The Rise of Home-Cooked Software, Authenticity & Imperfection, and When to Start a Design Studio

The 52" monitor, home-cooked software, claude code, vibe coding, personal tools, craft, authenticity and imperfection, authorship and taste, designing without scale, having an independent design practice, freelancing vs studios, building a career on your own terms.

Tesla Optimus Fail
https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/1pfzxt0/tesla_optimus/

Dell's Big Boy
https://www.engadget.com/computing/dell-unveils-a-massive-52-inch-6k-ultrawide-curved-monitor-at-ces-2026-140024842.html

People Building with Claude Code
https://x.com/claudeai/status/2009666254815269313?s=20

Ryo Lu's OS 
https://os.ryo.lu/

Gabriel Valdivia's Big Calendar
https://x.com/gabrielvaldivia/status/2008259086614409438?s=20

David McGillivray is a designer and creative director in upstate New York, designing for early stage tech companies through his own practice. He also co-founded Offhours and runs Corners, an art and design store in the Catskills.

Jacob Heftmann is a Los Angeles-based surfer and graphic designer. He is currently the Design Director at Grilli Type. Previously he was on the faculty at Parsons and founded XXIX and Index in New York City.

Artwork by Pablo Delcan
Music by Mondo Boys
Artwork typeface; GT Standard Mono by Grilli Type

www.worksbutmakesnoises.com