"I just can't stand seeing this being sold for 38 bucks, pure exploitation of novices."
"If you make me feel unhappy, then I'll disrupt your market."
"I not only want to create a tool with more features, but also make it free and open-source!"
After seeing a paid screen recording app with almost identical features to a free open-source tool, a developer named Ailo erupted with his "chivalrous spirit" ——
Why make ordinary users spend an extra 30 bucks?
So, he stayed up all night for a week and created the screen recording tool QuickRecorder.
True to his original intention, QuickRecorder is completely free and open-source.
Within a month, the software not only garnered over 1900 stars on GitHub but also helped numerous users both domestically and internationally, including myself.
A few days ago, my junior schoolmate messaged me asking why there was no sound when recording screen on Mac.
I knew the reason too - the built-in screen recording on Mac cannot capture system audio unless using third-party tools.
Since I use a paid app myself, which is a bit complicated to install, it's not very suitable for my schoolmate.
After some searching, I came across QuickRecorder developed by Ailo on a niche software forum. The app caught my attention with its "edgy" development approach, so I decided to give it a try.
After a simple trial, I found it quite good, so I recommended it to my junior on May 20th. (Bro, did I do the right thing?)
Ahem, back to the point.
Firstly, QuickRecorder supports recording system and microphone sounds.
The screen recording range includes full screen, selected area, specific applications, and even mobile screens.
It also has some additional features, such as highlighting the mouse cursor during screen recording and trimming the recording after it's done.
This software is less than 5 MB in size.
If you're a regular Mac user looking for a simple and free screen recording tool, then QuickRecorder is perfect for you.
It's worth mentioning that I found out that Ailo has developed multiple software products.
They are not only practical but also completely free and open-source.
For example, there's a software called AirBattery that can display real-time battery levels of all your devices (including iPad, iPhone, watch, and headphones) in the Mac menu bar and Dock, making it a must-have for Apple ecosystem enthusiasts.
If you're often blinded by apps that lack a dark mode, you can try using AppDimmer by Ai Luo. It can force any app to adapt to a dark mode.
If you often accidentally close application windows by mistouching Q or W keys, you can try QDelayer. It uses "delayed confirmation" to make sure you don't trigger shortcuts by mistake.
In addition, there are some aesthetically pleasing tools like Pixboard, which can place small widgets on the desktop that simulate LED pixel screens or old-fashioned CRT/VFD display tubes.
I won't go into specifics, but if you're interested, you can search on GitHub.
In fact, there are many developers like Elo on the internet who have created various useful tools and freely shared them with everyone.
I've always been curious:
What drives them to choose open source and persist in contributing out of love?
Out of curiosity, I reached out to Elo.
I thought Elo was a programmer who developed small tools in his spare time.
Surprisingly, Elo has never systematically studied any programming language, never taken any programming courses, and his main job has nothing to do with programming either—
Elo is just a teacher working in the school's information office, occasionally responsible for invigilation, and programming is his hobby.
Elo's workspace ▼
Can one reach this level solely through self-learning?
Elo believes in being a self-driven learner.
He learns programming technologies to meet his own needs. Often, while addressing one requirement, he discovers more, leading to learning additional skills.
Back when QQ (Mac version) lacked a dark mode, using it at night felt like:
Due to not finding a suitable solution online, Ailo decided to create one himself.
Thus, a software called QQDimmer was born, which could force QQ to display in dark mode.
After several iterations, Ailo realized that if he could create a dark mode for QQ, he could do the same for other apps. Before long, an app called AppDimmer, which could adapt all apps to dark mode, was introduced to the public.
Prior to developing this tool, Ailo knew almost nothing about Apple's CoreImage and CoreGraphics frameworks. However, driven by determination, he delved into them, learning and developing simultaneously.
Of course, he encountered moments of confusion during his research. In such times, he would search on his own, refer to others' code, and if needed, seek help from others.
Ailo believed in the saying, "Revenge is a dish best served cold." If a bug couldn't be resolved, it was a sign of his own technical shortcomings. He would return to conquer those bugs once he had honed his skills.
And so, his programming skills matured day by day.
After listening, all that's left are two words: admiration.
Learning programming is a process of accumulation leading to an eruption. The knowledge you acquire in the early stages often cannot solve any problems.
Without timely feedback, many people find it difficult and tedious, leading them to give up before the breakthrough.
Only with a strong interest or hobby to balance this pain can one continue learning.
Ailo is such a person.
As a child, Ailo looked forward to his information class twice a week. To him, on the other side of the screen was a world full of fun.
However, to prevent Ailo from getting addicted to the internet, his family did not buy a computer or install broadband.
It wasn't until one day in junior high that Ailo saved up some pocket money, went to the flea market, and bought an antique ThinkPad from the year 2000 for 50 yuan.
In 2012, Intel introduced the third-generation Core processors, NVIDIA's GTX 670 had just been released, and 8GB of RAM was becoming mainstream.
However, Ailo's setup was quite different: a single-core Pentium M with 128MB of RAM and a 10GB hard drive.
"This setup struggles even with Plants vs. Zombies, installing Windows would be pointless," so Ailo opted for a Linux system.
Unable to play games or browse the web, what could Ailo do with this device?
Ailo had no choice but to tinker with the system.
In the Linux system, many operations required the command line. Through various coincidences, young Ailo, just starting middle school, was "forced" into programming.
He started with Bash scripts, then moved on to learning Python bit by bit to meet greater demands, and eventually delved into Swift.
After graduating from middle school, with some persistence, Ailo's family bought him a 2009 MacBook Pro. From then on, he gradually embarked on the path of development.
In addition to the Mac tools mentioned earlier, Ailo also created a few popular tools in the Hackintosh community between 2016 and 2020, such as CPU-S, VGTab, earning him the nickname "Hat Brother."
Even now, traces of Hat Brother can still be found in search engines.
Elon once turned a Macintosh shell into a Hackintosh all-in-one computer.
When it comes to developing a screen recording software, there's the issue of disrupting others' livelihoods.
Elo mentioned that he isn't a hardcore advocate of free software, believing not all software should be free and open. He has also daydreamed about striking it rich overnight with a hit app.
"Developers need to eat well to have the energy to write better code."
Of course, if it's a paid service, it has to be reasonable.
I agree with this point as well.
Everything has its costs, either you pay for it or someone else does. Paying a fair price is a way to respect the developers' hard work and support innovation.
Elo chooses to offer his app for free because it doesn't bring economic pressure and doesn't affect his life. In such a scenario, if it can help more people, why not do it?
In my conversation with Elo, I also found that he values emotional value more. If his project on GitHub gets thousands of stars or if it sells well on the App Store, he would choose the former as the best validation of his technical skills.
Elo's Journey to the Great Ming Lake ▼
When asked why he chose open source, Ailo's answer was simple—
It's because open source has given him so much.
Over the years, Ailo has learned all his programming skills bit by bit from open source code. Without the generosity of his predecessors in open source, he wouldn't have been able to learn all this, let alone create these apps.
So Ailo hopes to be that kind of person too, someone who can help young people eager to dive into the world of programming, someone who can help more "little Ailos."
These words remind me of a genius programmer I introduced to you all before, Sindre Sorhus.
He is the man with the most stars (likes) on GitHub, having developed over 40 software applications, with more than 30 of them being free and open source.
Now it seems that Ailo and Sindre Sorhus have many similarities:
Driven by interests, they create tools for their own needs, keeping software lightweight.
However, Sindre is indeed a genius, uninterested in money, having even turned down rewards from others.
I believe that instead of hoping for more cyber bodhisattvas like Sindre in the world, it might be more practical to wish for more people like Ailo.
Because there are already many Ailos around us.
These individuals may not stand out in daily life, perhaps just the older brother of a neighbor from your childhood, or a colleague you barely know as an adult. They do ordinary jobs, hustle for a living every day, occasionally help fix computers, and deep down, they also yearn for overnight wealth.
At first glance, they may not seem much different from us.
But in another universe, they quietly carry on the spirit of the internet, promoting tech sharing, spreading knowledge, ensuring that every "past self" entering this world faces no obstacles and moves steadily forward, also helping numerous strangers enjoy convenience.
As the wheels of time roll on, the internet wave keeps surging.
As the tide recedes, it leaves faint traces, paving the way for the next generation while also proving that they were here.
