AI website builders don't suck anymore, a Codex desktop update, and a new David video

Plus, tips for making your LinkedIn profile stand out, a tiny gear rack, mutant Chernobyl fungus, and why towels have stripes

Apr 20, 2026

I’m David Gewirtz. Welcome to this week’s Advanced Geekery newsletter. It’s been an exciting week. Let’s dive in.

Advanced Geekery is published weekly on Substack and LinkedIn. Same content. Choose your favorite delivery method. Back Issues.

My latest video

I’ve really been enjoying making larger models on the two really big 3D printers in the Fab Lab. This is a remake of a very old model, but the scale and choice of filament make it into something quite impressive.

My articles

Here’s a quick recap of the articles I published in the last week on ZDNET.

OpenAI’s Codex Desktop can run your computer now - and has its own browser: From coding tool to productivity powerhouse, Codex Desktop adds computer control, automation memory, and plugin support. But can it replace traditional software?
AI-powered website builders have come a long way - here’s your best option in 2026: Last year, the best we could say about AI website builders is they had potential. This year, we found some that can actually do the job.

Must-watch YouTube

Moving on, let’s queue up some interesting YouTube videos for your entertainment and edification.

Dude uses the baking soda trick to rebuild a pair of glasses. It’s not like you’re going to use the same trick for your glasses, but it’s a real interesting look at how to MacGyver small repairs like this.
Why towels have stripes. Apparently, they’re not for decoration.
Look, I know we all hate AI slop. And AI-generated content makes life harder for content creators. But then there’s this video, which is all wrong on so many levels, and yet so incredibly fun. Fake Neil deGrasse Tyson is the hero, and then there’s Fake Elon Musk, Fake Bill Gates, and other, well, you just gotta watch it. Thanks to the Internet Press Guild’s Alfred Poor for pointing this one out.

Gear of the week

I just discovered this company on Amazon. They make a line of tiny gear racks. This one is two feet high, but they have them as short as under a foot high. I’m thinking these might make great home lab server racks, as a way to organize gear that’s normally just piled on a shelf.

I haven’t bought these yet, and they are competing in my mind with something I might custom design for 3D printing or CNC fabricating. But still, they’re cool and potentially useful for small scale racking requirements.

Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Interesting reads

And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth checking out.

Some psychologists are saying that people who prefer texting to phone calls aren’t being antisocial, they’re protecting the quality of their thinking from the demands of real-time performance. What do you think?
Apparently, Chernobyl has spawned some mutant fungus that uses radiation as food. Thanks to my Facebook buddy, author David Brin, for pointing out this article.
ZDNET’s Erin Carson has a helpful piece on how to polish up your LinkedIn profile so you stand out from the crowd (in a good way).

Send in your projects

I’d like to regularly spotlight a reader project or two here. Your project doesn’t have to be a big Kickstarter launch. If you’ve built something cool, it has some pretty pictures, and you’re proud of it, I might be able to share it here.

If you have a photogenic reader project, send an email to me at david@zatz.com with the subject “READER PROJECT,” a few pictures, and a short one-paragraph description. If you have a social media link or a link to the project, include that, too.