Bert Mahoney

Technology

  • I Built a Private AI Cloud. My Data Is Mine.

    There’s a moment every creative hits when they realize the tool they’re using is also using them. Maybe it’s subtle. A response that sounds a little too polished. A suggestion that feels like it came from everyone and no one. A slow, creeping suspicion that the thing helping you think is also quietly learning from…

  • From SSH Friction to a Private LLM Cloud: Building a Private, Repeatable Ollama + EC2 Setup

    Setting up a private, cloud-powered LLM environment on AWS sounds straightforward, until you actually do it. What started as a simple goal… “run Agent Zero with Ollama on EC2 without exposing sensitive data” …quickly turned into a maze of SSH quirks, Docker inconsistencies, networking gotchas, and AWS nuances. The good news: once you get through…

  • Designing AI Systems That Actually Work

    I’ve been designing and deploying custom AI agents, not generic tools, but systems built around how individuals and businesses actually work.

  • From Friction to Flow: How I Automated My Screenshot-to-Notion Workflow with Shell Scripts and AI

    Learn how I built a macOS screen capture to Notion workflow using AI, environment variables, and automation to eliminate friction and reduce steps.

  • Versioned Voice Tuning Log

    I built a local voice cloning system that respects privacy and control. It’s a work in progress, focusing on tuning speed, pitch, and emotional depth to sound like me.

  • Titles in Software Design: Identity Crisis, Problem, or Nonsense?

    The evolution of job titles in the software design industry over 30 years reflects its growth and complexity. While specialized titles like UX and Product Designers have emerged, they can cause confusion and identity crises. Designers should focus on their skills rather than titles, embracing change as the industry evolves.

  • Thesis Tutorial: Sidebars However You Like Them

    One of the things I learned from creating multiple custom page templates within the Thesis framework was how to create and modify sidebars. WordPress and Thesis provide you with a simple an effective way for implementing sidebars on your website with the use of simple syntax, options, and widgets.

  • Thesis Tutorial: Dynamic Image Header with Transparent Logo

    One of the tools that I use is Chris Pearson’s fantastic Thesis WordPress theme framework. In an effort to contribute back to both the Thesis and WordPress communities I have documented how to embed the Next-Gen Gallery plugin to your header, or banner image and place your logo above it. This functionality allows you the…

  • Thesis Tutorial: Multiple Custom Page Templates

    I have been working with Thesis for a little over a month now. Thesis is a relatively new templating platform for WordPress. Thesis has unmatched SEO, cross-browser compatibility, and top-notch HTML + CSS architecture. This website runs on Thesis. I was looking through the Thesis forums and tweeting with others on how to get a…