OCDevel Blog
Office wellness and ergonomics. Machine learning and artificial intelligence. Programming.
Long coding sessions lead to physical fatigue and mental fog. A walking desk keeps you alert and focused, preventing costly bugs and burnout.Stay focused and healthy during long coding sessions.Get the factsGet the facts
Best Open Source TTS Tools
Open-source TTS now provides specialized, production-ready models for distinct needs. Use Piper or Kokoro for real-time speed, Coqui XTTS-v2 for expressive narration (non-commercial use only), and Resemble AI's Chatterbox for commercially-licensed, high-fidelity voice cloning with unique emotion controls.
Veo 3 Prompt Generator
A prompt generator for Veo 3 videos. Generate those bigfoot vlogs or glass cutting ASMR AI videos.
Cookieless, Banner-Free Analytics Tools
I built a basic analytics tool for website / mobile app traffic, using pared down tracking for compliance with GDPR / CCPA without requiring a cookie consent banner. Similar to Plausible / Matomo, but much cheaper.
Analytics Compliance Without Consent Banner
What can you track with web analytics, without requiring a cookie consent banner and/or privacy policy, and maintain compliance with GDPR and CCPA?
Google Will Win The AI Race
I'll stake my reputation on it. Gemini benchmarks beating competition. End-to-end SWE agent (Jules). End-to-end media packages (Flow, Whisk). Personal agents (Mariner, Astra). The largest dataset on the planet. Deep personalization already aggregated. TPUs outshining Nvidia, and creating a moat. Such top talent, they're historical figures. Self-driving cars (Waymo) beating Tesla to market. And finally, AlphaEvolve - the literal singularity.
Vibe Coding - Best IDE, Model, and Workflow
I keep making posts & podcast episodes to keep up with the latest recommended IDE & models, advanced tools & workflows, for vibe coding. So I'm creating this as a living doc which I'll update any time something major changes. Check back every month or two if you're curious.
Best Trackball Mice in 2025
Lots of new trackball mouse, and other ergonomic mouse, releases since my 2024 post. The ergonomic office is catching on these days, and trackballs are getting better.
Roo Code Power Usage Overview
Master prompts/context. Use Architect/Edit for structure. Leverage MCPs to connect Roo Code to the outside world (APIs, DBs, tools). Install RooFlow for robust internal project memory. Employ downloadable Boomerang/Orchestrator modes to automate complex sequences of tasks using specialized agents.
Sleep hacks
Tricks to optimizing your sleep. Sleepbuds for noise-masking. Mindfulness (eg counting sheep, meditation) to deactivate the Default Mode Network (DMN) and activate the Task-Positive Network (TPN). The mindfulness crutch: reading! Plus the basics (diet, nutrition, screens).
VR / AR for Monitor Replacement: Quest 3, Bigscreen Beyond 2, and AR Glasses
For professional monitor replacement, the Bigscreen Beyond 2 offers the best visual quality for touch-typists and AR glasses are best for mobile work. However, since all current devices involve major compromises, most users should wait for the rumored Valve Deckard, which is expected in 2026 to combine the strengths of today's market leaders.
Modified Pomodoro Technique: Thinkers
Enhance the traditional Pomodoro Technique by adding a 5-minute 'Thinker' session before each work interval. This modification aids in planning and mentally preparing for the task ahead, increasing work efficiency and mental wellness. These thinker sessions double as meditation, improving focus and reducing work-related anxiety. Integrating meditation with work can have long-term benefits for mental health and productivity.
⭐️Tyler's Recommended Setup
My recommended hardware and software. Legion Pro for gaming and programming. A walking desk to improve focus and health. Ergonomic mouse and keyboard to mitigate RSI. Code IDEs with AI agents. Podcast and YouTube recording software.
⭐️Ergonomic Mice and Keyboards
My favorite ergonomic mouse and keyboard for improving carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), arthritis, and repetitive stress injury (RSI). Covers ergonomic benefits a trackball mouse and split keyboard: thumb clusters, keywells, and tenting for optimal hand and wrist positioning.
⭐️Laptop for machine learning and gaming
My recommended laptop for anyone who games, or who works in machine learning / AI, or both. I'll modify this post any time one contender becomes more compelling than another.
Prevent Windows from automatically updating and restarting
How to prevent Windows form automatically restarting after updates, in case you need your machine to stay online for a long period of time (eg for remote connections while you're away).
⭐️How Habitica's Creator Uses Habitica
As Habitica's creator, I've refined my approach to using the system over 10 years. This post teaches you how to get the most out of improving your habits and behavior through Habitica. It includes a calculator for choosing the best class (warrior, rogue, mage, healer) for your play-style.
ECS with Route53, SSL, ALB
Setting up ECS with a domain and SSL involves using an Application Load Balancer (ALB), despite its cost. This blog details the necessary steps: configuring health-checks and security groups, using Route53 and Certificate Manager, and establishing Target Groups and ALB. The process is laid out in a specific order to avoid common setup issues, making it a practical guide for an effective ECS configuration.
The Great Courses - Find it Cheaper
Ways to access The Great Courses more affordably. Checking your local library, comparing prices with Audible for audio courses, considering the subscription to their Plus service, and using coupon sites like RetailMeNot or Honey. Also compares their courses and other similar resources based on budget and time constraints.
Convert video files to mp3
Convert video files, such as YouTube playlists and mp4 files, into mp3 format for easier organization and listening. This post covers the use of yt-dlp for downloading YouTube playlists as mp3, and ffmpeg for converting existing video files to audio. Steps for installation and commands for both yt-dlp and ffmpeg are provided, along with tips for audio quality options and loading files onto an mp3 player. Ideal for those who prefer listening over watching.
Docker error: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?
Resolve the Docker error `Unable to fetch some archives`. Add `apt-get update` before the install step to fix issues caused by inherited Dockerfiles. Remove `/var/lib/apt/lists` for space optimization. Discusses Why `--fix-missing` advice is ineffective, provides a sample Dockerfile structure.
WSL2 + Docker odds & ends
Increase Docker and WSL2 performance by adjusting system RAM usage, integrating .bashrc with .profile, managing a memory leak, installing Python, and enabling GPU support in docker-compose. The post provides specific commands and configuration changes, like editing the .wslconfig file, clearing cache to handle Docker's memory leak in WSL2, and using a forked version of docker-compose for GPU support. Additional resources and tips are included for further enhancements.
WSL2 + GPU + Docker
Step-by-step guide on setting up WSL2 with GPU support for Docker on Windows. This includes switching to Windows Dev Channel, installing Nvidia's WSL2-compatible driver, setting up WSL2 and Ubuntu, and configuring Docker with Nvidia components. The post details each step clearly, from updating Windows settings to testing the Docker setup with an Nvidia CUDA sample. It also addresses a known Nvidia bug for laptops and suggests tweaks for optimizing the setup, such as enabling all available RAM and configuring docker-compose for GPU usage.
VR 2025: Quest vs. PSVR, Pimax, Bigscreen, Valve
Meta's Quest 3 is the best VR headset for most users due to its versatility and price. Enthusiasts should choose Pimax for maximum visual clarity in simulations or Bigscreen for lightweight comfort. Sony's PSVR2 is a failing platform with poor software support despite its good hardware.
Install Emacs 27 on Ubuntu 18.04
Guide on installing Emacs 27 on Ubuntu 18.04, a necessity for using the latest versions of Spacemacs. The post provides simple and direct commands to add the required repository, update the system, and install Emacs 27, followed by instructions to install Spacemacs. This is essential for those who rely on Spacemacs for their workflow and need compatibility with newer versions.
AWS Batch with EFS mount
Step-by-step instructions for integrating AWS Batch with an EFS mount, particularly useful for ML model-runs requiring large artifact downloads. The post covers creating security groups for the Batch compute environment and EFS, setting up the EFS file system, configuring a launch template, and establishing the compute environment and job definition in AWS Batch. This setup allows for downloading and storing models on an external file system, which can be reused across Batch runs, optimizing provision uptime and cost.