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What is Gott Code?
Gott Code is the personal software site of Graeme Gott, an open-source programmer and long-time Linux user. It collects the desktop programs he develops and maintains, with download links and release notes. The projects are small, focused utilities rather than one integrated suite, and they are especially relevant to Linux users who want lightweight tools without a large application framework.
What you find there
- Writing and time tools: FocusWriter is a distraction-free word processor; Kapow Punch Clock tracks time spent on projects; NovProg graphs word counts.
- Puzzle and casual games: Connectagram, Tanglet, Simsu, Hexalate, Peg-E, Gottet, CuteMaze and Tetzle each offer a different puzzle style.
- Desktop integration: Whisker Menu is an alternative menu for the Xfce desktop environment.
The site also lists recent releases; for example, several programs were updated on the same day, which suggests Gott maintains them as a group rather than leaving older ones behind.
Who it suits
The clearest audience is a Linux desktop user who prefers separate, modest programs over heavyweight suites. A writer could use FocusWriter for drafting, Kapow Punch Clock for tracking sessions and NovProg for charting daily output, without installing an office suite. Someone on Xfce may know the site mainly through Whisker Menu. Puzzle players get a set of standalone games rather than a single launcher.
A practical next step
Start from the program that matches your main task, not from the whole catalogue. If writing is the goal, read the FocusWriter release notes and try it on your own desktop first; if you use Xfce, check Whisker Menu's compatibility with your version before replacing the default menu. Because the projects are independent, you can adopt one without committing to the rest.
Which Gott Code program should I use for distraction-free writing?
Use FocusWriter, the distraction-free word processor listed on Gott Code. It is the only writing-focused tool in the catalog; the rest are games, timers and utilities. The site's developer, Graeme Gott, is even known there as "The FocusWriter Guy."
Why it fits
- Purpose-built: FocusWriter is described as a distraction-free word processor, so it targets writing sessions rather than note-taking or project management.
- Actively maintained: The Latest News shows FocusWriter 1.9.1 released on July 23, 2026, alongside updates to the other projects.
- Simple starting point: If you write drafts, journal entries or long-form text and want fewer on-screen interruptions, it is the direct choice.
When another Gott Code tool is the better fit
| Need | Tool |
|---|---|
| Track time spent on writing projects | Kapow Punch Clock |
| Graph word-count progress over time | NovProg |
| Play a word game between sessions | Tanglet or Connectagram |
Practical next step
Start with FocusWriter for your next writing session and judge it on one criterion: whether you finish a draft with fewer interruptions than in your usual editor. If you also want to measure progress, pair it with NovProg for word-count graphs or Kapow Punch Clock for time tracking, both available from the same site.
How do I track time spent on projects with Kapow Punch Clock?
Kapow Punch Clock is described on Gott Code as a tool to "keep track of time spent on projects." The site lists it alongside the developer's other desktop utilities, including FocusWriter and Whisker Menu, and notes a Kapow Punch Clock 1.7.1 release. That listing confirms the tool's purpose but not its exact workflow, so treat the steps below as general punch-clock practice rather than a walkthrough of Kapow's specific screens.
A practical way to use a project punch clock
- Create one entry per project before you start working, using names you will recognize later (for example, "Client A — website copy" rather than "misc").
- Punch in when you actually begin a task, and punch out when you stop or switch. The value of a punch clock comes from the boundaries, not from leaving a timer running all day.
- Switch between projects as you go rather than reconstructing the day from memory in the evening.
- Review the totals weekly. Compare hours per project against what you quoted or planned, and adjust estimates next time.
Who benefits most
Freelancers billing by the hour, students juggling several assignments, and anyone who suspects that one "quick" project is quietly absorbing most of the week. If you only need a rough sense of where time goes, a simple start/stop timer is enough; a punch-clock model helps more when you need a defensible record per project.
Trade-offs to weigh
- Manual punching is only as good as your discipline. Forget to switch entries and your totals drift.
- Granularity costs effort. Tracking every small task gives detail but adds friction; tracking by project keeps overhead low.
- It measures time, not output. Pair the totals with a short note on what was finished so the numbers mean something.
Next step
If your main need is writing time specifically, the same developer's FocusWriter is a distraction-free word processor, while Kapow is the project-time tracker. Start by listing the three to five projects you genuinely need totals for, create those entries, and run the clock for one week before deciding whether you need finer categories.
Can I install these Gott Code applications on Linux, and how?
Yes. Gott Code's applications are presented as open-source projects developed by Graeme Gott, an avowed Linux user, so Linux is the natural target. The page itself lists the programs and their release news but does not spell out installation steps, so the method below is general advice rather than instructions copied from the site.
What's on offer
The catalog splits into two practical groups:
- Writing and productivity: FocusWriter (distraction-free word processor), Kapow Punch Clock (project time tracking), NovProg (word-count graphing).
- Games and puzzles: Connectagram, CuteMaze, Gottet, Hexalate, Peg-E, Simsu, Tanglet, Tetzle.
- Desktop utility: Whisker Menu, an alternate Xfce application menu.
All of these are small, single-purpose tools, which is why they tend to install cleanly and run on modest hardware.
Ways to install
| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution package manager | Most desktop users | Version may lag behind the latest release |
Distribution-specific package (e.g., .deb) |
Debian/Ubuntu users wanting a current build | Manual updates |
| Building from source | Users on unusual distros or wanting the newest code | Requires compiler and library dependencies |
For most people, check your distro's software center or package manager first — search for the application name. If you need the newest version, the project pages typically provide downloads and build notes. FocusWriter in particular is widely packaged, so a search in your package manager is the quickest route.
A concrete scenario
Suppose you want FocusWriter for drafting and Kapow Punch Clock to log hours on a freelance project. Start with your package manager for both; if FocusWriter's version is old and you rely on a recent feature, install the packaged build from the project page instead. For the games, the package manager is almost always sufficient since they change slowly.
As a next step, open the individual project page for the app you want and look for its download or installation section, which will name the exact dependencies for your distribution.
What puzzle games does Gott Code offer for Linux?
Gott Code offers several small puzzle and logic games for Linux, all developed by Graeme Gott as open-source projects: Connectagram (unscramble words arranged in patterns), CuteMaze (find targets in a maze), Gottet (clear falling blocks), Hexalate (spin circles to match colors), Peg-E (jump pegs to eliminate them), Simsu (fill in numbers to solve puzzles, i.e. a Sudoku-style game), Tanglet (find words in jumbled letters), and Tetzle (a jigsaw puzzle using tetromino pieces).
Quick comparison
| Game | What you actually do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Connectagram | Unscramble words placed in patterns | Word-puzzle fans who like spatial layouts |
| Tanglet | Find words in jumbled letters | Boggle-style word hunting |
| Simsu | Fill in numbers to solve puzzles | Classic logic/Sudoku players |
| Hexalate | Spin circles to match colors | Relaxed color-matching |
| Peg-E | Jump pegs to eliminate them | Short solitaire-style sessions |
| Gottet | Clear the board of falling blocks | Tetris-like reflex play |
| CuteMaze | Find targets in a maze | Casual exploration |
| Tetzle | Jigsaw puzzle with tetromino pieces | Piece-fitting puzzles |
A practical way to choose: if you want thinking puzzles with no time pressure, start with Simsu, Connectagram or Tanglet; if you want quick reflex or spatial play, Gottet, Peg-E or Hexalate fit better. Since these are separate small programs rather than one bundle, pick the one matching the puzzle type you already enjoy rather than installing everything at once.
How do I update Gott Code programs to the latest version?
First check which program you have and how it was installed, because Gott Code's page lists releases but does not itself provide an in-app updater. The site's Latest News section records current version numbers for each project, so you can compare those against your installed version before deciding what to do.
Identify the program and version
The projects listed on Gott Code include FocusWriter (the distraction-free word processor), Kapow Punch Clock, NovProg, Whisker Menu, and the puzzle games Connectagram, CuteMaze, Gottet, Hexalate, Peg-E, Simsu, Tanglet and Tetzle. Note the program name and its installed version first; the News entries pair each name with a version number, which gives you a simple reference point.
Match the update route to your install method
| How you installed it | Practical update route |
|---|---|
| Distribution package (e.g., a Linux distro repository) | Use your package manager's normal upgrade command; the version available depends on your distribution's release cycle, so it may lag behind the newest listed release. |
| Downloaded package or build from the project page | Return to the program's own page on Gott Code, download the newest release, and replace the old installation following that program's instructions. |
| Built from source | Fetch the latest source and rebuild, keeping any personal settings files aside first. |
A concrete next step
Suppose you use FocusWriter and the News section shows a newer release than yours. If it came from your distribution, run your usual system update and check the version afterward; if it did not change, your distro has not packaged the new release yet, and you can either wait or install from the project page instead. Before replacing anything, back up preferences and documents, since settings formats can change between versions.
As general advice rather than a claim about these programs: update one application at a time and confirm it launches correctly before moving to the next, so any problem is easy to trace. For users who rely on Whisker Menu as part of their desktop, it is also worth checking whether your distribution expects that component to be updated through the system rather than manually.
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