diff --git a/crates/applications/buffer_proto5/src/main.rs b/crates/applications/buffer_proto5/src/main.rs
index cd53344..60700db 100644
--- a/crates/applications/buffer_proto5/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/applications/buffer_proto5/src/main.rs
@@ -3,13 +3,12 @@
 //! search for the conditions which maximize energy transfer from the one core to the other.
 
 use coremem::{Driver, mat, meas, SpirvDriver};
-use coremem::geom::{region, Cube, Dilate, Memoize, Meters, Region, Spiral, SwapYZ, Torus, Translate, Wrap};
+use coremem::geom::{region, Cube, Dilate, Memoize, Meters, Spiral, SwapYZ, Torus, Translate, Wrap};
 use coremem::mat::{Ferroxcube3R1MH, IsoConductorOr};
 use coremem::real::{R32, Real as _};
 use coremem::render::CsvRenderer;
 use coremem::stim::{CurlStimulus, Exp1, Gated, Sinusoid1, TimeVarying as _};
-use coremem::sim::units::{Seconds, Frame, Time as _};
-use coremem::sim::spirv;
+use coremem::sim::units::{Seconds, Time as _};
 use coremem::util::cache::DiskCache;
 use log::{error, info, warn};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -151,24 +150,43 @@ struct Geometries {
     wrap2_len: f32,
 }
 
+/// computed measurements which get written to disk for later, manual (or grep-based) analysis.
+/// because we only write these (except for the Debug impl reading them to write to disk),
+/// rustc thinks all the fields are dead.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default)]
 struct Results {
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     m1_peak: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     m2_peak: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     m1_stable: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     m2_stable: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     h1_peak: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     h2_max: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     h2_min: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     h1_stable: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     h2_stable: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     iset_min: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     iset_max: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     icoupling_peak: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     peak_m_ratio: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     stable_m_ratio: f32,
     /// m2_stable divided by m1_peak. i.e. "amplification"
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     m2_stable_m1_peak: f32,
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
     t: f32,
 }
 
@@ -428,8 +446,9 @@ fn run_sim(id: u32, p: Params, g: Geometries) -> Results {
         ));
     };
 
-    let add_drive_step = |driver: &mut SpirvDriver<Mat>, region: &Torus, start: f32, amp: f32| {
-        add_drive_square_pulse(driver, region, start, 1.0, amp);
+    // step function: "permanently" increase the current by `amp`.
+    let _add_drive_step = |driver: &mut SpirvDriver<Mat>, region: &Torus, start: f32, amp: f32| {
+        add_drive_square_pulse(driver, region, start, 1.0 /* effectively infinite duration */, amp);
     };
 
     let add_drive_pulse = |ty: PulseType, driver: &mut SpirvDriver<Mat>, region: &Torus, start: f32, duration: f32, amp: f32| {
diff --git a/crates/applications/multi_core_inverter/src/main.rs b/crates/applications/multi_core_inverter/src/main.rs
index ec4da24..66effe7 100644
--- a/crates/applications/multi_core_inverter/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/applications/multi_core_inverter/src/main.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 use coremem::geom::{Meters, Torus};
 use coremem::sim::units::Seconds;
 use coremem::mat::{Ferroxcube3R1MH, IsoConductorOr, IsomorphicConductor};
-use coremem::spirv;
 use coremem::{Driver, SpirvDriver};
 
 type Mat = IsoConductorOr<f32, Ferroxcube3R1MH>;
diff --git a/crates/applications/sr_latch/src/main.rs b/crates/applications/sr_latch/src/main.rs
index 1916a86..09161c6 100644
--- a/crates/applications/sr_latch/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/applications/sr_latch/src/main.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 use coremem::{Driver, mat, meas, SpirvDriver};
 use coremem::geom::{Meters, Torus};
-use coremem::sim::spirv;
 use coremem::sim::units::Seconds;
 use coremem::stim::{CurlStimulus, Sinusoid1, TimeVarying as _};