Mr.D Journal / Product notes

Notes from
the products.

Stories behind the apps—why they exist, the decisions that shaped them, and what we learned while building them.

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The archive

All notes, newest first.

01 Sep 09, 2026 I scanned an AWS account with 4 open-source FinOps tools. Here's what each one missed. Infracost, Komiser, Cloud Custodian and OpenCost, run against the same account. Each found something the others could not see, and all four shared the same blind spots. Cloud cost · 6 min 02 Sep 02, 2026 Why AI gets regulatory affairs wrong when you remove the source documents Language models are excellent at sounding like a regulation and unreliable at being one. Here is what goes wrong when the primary source is out of the loop, and how to keep it in. Domain intelligence · 5 min 03 Aug 26, 2026 How I audit an AWS account with Prowler, ScoutSuite and Steampipe A practical walkthrough of the three open-source tools I reach for when someone hands me an unfamiliar AWS account and asks "is this okay?" Cloud security · 5 min 04 Aug 16, 2026 Cloud Siege: Learn Cloud Security by Playing Both Sides Cloud Siege turns cloud security into a six-round Red vs Blue card game. Play solo, take the field training, or duel a friend—and learn why layered defence actually works. Security learning · 4 min 05 Jul 24, 2026 Why domain expertise belongs in the product loop AI can accelerate regulated work, but useful software begins when domain specialists shape the product itself. Product practice · 2 min 06 Jul 22, 2026 ScanComb and WardBee: evidence for cloud compliance in the age of vibe coding WardBee by ScanComb checks cloud and repository evidence against framework controls, exposes gaps, and prepares compliance reviews with human sign-off. Cloud security · 3 min 07 Jul 21, 2026 What RafiHive is for, and who actually needs it RafiHive supports EU pharma regulatory research, Module 1 gap checks, and packaging and labelling reviews with cited sources and qualified human oversight. Domain intelligence · 3 min 08 Jul 20, 2026 How HandyHive started, and the problem we kept running into Finding trustworthy local help still means digging through disconnected listings. HandyHive started as our own frustration and turned into a product. Product practice · 3 min

What we write about

Ideas worth carrying into the next product.

01Product stories

Where each app started and the problem behind it.

02Product decisions

The choices and trade-offs that shaped the software.

03Domain expertise

Why specialist knowledge belongs inside the product loop.

04Building in public

Lessons from turning focused ideas into useful products.

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