Why I Created PlebMachine?

2026-08-24

Why I Created PlebMachine?

I have always wanted an easy-to-use computer, and I have always been obsessed with having the best desktop environment, but it was more than just having the best desktop environment. It was about having a collection of applications that allowed me to achieve the best performance possible.

Productivity and quality have always been important to me. However, when I say productivity, I don’t mean quantity as much as producing the highest quality output.

As an individual who was always struggling to get the best value out of the little income that was available to me, I was initially drawn towards Free and Open Source Software, for the financial freedom those products provided.

Besides, what is financially wrong with running free software, especially if it could do the same job as software that cost hundreds or thousands of Rands?

There have been many influences along the way, as I have had a very long journey with computers.

You won’t believe I started computing at a very young age. I was only 19 years old when I convinced my dad to purchase a second-hand Commodore VIC-20 for me.

That little machine was the catalyst that started my interest in computers.

Since then, I have used just about every Microsoft Windows edition that came out. My favourites were Windows 3.1, Windows 98, Windows XP, and Windows 7. I presently own Windows 11 Pro.

Another thing I hated from the word go was having a cluttered desktop.

Not because it was using too many resources and hogging memory — I initially did not even know that was an issue. I just hated trying to find an application from within a grid of numerous other applications, which, incidentally, would move when new apps were added, or when you accidentally sorted by date or clicked refresh.

However, there were many factors that contributed to the creation of PlebMachine.

Three of these that really influenced PlebMachine in a very big way were: Gizmo Central, Portable Apps, and Rainmeter.

My curiosity and love of trying out every bit of software I came across also played a big role.

As you can imagine, my software collection was large — so large that if I had sent all their shortcuts to the desktop, there would not have been enough room to contain them all.

Application launchers helped, but I found most of them cumbersome or limited.

That was until I discovered Gizmo Central, made by Arainia Solutions, which was an amazing customisable program-launcher toolbar.

It not only improved my workflow and productivity, it made me want to have a better experience.

Gizmo didn’t create PlebMachine.

It helped shape the thinking that eventually led to PlebMachine, which is designed as an environment where the right tools are immediately available for the task at hand, while everything else stays out of the way — an environment that simultaneously helps improve cognitive abilities and enhance the end-user (Plebware) experience.

About Gizmo Central.

Although Gizmo Central is an old application and development appears to have ceased, it can still be found and installed by Windows users.

I would still recommend it to Windows users who want a powerful, customisable application launcher and desktop utility suite — for as long as it remains available and compatible with their version of Windows.

Although I still occasionally use Windows, and am presently dual-booting MX Linux with Windows 11 Pro, I am not really much of a Windows user these days.

I am going to try to maintain a Rainmeter version of PlebMachine to provide some diversity, but I cannot say that I will continue to do so indefinitely.

About Portable Apps.

Having moved most of my operations from Windows to Linux, I seldom use these useful apps at all today. However, I would still recommend them to Windows users.

What are Portable Apps?

In a nutshell, portable apps are what the name implies: portable applications that are self-contained distributions, meaning they do not need installation, and can even be run from a memory stick or any other portable plug-and-play drive.

About Rainmeter.

Rainmeter was the final inspiration for the creation of PlebMachine.

Although I had already created prototypes prior to my discovery of Rainmeter, Rainmeter was the missing link.

Initially, I used it as a widget to show me stats, hard drive space, CPU usage, and suchlike.

That was until I discovered a Rainmeter Game Launcher skin, which allowed multiple categories, plus special wallpapers for each category.

I gave this one look and saw PlebMachine Version One.

The first incarnation of PlebMachine was created by integrating Portable Apps, Rainmeter, and Gizmo Central.

There was even a portable version that ran off a flash drive, and we lovingly called it a PlebStick.

Created By A Creator For Creators.

Initially, I was adamant about creating it for friends and family.

My plan was to keep working on it until my Perfectionist gene was happy with it, after which it would be sold via a flash drive that would serve as a portable version, with the means to be installed on any local machine as well.

However, as time went by, and I acquired my two Diplomas, I started deviating towards becoming an author.

The Move To Linux.

However, as time went by, and I started using Linux more and more, I began to see something that I had not really considered before.

I saw an opportunity to create a productivity layer that could help many different kinds of creators, rather than simply creating a customised desktop environment for myself, or for a handful of friends and family.

Linux gave me the freedom to take those ideas much further.

And that was when I started creating PlebMachine for Linux.

The idea was no longer simply to create a collection of applications, a launcher, or a fancy desktop.

I wanted to create an environment that could adapt to the person using it, providing the right tools for the task at hand, while keeping everything else out of the way.

That is the PlebMachine I am still developing today.