8 ms·

Open source, experimental, and tiny tools roundup

261 points by feross 6y ago

nrjames 6y ago
This is really more accessible through the associated Github repo's readme file, in my opinion: https://github.com/everestpipkin/tools-list https://github.com/everestpipkin/tools-list
- domano 6y ago
  Thank you, this is better by a lot
- cyberlab 6y ago
  And a Google Form where you can submit your own tiny tool: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS1wnK2-FYW7IKlcMKKfg2ODBmeFcPTs-oExFlD_Cwq68FRA/viewform?usp=send_form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS1wnK2-FYW7IKlcMK...
- IncRnd 6y ago
  Thank you. The GH readme is actually usable.
enriquto 6y ago
it shows a total number of zero (0) tools. What's the point?
- smhenderson 6y ago
  That’s what the filter on the page is set to by default. It’s confusing and works less than well on mobile. Click All or any other tag there and you’ll see tools. A neat collection and it’s always great to see people share open source software but the site could probably use a bit of work IMHO...
- squarefoot 6y ago
  If you use uMatrix (the browser extension), it blocks by default some links from Google that are essential for the list to work; just disable it for this site.
zokier 6y ago
I'm kinda confused what constitutes as tiny and experimental here if it includes items like Blender, GIMP, Reaper, VSCode and other big names
- dllthomas 6y ago
  I think it's meant as "or", rather than "and"
- IncRnd 6y ago
  They really meant 'or' not 'and' - free or tiny or experimental.
  - netmare 6y ago
    So it's like the poster in the mythical workshop: Repairs can be fast, cheap or proper. You can only choose two of the above. In this case, our choices range from 1 to 3 it seems.
  - sramsay 6y ago
    Perhaps, but REAPER is none of those things.
    - egypturnash 6y ago
      The description says "free and paid tiers" so I guess it was free when it was added to this list.
    - IncRnd 6y ago
      REAPER is free for 60 days, but they don't enforce the cost after that period. Possibly, the article writer believes that to be "free".
feross 6y ago
If you like this kind of thing, you should check out SpeakeasyJS, a JavaScript meetup for mad science, hacking, and experiments. You can see all previous talks here to get an idea: https://speakeasyjs.com/talks https://speakeasyjs.com/talks Disclaimer: I am one of the meetup organizers.
debacle 6y ago
This tool is so noisy that it's nearly unusable. "Unity" is a tiny tool?
- imiric 6y ago
  Unity is not listed in the GitHub link posted above, which only has Unity plugins, so I don't see how it's unusable. Any list that includes LÖVE is interesting in my book. Thanks for sharing OP!
nickloewen 6y ago
This is excellent, thank you for sharing. I would love to hear which of these people have used, and found fun or useful. I have been enjoying Bitsy games and poems recently and am excited to discover more projects in the same realm. Here are some nice ones: https://haraiva.itch.io/novena https://haraiva.itch.io/novena https://polclarissou.itch.io/moss-as-texture-as-space-folding-onto-itself https://polclarissou.itch.io/moss-as-texture-as-space-foldin... https://ludonaut.itch.io/vestiges https://ludonaut.itch.io/vestiges https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/radical-archaeologist https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/radical-archaeologist https://haraiva.itch.io/topography https://haraiva.itch.io/topography The other highlight from my quick skim is basiljs, which makes indesign scriptable through a Processing-like API. As an occasional book designer, that sounds like lots of fun!
- nullify88 6y ago
  Wow, those by cecile richard are really something. Thanks for sharing.
  - nickloewen 6y ago
    Yes, her work is really excellent. For anyone skimming, she is https://haraiva.itch.io/ https://haraiva.itch.io/
p4bl0 6y ago
For varying definitions of tiny and experimental.
triptych 6y ago
I created a notebook in Observable with same data set: https://observablehq.com/@triptych/tiny-tools-viewer https://observablehq.com/@triptych/tiny-tools-viewer
qbasic_forever 6y ago
This is a really cool list and I'm glad it was shared!
darekkay 6y ago
There's a similar project: https://tiny-helpers.dev/ https://tiny-helpers.dev/ You can subscribe via RSS to learn about new tools.
snvzz 6y ago
"other programming languages" encompasses some languages that are among the most common, with disastrous consequences.

261 points by feross 6y ago

This is really more accessible through the associated Github repo's readme file, in my opinion: https://github.com/everestpipkin/tools-list https://github.com/everestpipkin/tools-list

domano 6y ago
Thank you, this is better by a lot
cyberlab 6y ago
And a Google Form where you can submit your own tiny tool: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS1wnK2-FYW7IKlcMKKfg2ODBmeFcPTs-oExFlD_Cwq68FRA/viewform?usp=send_form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS1wnK2-FYW7IKlcMK...
IncRnd 6y ago
Thank you. The GH readme is actually usable.

enriquto 6y ago

it shows a total number of zero (0) tools. What's the point?

smhenderson 6y ago
That’s what the filter on the page is set to by default. It’s confusing and works less than well on mobile. Click All or any other tag there and you’ll see tools. A neat collection and it’s always great to see people share open source software but the site could probably use a bit of work IMHO...
squarefoot 6y ago
If you use uMatrix (the browser extension), it blocks by default some links from Google that are essential for the list to work; just disable it for this site.

zokier 6y ago

I'm kinda confused what constitutes as tiny and experimental here if it includes items like Blender, GIMP, Reaper, VSCode and other big names

dllthomas 6y ago
I think it's meant as "or", rather than "and"
IncRnd 6y ago
They really meant 'or' not 'and' - free or tiny or experimental.
- netmare 6y ago
  So it's like the poster in the mythical workshop: Repairs can be fast, cheap or proper. You can only choose two of the above. In this case, our choices range from 1 to 3 it seems.
- sramsay 6y ago
  Perhaps, but REAPER is none of those things.
  - egypturnash 6y ago
    The description says "free and paid tiers" so I guess it was free when it was added to this list.
  - IncRnd 6y ago
    REAPER is free for 60 days, but they don't enforce the cost after that period. Possibly, the article writer believes that to be "free".

feross 6y ago

If you like this kind of thing, you should check out SpeakeasyJS, a JavaScript meetup for mad science, hacking, and experiments. You can see all previous talks here to get an idea: https://speakeasyjs.com/talks https://speakeasyjs.com/talks Disclaimer: I am one of the meetup organizers.

debacle 6y ago

This tool is so noisy that it's nearly unusable. "Unity" is a tiny tool?

imiric 6y ago
Unity is not listed in the GitHub link posted above, which only has Unity plugins, so I don't see how it's unusable. Any list that includes LÖVE is interesting in my book. Thanks for sharing OP!

nickloewen 6y ago

This is excellent, thank you for sharing. I would love to hear which of these people have used, and found fun or useful. I have been enjoying Bitsy games and poems recently and am excited to discover more projects in the same realm. Here are some nice ones: https://haraiva.itch.io/novena https://haraiva.itch.io/novena https://polclarissou.itch.io/moss-as-texture-as-space-folding-onto-itself https://polclarissou.itch.io/moss-as-texture-as-space-foldin... https://ludonaut.itch.io/vestiges https://ludonaut.itch.io/vestiges https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/radical-archaeologist https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/radical-archaeologist https://haraiva.itch.io/topography https://haraiva.itch.io/topography The other highlight from my quick skim is basiljs, which makes indesign scriptable through a Processing-like API. As an occasional book designer, that sounds like lots of fun!

nullify88 6y ago
Wow, those by cecile richard are really something. Thanks for sharing.
- nickloewen 6y ago
  Yes, her work is really excellent. For anyone skimming, she is https://haraiva.itch.io/ https://haraiva.itch.io/

p4bl0 6y ago

For varying definitions of tiny and experimental.

triptych 6y ago

I created a notebook in Observable with same data set: https://observablehq.com/@triptych/tiny-tools-viewer https://observablehq.com/@triptych/tiny-tools-viewer

qbasic_forever 6y ago

This is a really cool list and I'm glad it was shared!

darekkay 6y ago

There's a similar project: https://tiny-helpers.dev/ https://tiny-helpers.dev/ You can subscribe via RSS to learn about new tools.

snvzz 6y ago

"other programming languages" encompasses some languages that are among the most common, with disastrous consequences.