diff --git a/README.org b/README.org
index 2ee2118..13dcb54 100644
--- a/README.org
+++ b/README.org
@@ -39,3 +39,27 @@
 
     desktop installs the heavier and GUI things that I'd want on a
     desktop (or realistically, a laptop).
+
+*** development
+
+    This installs a baseline of development tools; it also has
+    variables to control what else gets installed:
+
+    + dev_full installs everything
+    + dev_virt installs virtualisation stuff, including docker
+    + dev_embedded installs various embedded toolchains.
+
+*** dotfiles
+
+    Ye olde dotfiles, managed in Ansible. Was this a mistake? Nothing
+    I do is a mistake.
+
+*** heavy
+
+    This is where stuff that takes a while to install goes. It's all
+    desktop stuff, so it really only makes sense with the ~desktop~
+    role.
+
+*** tailscale
+
+    Almost everything is going to get this; it installs tailscale.
diff --git a/roles/development/tasks/main.yml b/roles/development/tasks/main.yml
index 1dc5c92..1dcd564 100644
--- a/roles/development/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/development/tasks/main.yml
@@ -61,16 +61,19 @@
 
 ## virtualization and containerization
 - name: ensure repository key is installed
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt_key:
     url: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg
     state: present
 
 - name: ensure docker registry is available
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt_repository: repo='deb https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu bionic stable' state=present
 
 - name: rootfs building tools
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   ansible.builtin.apt: name={{ item }} state=present
   become: true
   with_items:
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@
     - syslinux-utils
 
 - name: install container and virtualisation management
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt: name={{ item }} state=present
   with_items:
@@ -114,18 +118,21 @@
   notify: "restart docker service"
 
 - name: Ensure kvm group exists
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.group:
     name: kvm
     state: present
 
 - name: Ensure docker group exists
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.group:
     name: docker
     state: present
 
 - name: add laptop user {{ laptop_user }} to docker group
+  when: dev_virt | dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.user:
     name: "{{ laptop_user }}"
@@ -135,6 +142,7 @@
 
 ## embedded dev stuff
 - name: installed embedded dev tools
+  when: dev_embedded | dev_full
   ansible.builtin.apt: name={{ item }} state=present
   become: true
   with_items:
@@ -168,6 +176,7 @@
 
 ## vscode
 - name: add VS Code repo key
+  when: dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt_key:
     url: https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc
@@ -175,6 +184,7 @@
     validate_certs: yes
 
 - name: add VS Code repo
+  when: dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt_repository:
     repo: deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main
@@ -182,18 +192,20 @@
     validate_certs: yes
 
 - name: install VS Code
+  when: dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt: name=code state=present
 
 ## rust
 
 - name: check if cargo is installed
+  when: dev_full
   shell: command -v cargo
   register: cargo_exists
   ignore_errors: yes
 
 - name: Download Installer
-  when: cargo_exists is failed
+  when: dev_full and cargo_exists is failed
   get_url:
     url: https://sh.rustup.rs
     dest: /tmp/sh.rustup.rs
@@ -201,13 +213,14 @@
     force: 'yes'
 
 - name: install rust/cargo
-  when: cargo_exists is failed
+  when: dev_full and cargo_exists is failed
   shell: /tmp/sh.rustup.rs -y
 
 
 ## AI/ML stuff
 
 - name: install machine learning and AI tools
+  when: dev_full
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.apt:
     name: "{{item}}"
@@ -216,6 +229,7 @@
     - jupyter-notebook
 
 - name: install machine learning and AI python packages
+  when: dev_full
   ansible.builtin.pip:
     executable: pip3
     name: "{{item}}"
diff --git a/site.yml b/site.yml
index d312d78..08f6077 100644
--- a/site.yml
+++ b/site.yml
@@ -2,18 +2,22 @@
   roles:
     - base
     - dotfiles
+    - desktop
     - development
     - tailscale
     - heavy
   vars:
     laptop_user: kyle
+    dev_full: true
 
 - hosts: work-laptop
   roles:
     - base
     - dotfiles
+    - desktop
     - development
     - tailscale
     - heavy
   vars:
     laptop_user: k.isom
+    dev_virt: true