is here to save the day! In this article, we'll explore how to use Insomnia to simplify your API testing process on Windows. Let's get started!

Download and Install
First things first, let's grab Insomnia. Head over to the official Insomnia website (https://insomnia.rest/) and download the Windows installer. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your machine. Easy-peasy!

Create a Workspace
After installation, launch Insomnia. You'll be greeted with the option to create a new workspace. Workspaces in Insomnia are like containers for your API testing projects. Create a workspace and give it a meaningful name.

Add Your First Request
Now that you have a workspace, it's time to add your first API request. Click the "+ New Request" button in the top-left corner. A new request tab will appear. Here, you can enter the details of the API you want to test, such as the URL, HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.), headers, and request body.

Organize with Requests and Folders
As your API testing efforts grow, you might want to organize your requests into folders. You can create folders within your workspace to categorize and structure your requests logically. Right-click on the workspace or an existing folder and choose "New Folder" to create one.

Authorization and Environment Variables
Insomnia allows you to handle authorization and environment variables effortlessly. If your API requires authentication, you can specify the authorization type (e.g., Bearer Token, Basic Auth) and provide the necessary credentials. Additionally, you can define environment variables to store values that change across different requests or environments.

Send Requests and View Responses
Now it's time to unleash the power of Insomnia! Click the "Send" button to fire off your API request. Insomnia will show you the response details, including the status code, headers, and response body. You can also save the responses for future reference or share them with your team.

Organize and Export
Insomnia provides handy features to organize and export your API testing efforts. You can create folders, move requests, and even duplicate or delete them as needed. Furthermore, you can export your workspace or individual requests as JSON files to easily share them or back them up.

That's it! You're now on your way to becoming an Insomnia pro. But hold on, there's more!

Environment and Team Collaboration
Insomnia allows you to create different environments for various setups (e.g., development, staging, production) and switch between them effortlessly. You can also collaborate with your team by syncing workspaces using services like Insomnia Sync or exporting and importing workspace files.

Extensions and Plugins
Insomnia supports extensions and plugins, which can enhance its functionality even further. Explore the available extensions, such as code generation or automatic documentation, to streamline your API testing workflow.

Now that you have a solid understanding of how to use Insomnia, you can test APIs with ease, boost your productivity, and ensure the smooth functioning of your applications. Happy testing, and may your APIs always return 200 OK!

​Hey there! Are you tired of typing the same long phrases over and over again? Well, have no fear because espanso is here! Here is a quick into on how to set up and use espanso on Windows, so you can save time and effort with your typing. Let's dive in!

What is espanso, you ask? It's an open-source text expander that allows you to create abbreviations for frequently used phrases or snippets of text. When you type an abbreviation, espanso automatically expands it into the full text, saving you from repetitive typing.

Download and Install
Head over to the official espanso website (https://espanso.org/) and grab the Windows installer. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Easy peasy!

Configuration
Once you've installed espanso, it's time to configure it to your liking. Don't worry; it's a breeze! Open a command prompt or PowerShell window and type `espanso edit`. This will open the configuration file in your default text editor.

Create your first expansion
In the configuration file, you'll see a section called `matches`. This is where you define your abbreviations and the corresponding expansions. For example, if you often type "omw" and want it to expand into "On my way!", simply add the following lines: