AntitheticIdeas
AntitheticIdeas
Technology junky, outspoken critic, overly prideful, too opinionated, perfectionist. I've been referred to as all of these things, and that's ok. When I'm developing a solution though, I stick to the following 6 principles:
Anthetic Ideas started with a cancer diagnosis and lead to full time software development and tech journalism.
No ads. No tracking. No dark patterns.
We don’t sell your attention or mine. You’re not a product, a metric, or a training set — you’re just a human using a damn app. If you ever find a manipulative pop-up here, it’s because I got hacked.
Small is good. Niche is better.
We’re not chasing scale; we’re chasing meaning. If five weirdos love what I make, that’s success. The internet doesn’t need another bloated “platform.” It needs more digital dive bars with personality.
Your feedback matters more than my ego.
I build for people, not imaginary shareholders. If you hate something, say so — I’d rather bruise my pride than keep a broken feature alive out of stubbornness. (Okay, maybe I’ll sulk for a minute first.)
Design should get out of the way.
Good design doesn’t scream; it quietly works. If you notice the interface more than the idea, I’ve failed. I want function so smooth it’s almost suspicious.
Sarcasm is a feature, not a bug.
Everything’s too polished, too optimized, too fake. Humor is how we survive the absurdity of modern tech. If that offends someone, I’ll call it an “intentional user experience choice.”
If all the good guys die at the end, at least the UI was clean.
I know the world’s a mess, but there’s still room for beauty in the wreckage. If we’re going down, I’d like the buttons aligned and the type kerning tight. Order is my rebellion.
Below you’ll find a collection of propaganda posters we allegedly found in various Silicon Valley offices.
WARNING: SOME OF THESE ARE DEEPLY DISTURBING.
(Well, to me anyway.)
They appear to celebrate values like obedience, data harvesting, and unchecked ego; but don’t worry, they’re printed on 100% recycled hubris.
Hi, I’m Chris. The developer, designer, and stubborn Gen Xer behind Antithetic Ideas.
I started in tech at 18, administrating systems for an answering service. Over time, I dove deep into telecommunications, then pivoted into web design where I could merge my love of tech with digital art. I thrived on solving puzzles... Photoshop layers, 3D modeling in Bryce and Maya, marrying code with aesthetic. But somewhere along the way, the fun stopped.
By the late 2010s, the app scene had shifted. Innovation gave way to bloatware, spyware, and soulless clones. Tech became less about people and more about profit margins. Boardrooms replaced brainstorms. As someone who used to build PCs for the hell of it, I found myself burned out... and eventually, broken.
Then came October 2024.
My wife was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Life cracked wide open. Suddenly, I wasn’t just a guy who used to love building things. I had a reason to build again. She needed help tracking her treatment symptoms, and existing apps either didn’t exist or weren’t worth trusting. So I built OncoTrack, a simple, private, free app for logging symptoms during chemo, radiation, and recovery.
That one project reconnected me with something I’d lost: purpose.
Now, through Antithetic, I’m creating apps that give people something real. I’m not chasing trends. I’m not here to squeeze ad revenue out of your suffering. I’m here to minimize bullshit and deliver tools that make you say: “I’m so glad I found this *expletive deleted* app.” When I'm not developing, I'm usually bitching and moaning, in the form of blog articles. That's right. I even found a place to put my voice online.
I’ve got ideas for more tools, both helpful and ridiculous. Expect some generative visuals. Maybe a digital toy or two. Apps that do one thing, do it well, and don’t make you feel like you’re selling your soul in the process.
