A Desk Status Display for Cline: Show Verified Project Facts
Desk Terminal costs $79. It is a working miniature computer with a small colour screen and a case inspired by a 1984 all-in-one. It might show a compact project summary beside Cline. Operating system, power, network, browser, shell and display inputs are unconfirmed, so no feed method is promised.
What is worth showing on a desk screen during Cline runs?
Prefer sourced facts: a local repository alias, branch, dirty state, last test result and timestamp. Avoid prompts, full paths, diffs, credentials, cost guesses and “agent mood.” Cline's current request remains richer than any tiny status line.
Every result needs an age. A code edit immediately makes an earlier green test stale.
How do you get task state out of the editor onto the display?
Do not scrape Cline's webview, pixels or notification text. A separate wrapper can record the real exit status of a build or test, while Git supplies branch and cleanliness. That still needs a supported receiver and transport on this device.
Do not assume SSH, HDMI, Wi-Fi or browser support. Build the view in a small local window first.
Does it replace keeping the Cline panel visible?
No. A secondary display cannot show the full proposed command, file edit, Auto Approve category or checkpoint options. Cline's interface is the authority for permission and review. The small screen may only reduce window switching for independent project facts.
Keep approvals and recovery on the primary computer. Never execute a command because the display looks stale.
Is a 1984-styled screen a toy or a tool here?
It can be both. Aesthetic enjoyment is honest value, while utility requires readable information, a maintained software path and acceptable desk cost. Another computer also brings updates, power and security boundaries.
Test stale-state behavior by editing after a successful test, changing branches, interrupting the wrapper and disconnecting the receiver. Each should become unknown or outdated. Redact paths, avoid inbound ports and ensure display failure never changes the actual command's exit. The Desk Terminal becomes a Cline companion only after its real interface supports an already-useful prototype. Give concurrent workspaces unique local aliases and reject late results that belong to another run. The display should show source and age together, not just colour. If the device requires a cloud relay or account, document the data boundary before connecting any repository. A local software mock that already fails to earn attention is evidence to avoid the hardware project.