25 AI hacks, custom diagrams, and AI in fitness

Welcome to edition #31 of the We ❤️ Open Source newsletter!

This week we’re digging into practical AI with 25 everyday hacks from our latest eBook and tips for creating clear, custom diagrams without ever touching design software.

We’re also featuring open source security, our podcast with Lee Faus on agentic AI, a coding project with C stacks, and yes—even AI in your fitness. As always, our goal is to raise your open source IQ and share the stories of the people shaping the open source world—through content made and curated by real humans. 🙂

This week we'll look at...

Upskill and grow your network at All Things Open 2025

Free Tuesday-only passes, courtesy of NetActuate and Redis

With nearly 200 sessions and thought leaders being featured, it's difficult to find a better place on earth to be if you're a technologist than All Things Open in Raleigh October 12-14. The educational and networking value will be off-the-charts good. And good news. NetActuate and Redis are making a limited number of free Tuesday-only passes available to the We Love Open Source community.

Articles

Ever wish you could skip clunky diagram tools and get polished visuals straight from your AI chatbot? In this quick tip, Brent Laster shows how to prompt ChatGPT for clear, customizable diagrams in Mermaid and PlantUML. Perfect for your next presentation, doc, or class. And the best part, no design degree required.

WHY WE ❤️ IT: This is a quick AI tech trick that is incredibly useful. In addition, it's part of a brand-new ebook we just made available called Everyday AI guide: Practical genAI life hacks from real users.

Security isn’t just about great tools—it’s about the people who build and share them. Learn how open source communities like Wireshark and Falco are joining forces to raise the security bar and protect how we build, together.

WHY WE ❤️ IT: It's not every day you get an article written by the CTO and founder of Sysdig. We also love the explanation as to why this new model emerging matters now than ever.

What if your playlist could push you into the zone? Use this practical guide to sync AI with BPM and learn how cadence, focus, and recovery all work together to create flow.

WHY WE ❤️ IT: This article features a really interesting take on why, after coaching fitness groups since 2007 and logging numerous marathon miles, sound has been the author's biggest unlock - not a shoe or a smartwatch.

Learn how to build a basic dc-style calculator in C using a stack. This hands-on tutorial helps you explore stack operations, user input, and command-line math in a practical, approachable way.

WHY WE ❤️ IT: The programs and code samples included are intuitive and easy to understand. In addition, the article is part of the free ebook Learning to program: A starter guide to stacks and command-line calculators, a free download.

What's in your technology toolbox?

Curious how AI can actually make your life easier? Our free Everyday AI guide shares 25 real-world hacks—from organizing photos to planning trips, boosting productivity, and even cooking smarter. Download it today and start experimenting with AI, well, everyday!

WHY WE ❤️ IT: The guide highlights 25 real-world examples of how people are using AI right now - it is not about hype. It's about practical, hands-on tips from people in our community who have tested AI in real scenarios.

From the We âť¤ď¸Ź Open Source Podcast

AI agents or assistants—which one should developers care about? In this week’s We Love Open Source podcast, Lee Faus of GitLab shares how to get started with agentic AI using open source tools, plus why the difference between agents and assistants matters more than you think.

Wrap Up

If you've made it this far (thank you!), check out everything we do, our YouTube channel with 1000's of open source talks, the many meetups we host around the southeast and NYC, and the HUGE open source conference we're hosting in less than two weeks!

We hope you learn something new this weekend!

- Jason & Todd

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