Notes on systems that almost work — and why they don’t.
This repository exists to document observed gaps and design tensions in software, tools, and systems I actively use or have evaluated.
It is not a request for implementation, and there is no maintainer roadmap.
Over time, I’ve noticed a pattern:
- Many tools solve 80–90% of a problem very well
- The remaining 10–20% is where real friction lives
- That friction is often structural, not a missing feature
This repository exists to capture those observations without turning them into projects.
Writing these down:
- gets them out of my head
- preserves hard-won context
- gives maintainers and builders clear problem framing (if they want it)
- avoids the trap of “well, I should just build it myself”
- Problem statements
- Design tensions
- Sharp edges
- Constraints that make systems behave unintuitively
- Notes written after real-world usage, not armchair critique
Each entry focuses on:
- what doesn’t work
- why it matters
- what makes it hard to fix
- A feature request tracker
- A roadmap
- A proposal for a new product
- A promise to implement anything
- A call for contributions (unless explicitly stated)
There is no expectation that anything here will ever be built — by me or anyone else.
If someone does choose to implement an idea described here, that’s great — but this repository intentionally stops short of prescribing solutions.
Each idea typically follows a loose format:
- Observed behavior
- Why this is a problem
- Constraints and tradeoffs
- What success might look like
- Explicit non-goals
Not every note will be fully polished; clarity matters more than completeness.
Topics may include (but aren’t limited to):
- Media servers and personal data ownership
- Playlists, metadata, and long-lived user intent
- Self-hosted systems
- Tooling ergonomics
- Interfaces that leak implementation details
- Places where “works as designed” still feels wrong
Just because a problem is interesting doesn’t mean it should become a project.
This repository is a place to:
- notice patterns
- articulate friction
- and then consciously not take on the burden of building and supporting yet another tool.
You’re free to reference ideas here, link to them, or use them as inspiration.
There is no guarantee of completeness, correctness, or continued maintenance.
This is documentation, not a contract.