Desktop Puck

Desktop Puck is an idea for a small desktop companion tool that helps control local workflows without needing to dig through menus, terminals, browser tabs, or scattered scripts.

The general concept is simple: a small puck on the desk that can act as a shortcut launcher, status indicator, control surface, and possibly an AI-assisted command point for local systems.

Core Idea

The goal is to create a practical desktop helper that can tie together:

• common Linux commands
• local scripts
• VS Code and Codex workflows
• local LLM tools like Ollama
• browser or web app shortcuts
• system monitoring
• project notes
• automation tasks
• device controls

Instead of treating every task as a separate app or command-line routine, Desktop Puck would explore a more physical and focused way to interact with the computer.

Why This Is Interesting

A lot of useful workflows start small:

• restart a service
• open a project folder
• check logs
• launch a local web dashboard
• start a dev server
• run a camera viewer
• trigger a backup
• send a command to a local automation system
• open a lab note or project page

The problem is that these tools often end up scattered across terminals, browser bookmarks, shell history, notes, and half-finished scripts.

Desktop Puck is meant to explore whether a small physical or software control point can make those workflows easier to use.

Possible Features

Shortcut Launcher

A simple interface for launching repeatable actions:

• open project folders
• run shell scripts
• start or stop Docker services
• open local dashboards
• launch VS Code workspaces
• open frequently used URLs
• connect to remote machines

Local System Control

Useful commands could be grouped into safer, repeatable actions:

• restart a service
• check disk usage
• view logs
• test network connectivity
• start a dev server
• mount or check storage drives
• run maintenance scripts

AI Workflow Helper

Desktop Puck could also act as a front end for local AI workflows:

• send prompts to a local Ollama model
• open a Codex-ready project folder
• generate project notes
• summarize logs
• prepare commands before running them
• help maintain Astro lab notes

The important part is keeping the AI assistance practical and grounded in real tasks.

Visual Status

The puck could eventually show simple status feedback:

• green: system good
• yellow: attention needed
• red: service down
• blue: running task
• blinking: waiting for input

This could be done with LEDs, a small display, or a software tray-style interface.

Hardware Possibilities

The physical version could be based on simple parts:

• rotary encoder
• a few buttons
• RGB LEDs
• small OLED display
• USB HID control
• Raspberry Pi Pico, ESP32, or Arduino-class controller
• 3D printed enclosure

The first version does not need to be complex. A basic USB device with a few programmable actions would be enough to prove the concept.

Software Possibilities

A software-only prototype may come first.

Possible stack:

• Python
• Node.js
• Bash scripts
• local web UI
• system tray app
• JSON or YAML config
• Astro documentation page
• Ollama or local model integration

A simple config file could define actions like:

actions:
  - name: "Open Milchuck Labs"
    command: "xdg-open https://test.milchuck.com"

  - name: "Start Astro Dev Server"
    command: "cd ~///milchuck-labs && npm run dev"

  - name: "Check Docker Containers"
    command: "docker ps"

Current Direction

The first useful step is probably a software prototype with a small local action registry. Once the actions feel useful, the hardware side can stay simple: a few buttons, a dial, and clear status feedback.

The main question is whether the puck becomes a genuinely useful workflow surface or just another gadget on the desk. That is exactly the kind of thing worth prototyping before overbuilding it.