
I enjoy reading [Ian Macartney's](https://stack.convex.dev/author/ian-macartney) posts on the Convex blog. When I saw his piece on [Work Stealing](https://stack.convex.dev/work-stealing), a strategy for distributing compute-heavy workloads, I decided to try it myself.

# TL;DR

Check out the demo video below to see what I built:

<iframe width="100%" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sovYE3sWszY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Code: [https://github.com/mikecann/whisper-farm](https://github.com/mikecann/whisper-farm)

# Whisper Farm

I aimed to speed up podcast transcription by parallelizing the task into separate "jobs" and performing each in parallel on [Fly.io's GPU machines](https://fly.io/gpu).

Each Fly.io machine runs a single Docker container with a Whisper binary from [whisper-standalone-win](https://github.com/Purfview/whisper-standalone-win), an [FFmpeg](https://github.com/kribblo/node-ffmpeg-installer) binary, and a Node.js "worker" for "chunking" or "transcription" jobs.

To orchestrate this, I used [Convex](https://convex.dev), an excellent backend as a service that I’ve discussed [many times before](https://mikecann.blog/tags/convex).

# Challenges

This project was more challenging than I initially thought.

Most difficulties were related to Docker and Fly.io, while the Convex part was problem-free.

## Docker

Not being a Docker expert caused several headaches when packaging the Whisper model and code.

I started off in high hopes after reading [this blog post](https://fly.io/blog/transcribing-on-fly-gpu-machines/) from Fly. However, I soon realized I didn't want to run it as a standalone container. Instead, I wanted my worker code to run alongside it, simplifying scaling and cost management. I wanted a self-contained worker.

Merging two Dockerfiles turned out to be complex. Eventually, I abandoned that approach and used a [Whisper binary](https://github.com/Purfview/whisper-standalone-win), dynamically downloading and unzipping it when the container was constructed.

Another issue was the large Docker image size, around 15 GB, causing problems on Fly.io. Machines wouldn't start or took a long time, likely due to the image size. Fly.io's error messages weren't helpful here.

To reduce the Docker image size, I learned (thanks, ChatGPT!) that each "RUN" command creates a new layer. By rearranging and combining "RUN" commands, I reduced the image size from 15 GB to 5 GB.

[![](./dockerimagesize.webp)](./dockerimagesize.webp)

This experience taught me that I probably need to learn a bit more about Docker fundamentals.

# UI - Shadcn & Tailwind

Another side quest was experimenting with "the new hotness" in web UI design.

[![](./shadcnui.webp)](./shadcnui.webp)

[Shadcn/ui](https://ui.shadcn.com/) is popular right now. The idea is to copy and paste component code directly into your project and modify it, creating your own component library.

Shadcn uses Tailwind for styling. Although I’ve avoided Tailwind due to its "[stringly typed](https://wiki.c2.com/?StringlyTyped)" nature, I decided to try it since it’s widely used.

My conclusions?

I’m just not sold on Tailwind. I dislike its stringly typed nature and the need for additional tools like `prettier-plugin-tailwindcss` and extra linting rules. Managing className attributes requires more libraries like `tailwind-merge` and `class-variance-authority` which irks me. Tailwind also needs its own compiler/toolchain which is yet another headache to deal with.

Shadcn/ui was also disappointing. While the copy-paste nature is quick, the components lacked features I expected from a UI library. Modifying components that often looked like this is just simply confusing:

[![](./tailwind.png)](./tailwind.png)

# Issues and Future Work

Back to the main point of this post.

I think I proved the concept of work-stealing and learned a lot along the way. There is however more work that would be needed to take this further.

Some key areas include:

- Transcription results might exceed the 1 MB row limit in the database (https://docs.convex.dev/production/state/limits), so storing it as a file might be necessary.
- Error handling for Fly.io machine startup needs improvement.
- More testing is required to ensure stability.
- The code is messy and needs tidying up.
- There’s no authorization or authentication.
- Worker count limits are needed to prevent potential issues.
- The UI is basic and was more of an experiment with Shadcn and Tailwind.


Well its been exactly [95 days since my last Alpha release](https://www.mikecann.blog/myprojects/mr-nibbles-forever/mr-nibbles-forever-alpha-7/) of my mobile game Mr Nibbles Forever which is far too long. I apologise to people who have been asking me for a new version. I took on a few paid freelance projects a few months ago and they took up a whole bunch of time then I decided to take a full time position up in Perth a month ago which [drastically cut down my Mr Nibbles development time](https://www.mikecann.blog/uncategorized/started-work-at-thebroth-in-perth/) sadly.



If you follow my [public Trello development board](https://trello.com/b/Ic11WQzF/mr-nibbles-forever) however you can see that I have been working in the intervening time, just not as fast as the earlier development:

[![2015-06-18_15-22-50](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-18_15-22-50-1024x525.png)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-18_15-22-50.png)

In total there is something like 70 hours worth of my time that has gone into this release:

[![2015-06-18_15-21-12](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-18_15-21-12.png)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-18_15-21-12.png)

Although 70 hours doesnt sound like all that much I think that this release contains more changes than any other. As hinted in the last release and other posts, I now have an artist on the project, [Woody Stables](https://twitter.com/woodystables) who has helped totally transform the in-game backgrounds, the outfits, the effects and many other aspects of the game:

[![2015-06-19_07-54-53](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-53-1024x575.png)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-53.png)
[![2015-06-17_20-46-28](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-17_20-46-28-1024x766.jpg)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-17_20-46-28.jpg)
[![2015-06-19_07-54-14](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-14-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-14.jpg)
[![2015-06-19_07-54-30](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-30-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-06-19_07-54-30.jpg)

So now there are 13 different outfits in the game which you can win by spinning the wheel. They all look different and awesome but still stick to the same cutesy Mr Nibbles art style. Some of them come with cool and interesting effects as the below video shows:

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aN5S0zMux30" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

You will also notice (if you have your sound turned on) that the game also now has a whole bunch more sound effects. That's entirely thanks to [Joe Watkins](https://twitter.com/watkinsonic) who I recruited to help out with the audio on the game. I think the audio really lifts the game up and adds so much more value to the different outfits and is often an overlooked but valuable part of games making.

The game really has started to take its final shape in my opinion but there is the problem. At the moment it has mostly only been my opinion of the game which has shaped its development. I have had a few testers play the game throughout its development and im very grateful for that but now its getting to the point where I need to test in earnest.

I am also very aware of the fact that I need to concentrate on marketing the game much more. At the moment the game is only really visible to a small number of people, people who read this blog, people who are members of the facebook page and people who I have met and talked to about the game. If I want the game to succeed and not get swallowed on the App Store then I need to step up my game in that department.

I have been doing a lot of reading about indie game marketing and have discovered [some valuable resources](https://vgamemarketing.com/). Its a massive daunting task but I have spoken to some other people who have done it and they have given me some great advice which has helped immensely.

So the next few weeks for me will be less about development and more about testing the game and building the things to help promote the game (websites, trailers, presskit etc).

If you would like to try the game out then as usual just [send me an email](mailto:mike.cann@gmail.com) if you are on iOS or [send a request to join this google group](https://plus.google.com/communities/100690884724496136044?gclid=CJSZo8WqgsACFVZwvAodlo0AHQ&dclid=CODB18WqgsACFVQZvAodWV4ATQ) if you are on Android and ill hook you up!

[![head02](/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/head02.png)](/posts/newmix-second-harmonic/attachment/head02-2/)

Its been quite a while since I last made a mix. The last one [Second Life](https://soundcloud.com/mikecann/artificial-second-life) was a collection of my favorite dubstep and bass tunes at the time. Since then the genre has grown and diversified and other sub-genres have opened up. Im really into some of these new sounds that involve more melody and progression but keep that rough bassey sound that popularizes dubstep.



So I thought it was time to gather some of these tracks together and lay them together in a mix. It took a little longer than expected as I used Ableton Live for the first time to make the mix. I usually use a very basic program called Mixmeister but have often found it lacking, so for this mix I decided to take the plunge and learn Live.

The mix is called Second Harmonic because it has that moody melodic sound that I love and build my three Harmonics mixes around but it is also more aggressive rather than chilled sound like last dubstep mix Second Life. I sprinkled it with a few clips from one of my favorite movies, points for guessing what is it ;)

Give it a listen see what you think:

<iframe width="100%" height="180" src="//www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-second-harmonic%2F&amp;embed_type=widget_standard&amp;embed_uuid=f8e27b44-320d-47d3-9ea1-fae24553f0a6&amp;hide_tracklist=1&amp;hide_cover=1" frameborder="0"></iframe><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: auto;"></div>

[Second Harmonic](https://www.mixcloud.com/mikeysee/artificial-second-harmonic/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=resource_link)<span> by </span>[Artificial](https://www.mixcloud.com/mikeysee/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link)<span> on </span>[ Mixcloud](https://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link)

<div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: auto;"></div>

**Tracklist:**

1\. Hybrid - City Siren (Reprise)
2\. Asa, Gemini, Culrate, KOAN - Beyond The Shadows
3\. Koven - Inset Flick
4\. Gemini - Nothingness
5\. Mojo - Garden Walls feat. Farisha
6\. Roughmath - Human Being (Original Mix)
7\. KOAN Sound - Introvert
8\. Jon Hopkins - Insides
9\. Trifonic - Nightrun (feat. MindBuffer)
10. Birdy - Shelter (Owsey Remix New)
11\. Coven - It Comes in Waves
12\. Shapeshifter - Longest Day (Opiuo Remix)
13\. Koven - Urban Forms
14. Hecq - WEB, With Angels (Trifonic Remix)
15\. Astrobear - First Contact
16\. Trifonic - Ninth Wave
17 - Twin Atlantic - Yes I was Drunk (Matt Lange Remix)

[![](/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ArtificialHarmonics3.png "ArtificialHarmonics3")](/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ArtificialHarmonics3.png)

Well its been a while since I have made a new mix, but I have been collecting tracks for it for a while. This one came together fairly quickly actually, about two days worth of composition and then a few variations until I was happy with it. I decided not to add any movie samples to this one to keep it nice and simple, got alot of other projects on at the moment! Im not even sure if people actually like those movie samples tho, let me know if you do!

I have called it Harmonics (Part 3) as the third instalment in my Harmonics series is long overdue and I felt that it just kinda felt like a Harmonics Mix.

Anyways, I have uploaded the mix to SoundCloud and used the last remaining hour that the free account gives you ;) Give it a listen or download below:

<iframe width="100%" height="180" src="//www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2Fmikeysee%2Fharmonics-part-3%2F&amp;embed_type=widget_standard&amp;embed_uuid=c1efe07a-b992-4dda-a819-0c5438e50968&amp;hide_tracklist=1&amp;hide_cover=1" frameborder="0"></iframe><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: auto;"></div>

[Harmonics (Part 3)](https://www.mixcloud.com/mikeysee/harmonics-part-3/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=resource_link)<span> by </span>[Artificial](https://www.mixcloud.com/mikeysee/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link)<span> on </span>[ Mixcloud](https://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link)

<div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: auto;"></div>

The tracklist is as follows:

<div id="_mcePaste">1\. Hybrid - Disappear Here (Armchair Mix)</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">2\. Trifonic - Broken (Specter Mix)</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">3\. Canvas - Imogen Heap</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">4\. Chris Zippel - Again feat. Adel Tawil</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">5\. Obscure Celebrities - Farenheit (Ulrich Scnnauss Remix)</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">6\. Woven - Prickly Pear</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">7\. Moderat - Rusty Nails</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">8\. Helios - Bounce Dive</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">9\. Telepopmusik - Into Everything</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">10\. Bjork - An Echo, A Stain</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">11\. Telefon Tel Aviv - What it was Will Never Again</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">12\. Max Richter - Vladimir's Blues</div>
<div id="_mcePaste">13\. Sigur Ros - Hoppipollo</div>
If you liked this mix and havent heard my other ones then you can grab those here: [https://www.mikecann.blog/misc/sound-cloud-previous-mixes/](https://www.mikecann.blog/misc/sound-cloud-previous-mixes/)

Had this little idea a while back, thought I would spend an hour tonight and bash it out.



I love the [Trance Around The World radio show by Above and Beyond](https://www.trancearoundtheworld.com/), downloading  it for listening later is very annoying however and involves some fiddling with browser source and other things, so to make life easier I built this little tool. What it does is grab the HTML from the above and beyond page then parse it for the MP3 file, then it uses the FileReference class in flash to download it to your HD.

Anyways, enough jibber jabber. Source is enabled:

[airbadge]TATW Downloader,https://www.mikecann.blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/TATWDownloaderAir.air,1,/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ScreenHunter_01-Mar.-04-23.45.gif[/airbadge]

Hope you enjoy!

Been messing about with [Sound Cloud](https://soundcloud.com/mike-cann) recently, just seeing what all the audio related fuss is about and I must say its quite good. I have uploaded some of my mixes up there (not all of them as there is a size restriction on the number of uploads). I have also gone back and edited some of my old posts as the links to my old mixes no longer worked (thanks for [Richard Davey](https://www.photonstorm.com/) for spotting that one.



Anyways, here are all my mixes done (Tracklistings can be found in the post):

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fharmonics-part-1%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fharmonics-part-2%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fharmonics-part-3%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Ffuture-harmonics%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fintelligence%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-chilltrip%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-blue-noise%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-second-harmonic%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-second-life%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-interlude%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-argon%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-iridium%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fartificial-argon-isotope%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

<iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fmikeysee%2Fcoalescent%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe>

Absolutely love the album, love the song and just discovered that I love the video, so have to post it really. Its Parks On Fire by Trifonic from the Album Emergence. Enjoy.



<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P4R1nl_UbSk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"  allowfullscreen></iframe>