IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Tailscale's new macOS home

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Top Themes fromthe discussion

# Theme Key Takeaway Representative Quote
1 The notch hides menu‑bar icons Apple’s “notch” forces icons off‑screen with no obvious indicator they’re missing. “The notch just makes it a problem quicker, and in an exciting new way.” — simonh
2 No built‑in overflow UI macOS still lacks a native way to expose hidden icons; users must rely on third‑party tools. “Apple should have bought Bartender and made it part of the OS 10 years ago…”

| 3 | Work‑arounds & third‑party fixes | Power users compensate with resolution hacks, custom spacing, or tools like Bartender, Ice, and Hidden Bar. | “My workaround was to restore pre‑notch behaviour by picking a resolution that is exactly screen‑res height minus notch height.” — ltwhorf | | 4 | Broader frustration with Apple’s UI decline | Long‑time fans note a steady drop in macOS polish and a “software‑first” attitude that ignores real‑world usage. | “macOS UI/UX has been declining at an accelerating pace with each new version.” — devilhbunny |

All quotations are taken verbatim from the HN comments and enclosed in double quotes with the author name.

🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

BarOverflow – Native Menu BarOverflow

Summary

  • Users lose visibility of menu bar icons when they are hidden behind the notch or overflow, forcing reliance on third‑party hacks.
  • Provides a built‑in overflow dropdown that aggregates hidden icons, letting users click to access them without extra apps.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience macOS power users, developers, professionals with many status‑menu items
Core Feature System‑level status item manager that shows hidden icons in a clickable overflow menu and respects user ordering
Tech Stack Swift (AppKit + SwiftUI), optional Rust helper library
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Directly answers HN complaints like “Apple should have bought Bartender and made it part of the OS 10 years ago.”
  • Eliminates need for Bartender, Ice, HiddenBar, or other hacks, reducing support friction.
  • Potential to be bundled as a System Settings pane, offering Apple‑grade UX and solving the “icons disappear” problem.

IconVisibility – Persistent Hidden‑Icon Indicator

Summary

  • Many users do not realize that menu bar icons are silently hidden, leading to missed actions and workflow breaks.
  • Shows a persistent visual cue (dot/tooltip) when icons are hidden and provides a one‑click menu to reveal them.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience macOS users with numerous status items, accessibility‑focused users, enterprise IT admins
Core Feature Tiny background app that monitors hidden status items and displays an overlay icon with a clickable list of hidden icons
Tech Stack Swift, Combine, SwiftUI
Difficulty Low
Monetization Revenue-ready: Subscription $2.99/mo (or $9.99 one‑time)

Notes

  • Mirrors the Windows system‑tray overflow pattern, a model HN users have praised for decades.
  • Provides immediate feedback on hidden icons, reducing frustration and supporting accessibility (e.g., large‑text scaling).
  • Could be distributed via the Mac App Store or as an open‑source preference pane, generating discussion and adoption.

TailNet Switch – Multi‑Account Tailscale Management UI#Summary

  • Users juggle multiple Tailscale accounts (personal, work, family) and need a simple way to switch between them and manage exit nodes.
  • Offers a web/desktop dashboard that lets users select, configure, and launch any Tailscale account with one click, including funnel and exit‑node settings.

Details| Key | Value |

|-----|-------| | Target Audience | Power Tailscale users, families, remote workers, IT admins managing shared devices | | Core Feature | Dashboard UI to switch between Tailscale networks, view nodes, toggle exit nodes, and enable/disable funnel | | Tech Stack | React + TypeScript front‑end, Node.js/Express back‑end, uses Tailscale API (OAuth, account switching) | | Difficulty | Medium | | Monetization | Revenue-ready: Freemium – free for 1 network, $5/mo for unlimited networks and advanced controls |

Notes

  • Directly addresses HN threads like “How do I run two accounts (two tailnets) on my MBP?” and “How to add family members with varying technical abilities?”.
  • Provides a clear, user‑friendly alternative to manual CLI/account swaps, increasing Tailscale adoption.
  • Could integrate with existing Tailscale client as a native wrapper, sparking discussion about official UI support.

ResizeBar – Notch‑Free Resolution Scheduler

Summary

  • macOS users hide menu bar icons by selecting a custom resolution that excludes the notch, but manually finding and switching resolutions is cumbersome.
  • Automates creation and toggling of notch‑free resolutions, persisting user preferences.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience macOS users on notched devices (14", 16" MacBooks), accessibility‑oriented users, developers tweaking display settings
Core Feature System Preference pane that adds UI to add/resume notch‑free resolutions, switch instantly, and auto‑apply on demand
Tech Stack Swift, CoreGraphics, defaults storage, optional SwiftUI UI
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Solves a concrete pain point highlighted by comments such as “I restore pre‑notch behaviour by picking a resolution ... exactly screen res height minus notch height.”
  • Provides a clean, native solution without third‑party hacks, appealing to users frustrated by the notch’s impact on menu bar space.
  • Could be packaged as a free open‑source utility, generating community discussion and potential contributions.

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