Honest AI tool reviews
AI tools, coding assistants, automation tools, and practical AI web tech tested with real tasks.
The Practical AI Tool Matrix
Modern tools. Old-stack common sense.
Practical tech for solo builders who want useful tools, not more noise.
AI tools, web workflows, build notes, and simple-stack thinking for people building real things on the web.
Build with tools, not trends.
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A practical journal for useful tools and small web projects.
Checkout my AI Practical Tools Matrix, my WP Umami Plugin and the realistic project ideas log.
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OSJ Dashboard Stats for Umami is a WordPress admin plugin that brings your Umami analytics into the WordPress dashboard.
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Practical AI, webdev, WordPress, tooling, and software updates worth noticing today and this week.
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Latest entries
Fresh from the journal.
The latest posts across tool tests, workflows, build notes, web tech, AI commentary, and small app ideas.
Vibe Coding
How Do You Build a Website for Free With AI?
A practical walkthrough for building a free AI-assisted website, from planning and copy to static HTML, free hosting, contact forms, and launch checks.
How-To’s & Guides
How Do You Market Your SaaS Online Without Turning Into a Hype Machine?
A practical SaaS marketing guide for solo builders: clearer positioning, better demos, useful content, search, social proof, and steady distribution.
Simple Stack Web Dev
Contabo Review: More Than Good Enough Hosting for Most of Us
A practical Contabo review from real use: six months of 100% uptime, simple VPS hosting, and enough server for OSJ, TTD, AAR, and small tools.
AI Build Safety
SaaS Pre-Shipping Checklist I Run Before Letting Real Users In
A practical SaaS pre-shipping checklist for checking product flow, security, billing, onboarding, jobs, emails, support, and launch-readiness before real users arrive. Also covers using a Markdown guardrails file…
Builder-Life Notes
What I Want Old Stack Journal to Be
Practical builders don’t need more hype. They need honest build notes, safer AI habits, useful replies, and people who help them keep going.
AI Debugging Basics
Make the Bug Smaller Before You Ask AI to Fix It
Before handing a bug to AI, shrink the problem first. A smaller repro saves tokens, reduces bad fixes, and makes debugging less messy.
AI Build Safety
Vibe Coding Tips for Non-Programmers
Vibe coding can help non-programmers build useful tools, but only if they keep the work small, test properly, and don’t let AI run the project blind.
Build Diary
TextToDeck Is Live, and the First Sales Are In
TextToDeck turns written posts, changelogs, launches, and updates into short vertical video decks, and the first sales are already in.
AI Commentary
The Token Tax of New Tech
AI-assisted development adds a new cost to tech choices: how much context, correction, and retrying your stack needs before it works.
Build Diary
TextToDeck: Turning Written Updates Into Short Video Decks
TextToDeck started as a workaround for making Old Stack Journal promo videos with HTML, OBS, and Clipchamp. Now it’s becoming a focused web app for turning written updates…