Debugging Dan

I reflect on my recent accomplishments over the past two weeks and outline my goals for the upcoming period. I’ve been focused on launching my new project, Dan Cuts, and refining my approach to social media sharing by creating a content calendar. Additionally, I’m reworking my blog, DebuggingDan.com, using Next.js, ensuring that it’s layered and responsive. For the next two weeks, I plan to finalize multiple projects, including completing the blog and improving my internal tool, Watch Your Numbers, to better track analytics. I also aim to explore the feasibility of developing a desktop version of Dan Cuts, incorporating capabilities without requiring users to download external software. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode, I reflect on my journey of building side projects primarily focused on SaaS (Software as a Service) and the exploration of alternatives such as desktop and mobile applications. As I walk along the beach, I discuss my experiences with technologies like PHP and Node.js and how advancements like React Native and Electron are opening new windows for app development. I share my thoughts on the challenges of video processing and storage in my current project, Dan Cuts, and my desire to shift towards building a local Electron app that minimizes reliance on subscription models. This also allows me to incorporate a different business model while keeping everything locally processed. Ultimately, I aim to break free from the SaaS box, explore other app development avenues, and improve my marketing strategy while growing my podcast subscriber base. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode of Debugging Dan, I share my updates from the past two weeks, focusing on my progress with dan cuts, a video enhancement tool I’m developing for social media. I’ve been dedicating significant time to this project. I discuss various upcoming features for dan cuts, including workflow automation, video trimming, and integrating Sentry for error tracking. Additionally, I touch on my plans for content creation, consistent social media posting, and revitalizing my website to better showcase my projects. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

For reference, the slashdot article and the Cloudflare blog post. In this episode of Debugging Dan, I share my decision to cancel a project I was working on called “robots against AI.” Despite being inspired by market demand and the technical challenges, I realized that the project didn’t genuinely solve my own problem, which left me with little motivation to continue. I discuss the importance of focusing on projects that truly resonate with me and align with my interests, emphasizing the benefits and risks of solving personal problems. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode of Debugging Dan, I share a recap of my progress with my video processing project, nicknamed Dan Cuts. Over the last two weeks, I’ve focused on building rather than marketing, embracing new technologies like Next.js. I’m developing a workflow that automates video uploads and extracts audio while ensuring a smooth user experience with error handling and traceability. I also outline my goals for the upcoming weeks, which include refining the Dan Cuts tool, improving my social media presence, and developing a new robots.txt tool. Throughout the process, I aim to document my journey and share insights on what I learn. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode of Debugging Dan, I discuss the challenges I faced last week, including technical difficulties with my camera, which prevented me from recording visuals for this podcast. I share my progress on automating my social media outreach to make it easier to post content across various platforms. I’ve been working on a Next.js app that integrates with Telegram for storing raw video files and utilizes Python with MoviePy for video manipulation and captioning. My goal is to streamline the process, allowing me to easily share video snippets by automating tasks like trimming, adding subtitles, and different output formats for social media. I emphasize the importance of creating an efficient workflow to maintain engagement with my audience while juggling my full-time job and side projects. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

Episode 005 for reference. In this episode, I discuss my struggles with site life balance and how it has affected my progress on various side projects. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with multiple projects and responsibilities, including my podcast, SaaS initiatives, and family commitments. As a result, I haven’t been able to make significant strides, particularly with my content creation efforts. To address this, I plan to focus on decompressing with activities like playing Zelda and walking each morning, while also developing a clearer content strategy for my podcasts and social media. I recognize the importance of these side projects as enjoyable pursuits rather than sources of stress, and I’m hopeful that by finding a better balance, I’ll regain my enthusiasm and productivity. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

The original article by Aaron Francis. Episode 004 which also discuss finishing of projects. In this episode of Debugging Dan, I dive into an insightful read-along of Aaron Francis’ article, “Finish Your Projects.” I reflect on the challenges of completing projects, the menial tasks that often hinder progress, and the role of fear in the final stages. Drawing from Aaron’s advice, I discuss strategies like setting focused work intervals, using music to maintain concentration, and building confidence by shipping projects. I also share personal tips on creating boilerplates to streamline repetitive tasks. Join me as I explore the joy and fulfillment that comes from not just starting, but finishing your projects. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode of Debugging Dan, I explain why I renamed the segment from “accountability” to “get it done” and share insights from my recent SEO learning journey. I discuss using tools like AHREFs and strategies like keyword research and creating free tools while avoiding cold outreach due to time constraints. I also detail my goals for the next two weeks, which include tracking key events, refining my social media strategy, increasing content creation, and developing a new tool to manage web crawlers via robots.txt. Additionally, I contemplate a new podcast schedule to balance content creation with focused project work. Feedback on live streaming and podcast frequency is welcome. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

the podcast-tooling github repository In this episode of Debugging Dan, I share my journey in automating my podcast process, which has saved me a significant amount of time. Additionally, I discuss my progress with SEO learning and improvements to my streaming setup. I delve into the tools and scripts I use, including Node.js, FFmpeg, Adobe Podcasts, OpenAI Whisper, Notion, and DaVinci Resolve. By automating various steps like generating transcripts, enhancing audio, and creating blog pages, I’ve streamlined my workflow and increased efficiency. I hope my insights inspire other podcasters to optimize their processes. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

I reflect on the automation script I built for publishing the podcast, which saves me significant time and allows me to focus on more meaningful tasks. I also touch on my recent 40th birthday reflections and how this milestone prompted me to consider my life’s path. For the past two weeks, I accomplished various tasks, such as updating my tech setup, SEO efforts, and switching to a new mail hosting provider. Moving forward, I’ll focus on mastering SEO and preparing for live streaming—hoping to share my coding process and gain new insights from viewers. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode of Debugging Dan, I share my latest milestone: integrating video recordings into my podcasts and live streaming for the first time. Inspired by a friend, I decided to jump in despite not having a perfect setup. I provide an update on my recent GitHub activities and discuss how the accountability page on my website is helping me stay on track. I also delve deep into my tech stack, explaining the tools and frameworks I use, like Preact, Express, Svelte, and more. Additionally, I discuss my deployment strategy using Docker, managing servers, and how I handle different applications and projects like Teletron. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just curious about tech stacks, this episode provides an in-depth look at my approach and experiences. Check out @jordibruin his livestream on his youtube channel Watch this episode on youtube Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

A few hours after the recording of this episode, the github issue for anyquery was quickly resolved, it works now! In this episode, I provide an update on the tasks I set for myself two weeks ago and share my progress. I successfully completed all four tasks, which helped me get better organized. I discuss the improvements made to my Notion Todo app, the challenges faced with the Watch Your Numbers app, and my ongoing work with the AnyQuery application. Looking ahead, I outline new accountability tasks for the next two weeks, including updates to my project boilerplate, enhancements to DebuggingDan.com, and exploring better mail hosting solutions. I also touch on learning about SEO and potential changes to my GitHub username. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

Visit Chunkie at todo.debuggingdan.com and try for yourself. Watch this episode on youtube. In this episode, I walk through my latest pet project, Chunky To Do, a personal task management system I’ve built on top of Notion. I share how I divide my projects into “chunks” and interleave tasks to better prioritize and manage them across various projects. I explain the challenges of integrating this with Notion and how I’ve tackled issues like task ordering, visual organization, and planning. While this app is a hobby project, I’ve made it accessible for anyone interested in using it for their own task management. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

Follow along with this episode on Youtube. In this episode, I experimented with a hybrid approach, combining both video and audio updates to ensure that podcast listeners receive the same information as those watching on YouTube. I provide an accountability update, discussing the goals I’ve set for the next two weeks and reflecting on past performance. My main focus is getting organized, from using Notion for project management to improving my podcasting process. I also share some surprising analytics and discuss future plans for my various projects, including a personal chatbot and data management tools. Your feedback is welcome as I continue to iterate and evolve. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

During my two-week camping holiday, I reflected on my current projects and decided to shift my focus from large, complex projects to smaller, more manageable ones. Inspired by discussions on Reddit, I realized that smaller projects allow for faster iterations and easier marketing. While away, I started developing Aspire Dan, an AI assistant for goal tracking, and planned another AI project for team-based search and information sharing. I also bought the domain Foundertooling.com, considering its potential as either an informational site for founders or a hub for micro products. Encouraged by positive feedback on Reddit, I’m committed to maintaining my podcast’s weekly schedule and adding accountability episodes to track my progress and goals. I also plan to create video content for platforms like Instagram and TikTok to enhance engagement. This strategy change aims to make my projects more effective and my content more personal and interactive. Check out founder tooling, and see the reddit post with the positive comment. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode, I explore the stair-step approach by Rob Walling from “Startups for the Rest of Us.” This strategy involves three phases: starting small with your first product, owning your time as your business grows, and achieving recurring revenue. I discuss my struggles with side projects and how this method could help gain traction. Moving forward, I plan to focus on smaller initiatives and leverage SEO for long-term growth. I’m excited to apply the stair-step approach and see where it takes me. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

A day after recording this episode Apple approved this podcast! So give it a listen, a review, let me know what you think! In this episode, I share my journey from building side projects to learning how to effectively market them. With over 20 years of experience as a developer, I’ve embarked on numerous projects, from personal tools to potential products for others. I delve into my experiences with various side projects, such as an RSS reader named Ferret Feed, a home display system inspired by Wall-E, and a social media metrics tool called Reslytics, later rebranded as Watch Your Numbers. Each project taught me valuable lessons about the importance of marketing and engaging with potential users. I discuss the challenges of marketing, including my struggles with social media presence and completing the final stages of a project. I also talk about my current projects, like Observalyze, an analytics platform with gamification elements, and my goals of building a more active social media presence and launching video content by September. This podcast serves as a tool for accountability and sharing my ongoing journey with listeners, hoping to learn and grow together. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

Major Irony here. I attempted to improve the audio quality by recording this at home, with my headphones. Somehow the headphones or Audacity garbled parts of the audio. Attempts were made to improve the audio, but apologies in advance for the “less than ideal” audio quality. In this episode of Debugging Dan, I reflect on the journey so far, having recorded and published five episodes. I discuss the challenges and learnings from recording during my commute, including background noise and the divided focus while driving. Editing these episodes has been time-consuming due to removing filler words and background noises. Recently, I improved my process using my wife’s Stream Deck for quicker edits. Moving forward, I’ll record at home to enhance content quality and focus. I also plan to introduce more project updates and live updates, making the podcast content richer and more dynamic. Additionally, I’m exploring video recordings using my smartphone and considering a green screen for a better visual setup. Upgrading my microphone is also on the agenda to improve audio quality. Despite the delays in getting on Apple Podcasts, I remain enthusiastic and hopeful for listener feedback to shape future episodes. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API

In this episode, I delve into the concept of being stuck, sharing my personal experiences and struggles with procrastination and hesitation. Despite already being on episode five, I explain how starting this podcast has been a significant challenge for me, largely due to my inexperience with editing and producing audio content. I discuss how breaking tasks into smaller pieces and setting deadlines can help overcome these obstacles. I also touch on the importance of letting go of perfectionism, finding motivation, and recognizing that it’s okay to take breaks and allow for a slow pace when balancing work, family, and side projects. Join me as I navigate through these challenges and share tips that have helped me get unstuck. Stay connected! Follow me on X at @debuggingdan for the latest updates, and subscribe to my YouTube channel @debuggingdan for the podcast and other interesting videos! My active side projects are: observalyze.com: Enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall experience for your application by applying Gamification teletron.me: Build personal dashboards. Visualize and make your most important information available at a glance. Your dashboards will be accessible, privacy-first, non-technical and available on multiple devices. datasthor.com: The hassle-free solution for seamless remote data storage for you or your application, making data management a breeze. supersave: Open Source: Bootstrap your project with a simple database abstraction and automatically generated REST API