Sammy Hajhamid Blog


a list of software i recommend
ads for companies that do not pay me to make ads for them. you should try some of these
April 19, 2025
cs

Hi everyone! I’d like to share some of my favorite tech products I feel like are underappreciated. They’re sorted in descending order of recommendation.

Cloudflare: Platform for building on the web. I use it for so many things, yet I don’t pay a dime.

  • I host my public files, such as my resume, on Cloudflare R2 (which has a generous free storage tier).
  • I register my domains on Cloudflare, since they sell them at-cost. You won’t find domains anywhere else for cheaper.
  • I connect my local services to the internet with Cloudflare Tunnels.
  • I publish my dynamic Astro sites to Cloudflare Workers (which is free, somehow??).
  • I use 1.1.1.1 as my DNS resolver.
  • I protect my sites with Cloudflare Turnsile.

You should also buy their stock. For the amount the broader internet depends on them, they are so undervalued.

Parsec: Remote desktop program. Works great for gaming, but everyday tasks too. The first time I used it I was blown away. I use my computer at home from Caltech and I forget I’m using a remote desktop. I literally don’t feel a difference. It is nothing short of an engineering miracle. Super highly recommend.

Astro: Web framework. This website is built in Astro! It finally feels like it gets everything I expect in a web framework, like not shipping Javascript by default, directory based routing, a wonderful DX experience, and great integrations.

Tailscale: VPN. Not the VPN that lets you bypass firewalls; the VPN that lets you connect to your homelab regardless of where you are in the world. It requires zero thought and just works so seamlessly!

ActivityWatch: Activity tracker. I like to see how my hours on my computer are distributed. ActivityWatch is super user friendly and generates pretty pictures that makes it easy to understand how I’m spending my time.

PrismLauncher: Minecraft launcher. I’ve just recently started using it, but basically immediately replaced all of my previous ones (CurseForge, Lunar, Modrinth). They don’t run ads and they’re better than the ones that do.

JetKVM: KVM. Best and somehow cheapest KVM on the market. I guess this is what happens when you apply YC manufacturing connections to a market previously dominated by hobbyists.

Raycast: MacOS Spotlight Search replacement. I have some CTF extensions in here and it’s nice to be able to search for stuff quickly.