Hey, I’m Vincent. I’m a dad 👨‍👧, husband 👫 and an independent programmer 👨‍💻 that also freelances.

I may, or may not, be receiving a small parcel tomorrow from my favourite fruit company… 🤪

Going to try and publish an update to Gluon for Android today. I’ll not be able to add push just yet though - have to wait a little bit longer (sorry!).

"Facebook is the cancer of tech" - that’s a good comment I just read haha.

Have been working on a client project for a few months now. It was for an online event platform so that means livestreams and chat. I was mainly focused on the chat module - which seems to be the most important feature 😋 3 events under the belt, and yesterday was the best! 🥳

My daughter, just 6 years old (nearly 7), is really into robotics in Kindergarten. They build little robots that follow lines and other things. Sometimes they code them too on a device. Thinking of getting her the MINDSTORMS inventor kit from Lego for Christmas.

2 years ago, in November, I started working on Gluon. I’m at the stage, with iOS, where I want to rewrite it using SwiftUI. I started that 4 months ago… haven’t touched it much since that time. It was a feeler to get into it after the nice announcements during WWDC (Apple's developer conference).

Now I want to go ahead and treat it like I did for the initial build 2 years ago. That means TestFlight builds that take a serious step back from functionality whilst I build everything from scratch.

So… what does that mean for anyone using TestFlight right now? Well, it means that if you want to use it as is I suggest you go and grab the App Store version.

I'll be uploading one last build to TestFlight with a link to this page, so you all know what's going on.

Note that I will also reset the TestFlight list for this new version. For any existing people that have signed up on the gluon.app website, you don't have to do anything - you're still going to be getting slower updates anyway (but that might be some time away).

If you have donated and you want to be on this "everything will be broken" list, email me: [email protected]. I'll make sure you're first on the list for my broken builds haha. Of course, I'll be adding more testers as the app becomes more polished and closer to the features you have now. This is a gradual process so don't expect warp speed.

I was thinking of creating a new App Store app just for this version, but I think that's wrong. I would be more motivated to move ahead with what I have - because I won't have a way to fall back to an app that works on my devices! (If you know what I mean).

Why now? Why the change? - this is easy to explain in my head. I had Gluon open and wanted to start a few tweaks to the design and add a few new features... but I stopped myself! "This needs to stop until the rewrite". So here I am.

I'm not going to lie, this rebuild will take time. The original Gluon was in build for just over a year before it launched (as I’m juggling client work also)... so let's see where I'm at come WWDC next year.

Expect some blog posts in the near future and usual updates as I go!

✌️❤️

This is not my code… 😂😭

Just released version 2020.6 for Gluon on iOS. Release notes are here. Enjoy 😊

Urgh, macOS software update told me it wants to restart to install the new beta for Big Sur. I have no idea how I can cancel it and stay on the production cycle. Anyone? I already removed my "beta" profile...

Pushed out a small iOS TestFlight version for the next Gluon update. 2020.6 Build 3. Includes a few small fixes here and there. Also going to Apple for approval as it contains a few iOS14 fixes.

Updated the Mac mini to run Big Sur. Got Pi-hole back now too. Whilst I was at it, I blocked the Apple thing. Not sure, but apps open faster now it doesn’t have to do that roundtrip.

I’ll be adding an option to hide all stats in Sublime Ads… because sometimes people just don’t care. I’m one of those!

Trying to get through a creative block today, so am AGAIN working on expanding a dark theme for Sublime Ads.

So much warmth in my body from eating garlic.

Good thing about A: working from home and B: being self-employed… that I’m able to consume massive amounts of raw garlic for better health… and no one is there to judge… or smell (my wife is totally fine with it). And considering everyone seems to wear masks… win! 🧄

Really enjoying macOS Big Sur. Such a nice change to the UI. Have been on it since beta 1… and I think they could have easily just shipped it then. It was a good year of betas.

I think I solved my wrist pain with wearing my Apple Watch… using a different band (a rubbery one). The band warms up from my body heat, and is staying warm… and it gives me more movement. I made the change after I noticed the same with the Casio rubber.

Have been thinking of how hard programming has become for new comers. There is too much going on, and it’s ever changing. "High pace". I don’t know why it has to be like that. I hope one of these days people will just realise it’s stupid and unnecessary!

Can we go back to the technological wonders of the Wild West?

So I have a plan for my website. Maybe that should be a 2021 thing/project haha.