As Above, So Below...

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Now here's a thing: I've been playing with Claude AI over the last couple of days, and have got it to try and approximate a browser-based version of HyperCard [cf. blog posts passim: 'Retro But Nice', 'This Is The Modern World', 'Hyperactive', 'Zettelkasten', and 'Wrong - In A Good Way'.] - a pretty meta [not the company] kind of exercise, which I like for its somewhat tautologous nature. I don't have a combination of machine/operating system/HyperCard version that would enable me to tinker with what was one of my favourite software environments any more, so I've decided to use Claude AI to help me recreate - within the limitations of a browser - something that approximates the original UX; and maybe take the thing forward a step or two.

Certainly, I have always had a hankering to use HyperCard again, and for its original purpose: a personal filing and data assistant, customisable by the user themselves. So far, Claude AI's results are impressive, but nevertheless the ongoing process will be iterative and collaborative: on completion of each version produced - it literally took no more than thirty seconds to knock up the relatively crude first past the post output - I will have to guide the AI in implementing and improving its outputs in much the same way that a software architect/supervisor would work with human coders; gradually refining code, debugging, and implementing new features. As I no longer have programmers to work with, and no commercial need to fulfil or even any wish for one, only curiosity for curiosity's sake, this strikes me as an ideal situation that sort of replicates my world of thirty years ago, but for free.

The bottom line here is that the code that the AI can come up with in thirty seconds would take me months, if not years to achieve personally, guiding a team of people, if I could even still do it, which is very moot. What I can bring to the process however, is an architectural overview and a knowledge of the environment: in other words, I know what I want the AI to produce, I know when something is wrong,  and I know what questions and requests to pose it. That's the human component in the process right there. The AI is the spanner: I'll be the engineer...


Comments

  1. Anonymous8 August 2025 at 11:27

    Claude is FREE?
    ATB
    Joe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sideways8 August 2025 at 13:24

      There's a free, limited version and two further levels of subscription...

      Delete

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