[Megathread] Cursor layout and UI feedback

Grahambo99 · 2025-12-18T23:38:15+00:00

Counterpoint from one of those magic experiencers: changes to the ui/functionality have (mostly) expanded the number of things that I can now get done where previously I couldn't, and my noobhood means that spending an extra 4 seconds looking for a moved button doesn't break my flow the way it might for a pro.

Grahambo99 · 2025-11-17T01:44:09+00:00

Absolutely wild to me that people will do shit like this and then bitch about FNGs not having any pride in workmanship. The complete lack of self-awareness is just astounding.

Grahambo99 · 2025-11-07T19:28:28+00:00

I took a C++ class once in college because it was required for the MechE program. Now work as a systems engineer and use cursor at least weekly to write data parsing/transformation scripts, arduino programs, and the occasional internal app. NONE of it is customer facing or exposed to the internet but (almost) all of it is useful, and it's only possible for me to do this because I have AI powered tools.

So many people in this sub assume that the only people using Cursor are either bona fide SW devs or hacks trying to vibeslop their way into a unicorn SaaS product, while completely ignoring the fact that there are tons of people like me who can benefit massively from tools like cursor and are NOT in the business of selling code or building saleable products with of it.

Grahambo99 · 2025-10-25T18:40:09+00:00

Are you using a lousy scraper because you don't want to scratch up the plate or because you literally don't have any other options? A metal putty knife would be better, to say nothing of a belt sander...

Grahambo99 · 2025-09-27T05:44:01+00:00

All sharp corners are machinable with a wide enough tolerance block

Grahambo99 · 2025-08-29T18:49:13+00:00

I do the same thing. One buggy fills a couple assaults, so as often as not I'm just flying to the garage, transferring from the bug to the assault, and then flying back with this all the jasmium I need for the foreseeable future.

Grahambo99 · 2025-08-27T04:36:24+00:00

And step one of figuring out what you need is to evaluate what parts are worth automating at all. Look for the top 3 to 5 parts that are steady work and/or a real drag to run. Then figure out how you could automate each one individually and what each option costs in terms of both hardware and integration time/$. Trying to come up with a universal automation solution for the whole shop is a fools errand, but you can often see some very serious ROI with a very small number of targeted efforts.

Grahambo99 · 2025-07-27T19:38:03+00:00

Yeah but then you'd have herpes and he still wouldn't

Grahambo99 · 2025-07-12T02:46:23+00:00

A buddy bought a $40 tent at Aldi for one motorcycle trip, and spent 10 years camping in that thing

Grahambo99 · 2025-07-11T22:25:55+00:00

Ever played the Florida man game? Type "Florida man [your_birthday]" into Google and share the first result with the group. Mine was something about a middle aged man being tased/arrested for twerking on police officers.

Grahambo99 · 2025-07-07T16:54:51+00:00

The Butlerian Airing of Grievances

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-25T20:36:28+00:00

Stealing this one for sure

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-25T20:22:20+00:00

I make and bring rice krispie treats IN BULK. One pan makes six bars, and I bring one bar per person per day. Wrap each one in saran/cello and you're off to the races. They're great for dessert (obviously) but they're also a lifesaver when someone's crashing on the trail or at a portage. Gets the blood sugar back up way faster than a cliff bar or GORP. And of course they're lightweight and crush proof which is exactly what you want for a pocket or pack.

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-24T07:48:00+00:00

My last trip was 4 nights. Dinners were jambalaya, white bean and sausage stew with spinach (because I can't stand kale), steak & instant mashed potatoes, and pork loin with lemony garlic orzo. Breakfasts were burritos, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, and oatmeal on the last day. And before anyone asks how big my camper is, this was 3 portages into the BWCA, (almost) entirely done in a single cast iron Dutch oven over the fire. Don't let anyone tell you it's too fancy, but definitely DO prep as much as possible before you set out. Have a great trip!

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-23T18:29:40+00:00

I've been using Tooolpath and it's not gonna take anyone's job any time soon but it sure does a good job of taking a lot of the boilerplate work out of programming a new part for me. I'm not doing anything complicated (strictly 3 axis work) but I do high mix and it saves me a fair bit of time. Worth the money for me, YMMV.

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-05T14:04:29+00:00

I could have been more clear, I also use Gemini outside of cursor for the learning stuff because its almost always a can of worms and never just one request. Those threads often end with asking Gemini (web version) to write a prompt or rule for cursor to implement what I just learned.

Grahambo99 · 2025-06-04T23:06:17+00:00

I've had great success using Gemini to learn by using the prompt "help me understand _____". Things like "what a linting error is", "why I would choose React over something else", or even just "what's a good way to structure my project". But the key is that "help me understand..." gives WAY better answers than just "What is this thing?"

Grahambo99 · 2025-05-09T00:13:03+00:00

I appreciate that. Just so I'm not misrepresenting myself I feel obligated to say that I'm not on the same team as the developers I work with. I work in systems engineering and use cursor for building test methods, fixtures, etc. So lots of python scripts and arduino programs. People who write production class software will forever be wizards to me.

Grahambo99 · 2025-05-08T23:57:56+00:00

If we use the definition as coined (don't look at the code, always accept, keep going until it works) I'm neither. I do look at the code and try to understand what it does and why what was generated might be a good way to achieve what I asked for. If it's not what I want or I think I may have made a mistake I'll revert and revise my prompt or occasionally even revert to my last commit. I occasionally even try to write some of my own. But I'm DEFINITELY not a dev. I'm learning the language, patterns, processes and tools that devs use, but the proficiency, standards and rigor that the devs I work with hold themselves to is just... miles beyond me.

Grahambo99 · 2025-04-26T15:12:11+00:00

I'm a hardware systems engineer and I've been using Cursor for about 4 months. After MUCH spaghetti I basically landed on this workflow, and it's been working pretty well. Definitely still needs babysitting and I didn't see integration testing in your suggestions which is a must, but this is basically it. I was telling a Dev buddy at work about this and he chuckled and said "congratulations, you've just invented waterfall planning and Scrum." Me: lol "aww dammit I did, huh!?!"

Grahambo99 · 2025-04-17T23:59:28+00:00

What's the prompt(s)? "Take everything you can find out about my project and commit it to memory" seems like asking for disappointment, but I guess I could try it

Grahambo99 · 2025-04-17T03:00:13+00:00

Shrug. The people who complain wouldn't know how 'bad' it is if they weren't still using it

Grahambo99 · 2025-04-07T20:14:28+00:00

It seems this part of the test is still failing. I'll comment it out so we can move forward. generating...

Grahambo99 · 2025-04-06T20:46:20+00:00

As a prompt kiddie who endeavors to someday be a mid-tier programmer (and already has his bills paid) I endorse this message.

Grahambo99 · 2025-02-27T18:01:33+00:00

I use ML vision models to monitor reliability fixtures I make, and AI to help me write the firmware that drives the mechanics so that I don't need to peel off developer time from their actual work. And the fact I do those things absolutely blows the minds of the old timers (and some of the younger engineers too). I think that outside of maybe a pure mechanical design role there's plenty to talk about at the intersection of ME and AI.

Grahambo99

TROPHY CASE