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Nope

Waylon Walker avatar
3 min read

Things I avoid, do not use, or actively recommend against.

This is not about bashing tools that work for others - these are things that do not work for me and my workflows.

Software I Avoid #

IDEs #

  • VS Code - Resource-heavy for what I need. I prefer Neovim's speed and efficiency.
  • JetBrains products - Overkill for my use cases and too resource-intensive.

Why: I spend most of my time in a terminal. Heavy IDEs feel sluggish and get in my way.

Window Managers #

  • GNOME - Too much mouse interaction, not keyboard-friendly enough for my workflow.
  • i3 (personally) - Used it for years, but prefer Hyprland's Wayland-native approach now.

Note: I actually like KDE, but my primary requirement for any window manager is robust workspace management with hotkeys. I need win+num to switch, win+shift+num to send apps, and win+ctrl+num to join workspaces. I enjoy tiling but have no strong preference between tiling and floating - both work fine with a good workspace manager that lets me reach any app in one keystroke.

Development Tools #

  • nvm/rbenv/pyenv separately - Use mise Tool Management instead. One tool instead of many.
  • Docker Desktop - Bloated. Use podman or docker CLI directly.

Python Dependency Management #

After years using pip-tools, hatch, and conda, I've been uv pilled. I now avoid:

  • Poetry - Overly complex for my needs
  • Hatch - Used it for years, but uv is simpler
  • pip-tools - Used it for years, uv replaces it completely
  • virtualenv - uv handles environments
  • conda - Used it for years, uv + pyproject.toml is cleaner
  • flit - Unnecessary with uv

What I use instead: [[uv]] - Fast, simple, and handles everything I need.

JavaScript Development #

I avoid JavaScript frameworks with heavy build pipelines and deep node_modules trees. I prefer:

  • Vanilla JavaScript - No build step, no dependencies
  • CDN libraries - Add what you need via script tag
  • Simple tools - Avoid webpack, complex bundlers, and deep dependency chains

Practices I Avoid #

  • Mouse-heavy workflows - Slows me down, causes wrist strain
  • Clicking through GUIs - Prefer keyboard shortcuts and CLI
  • Manual, repetitive tasks - Automate or script everything
  • Keeping everything in my head - Document in version control
  • Heavy build pipelines - Prefer simplicity over complexity

Business Models #

  • Subscription fatigue - Prefer perpetual licenses or open source
  • Vendor lock-in - Prefer tools with open standards and export options
  • Cloud-only dependencies - Keep local-first options available

Counter-Arguments I Accept #

These tools work great for others:

  • VS Code has excellent debugging support
  • IDEs provide discoverability for new developers
  • GUI tools can be more approachable
  • Complex build pipelines enable powerful optimizations
  • Poetry and conda solve real problems for many teams

Use what works for you. These are my preferences, not universal truths.

See Yep for things I do recommend.