Introducing Myself: A Long-Time Observer and Enthusiast
When most people think of Tixl, they often think of it as a tool—a powerful, flexible platform for building complex applications. But for me, my relationship with Tixl has been more nuanced, more personal, and, until recently, largely unshared.
I’ve been using Tixl in some form or another since 2022. In fact, I was one of the early adopters when it was still known as Tooll3. At the time, it was a fascinating experiment in low-code/no-code development that promised incredible flexibility and power without the usual overhead of full programming. For someone with a background in complex problem-solving and a fascination with how tools can be shaped to fit a specific mind, it was pure serendipity.
Initially, I used Tixl purely for personal projects and experimentation. It was a lot of fun, and I quickly realized that my natural inclination—using software not just as a given, but as a medium to be shaped—aligned perfectly with Tixl’s design philosophy.
Why This Documentation Effort?
The request to document my journey from a Tixl community member struck a chord because it forced me to ask myself a question I’d been avoiding: What have I been doing all this time that might be useful for others? I had always assumed my projects were personal tinkering, interesting but not worthy of formal documentation. However, as I reflected on my journey, I saw a narrative emerging—one filled with trials, creative breakthroughs, and lessons learned.
This isn’t just about showing off finished projects. This is about documenting the process itself: the elegant workarounds I discover, the design patterns that emerge from experimenting, and the moments of pure frustration that led to deepened understanding of Tixl. That messy, iterative journey is often where the most valuable knowledge lies.
My Unique Skillset and How It Aligns with Tixl
While I haven’t contributed code to the Tixl project itself until recently, my background has given me a perspective that I believe is underrepresented in many community discussions. These are the skills and traits that have made Tixl not just useful, but a true extension of my workflow:
- Music and audio production/engineering (Ableton Live, Renoise)
- Midi mapping
- C# Development (Unity / Blazor / MVC)
- Shader development
- Experience with other similar products (Quartz Composer, TouchDesigner, VVVV)
What to Expect from This Documentation
This isn’t just a log of “Project X did this.” It will be a series of narratives, each detailing:
- The “Why”: The problem I was trying to solve and the constraints I faced.
- The “How” & “Trial & Error”: The step-by-step process, including the failures, workarounds, and eureka moments.
- The Learnings: The key technical insights and design principles that emerged.
- The Artifact: Often, I will include snippets of graphs, or even simplified visual diagrams (since Tixl is visually oriented) to make the concepts tangible.
Conclusion: A Gift to the Community
Most of all, I’m doing this because I believe in the power of knowledge sharing. Tixl is best when it’s a community effort, and while code contribution is vital, documentation is the scaffolding that allows others to stand on our shoulders. By detailing my journey, I hope to provide a roadmap, a source of inspiration, and most importantly, a honest account of what it really takes to build with this powerful tool.
Thank you for giving me the prompt to start this. The journey of a thousand projects begins with a single documentation.