It’s Sunday — so maybe it’s time to write an article to break the flow I’ve been in lately. I’ve been deep into researching design patterns for Oqtane, the web application framework created by Shaun Walker.
Today I woke up really early, around 4:30 a.m. I went downstairs, made coffee, and decided to play around with some applications I had on my list. One of them was HotKey Typer by James Montemagno.
I ran it for the first time and instantly loved it. It’s super simple and useful — but I had a problem. I started using glasses a few years ago, and I generally have trouble with small UI elements on the computer. I usually work at 150% scaling. Unfortunately, James’s app has a fixed window size, so everything looked cut off.
Since I’ve been coding a lot lately, I figured it would be an easy fix. I tweaked it — and it worked! Everything looked better, but a bit too large, so I adjusted it again… and again… and again. Before I knew it, I had turned it into a totally different application.
I was vibe coding for four or five hours straight. In the end, I added a lot of new functionality because I genuinely loved the app and the idea behind it. I added sets (or collections) — basically groups of snippets you can assign to keys 1–9. Then I added autosave, a settings screen, and a reset option for the collections. Every time I finished one feature, I said, “Just one more thing.” Five minutes turned into five hours.
When I was done, I recorded a demo video. It was a lot of fun — and the result was genuinely useful. I even want to create an installer for myself so I can easily reinstall it if I ever reformat my computer. (I used to be that guy who formatted his PC every month. Not anymore… but you never know.)
Lessons From Vibe Coding
I learned a lot from this little experiment. I’ve been vibe coding nonstop for about three months now — I’ve even used up all my Copilot credits before the 25th of the month more than once! Vibe coding is a lot of fun, but it can easily spiral out of control and take you in the wrong direction.
Next week, I want to change my approach a bit — maybe follow a more structured pattern.
Another thing this reminded me of is how important it is to work in a team. My business partner, José Javier Columbie, has always helped me with that. We’ve been working together for about 10 years now. I’m the kind of developer who keeps rewriting, refactoring, optimizing, making things faster, reusable, turning them into plugins or frameworks — and sometimes the original task was actually quite small.
That’s where Javier comes in. He’s the one who says, “José, it’s done. This is what they asked for, and this is what we’re delivering.” He keeps me grounded. Every developer needs that — or at least needs to learn how to set that boundary for themselves.
Final Thoughts
So that’s my takeaway from today’s vibe coding session: have fun, but know when to stop.
I’ll include below the links to:
James Montemagno’s original HotKey Typer repository
Aristotle and the “Organon”: Foundations of Logical Thought
Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers of ancient Greece, made substantial contributions to a wide range of fields, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and natural sciences. Born in 384 BC, Aristotle was a student of Plato and later became the tutor of Alexander the Great. His works have profoundly influenced Western thought for centuries.
One of Aristotle’s most significant contributions is his collection of works on logic known as the “Organon.” This term, which means “instrument” or “tool” in Greek, reflects Aristotle’s view that logic is the tool necessary for scientific and philosophical inquiry. The “Organon” comprises six texts:
Categories: Classification of terms and predicates.
On Interpretation: Relationship between language and logic.
Prior Analytics: Theory of syllogism and deductive reasoning.
Posterior Analytics: Nature of scientific knowledge.
Topics: Methods for constructing and deconstructing arguments.
On Sophistical Refutations: Identification of logical fallacies.
Together, these works lay the groundwork for formal logic, providing a systematic approach to reasoning that is still relevant today.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Building Modern Software
Now, let’s fast-forward to the modern world of software development. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that has revolutionized the way we write and organize code. At its core, OOP is about creating “objects” that combine data and behavior. Here’s a quick rundown of its fundamental concepts:
Classes and Objects: A class is a blueprint for creating objects. An object is an instance of a class, containing data (attributes) and methods (functions that operate on the data).
Inheritance: This allows a class to inherit properties and methods from another class, promoting code reuse.
Encapsulation: This principle hides the internal state of objects and only exposes a controlled interface, ensuring modularity and reducing complexity.
Polymorphism: This allows objects to be treated as instances of their parent class rather than their actual class, enabling flexible and dynamic behavior.
Abstraction: This simplifies complex systems by modeling classes appropriate to the problem.
Bridging Ancient Logic with Modern Programming
You might be wondering, how do Aristotle’s ancient logical works relate to Object-Oriented Programming? Surprisingly, they share some fundamental principles!
Categorization and Classes:
Aristotle: Categorized different types of predicates and subjects to understand their nature.
OOP: Classes categorize data and behavior, helping organize and structure code.
Propositions and Methods:
Aristotle: Propositions form the basis of logical arguments.
OOP: Methods define the behaviors and actions of objects, forming the basis of interactions in software.
Systematic Organization:
Aristotle: His systematic approach to logic ensures consistency and coherence.
OOP: Organizes code in a modular and systematic way, promoting maintainability and scalability.
Error Handling:
Aristotle: Identified and corrected logical fallacies to ensure sound reasoning.
OOP: Debugging involves identifying and fixing errors in code, ensuring reliability.
Modularity and Encapsulation:
Aristotle: His logical categories and propositions encapsulate different aspects of knowledge, ensuring clarity.
OOP: Encapsulation hides internal states and exposes a controlled interface, managing complexity.
Conclusion: Timeless Principles
Both Aristotle’s “Organon” and Object-Oriented Programming aim to create structured, logical, and efficient systems. While Aristotle’s work laid the foundation for logical reasoning, OOP has revolutionized software development with its systematic approach to code organization. By understanding the parallels between these two, we can appreciate the timeless nature of logical and structured thinking, whether applied to ancient philosophy or modern technology.
In a world where technology constantly evolves, grounding ourselves in the timeless principles of logical organization can help us navigate and create with clarity and precision. Whether you’re structuring an argument or designing a software system, these principles are your trusty tools for success.
