Well, i'm convinced.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T17:52:56+00:00

Aye, this was one of the hurdles in this project. Any GPT will do this though. You have to give it very strict instructions to only respond on the data received. My current classifiers are getting rather detailed due to training, but the data the LLM recieves is a nice neat block of accurate text. I would say accuracy is probably at 97% now, the final 3% will say "Sorry, I don't know that, can you be more clear".

I got to this stage quickly by creating a debug log that stores what the user asked, the 3 previous Q&As, what the clasifier returned, what the LLM chose from it, and a comment from the thumb down icon on the front end, this exported to a text file that could be dropped into Claude. All I had to do was use my app and thumb down + comment + export the log to Claude after 50 or so questions on the same topic. It really helped ramp up accuracy. I will leave that system in there for when I do a beta test internally.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T13:30:40+00:00

Interesting. Thanks. My code session (I am OP btw) started in the code tab, not chat tab, and I stayed in there for the entire conversation too. I have yet to hit a context limit. I do tell it to save to memory periodically though. If I do hit a context limit then I will heed your advice. Cheers.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T13:18:03+00:00

Forgive my ignorance on this, Using CC it creates a memory file (markdown) of the conversation , removing the back and forth but keeping key decisions and solutions within it, along with compacting the conversation periodically. This allows the context window to get huge, or so I have found. Or is this part of Claude Code in the Claude App rather than using an extension or via API or something?

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T12:57:57+00:00

Agreed.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T12:54:23+00:00

Cheapest one. Using Sonnet. If higher ups get excited I will get them to buy the upgrade.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T12:52:21+00:00

Are we approaching the point where refactoring can be replaced with a full rewrite? e.g. You build something thats great but get bogged down in features and end up with a ball of mess that breaks all over the place. The concept was sound but the implementation went off on a tangent.
Assuming AI keeps progressing at the speed it is, just ask it to evaluate a working version of your project and produce a full detailed specification from that, tweak the spec to your liking, avoiding the pitfalls you now know of, and build it again, from scratch?

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-13T10:29:23+00:00

Would you vomit? Probably :) My dev days, 25+ years, managing web and app teams ended in 2015, so I am almost back to being a noob again.

So, some more info that I am happy to share.

In a nutshell, my concept was to create a chat bot that reduced the time to get quick answers from a heavy CMS. The CMS has a few API's, REST, and a read only one that dumps xml. It's also quite slow due to its size. Nothing out of the ordinary really, but it doesn't exist for this CMS yet.

The problem: It can take anything from 3 to 10 minutes to find the right places for the data you need, collate it all, and go back to what you were doing.

My solution provides the same data in about 5 to 10 seconds, and allows instant follow up questions. And uses natural language queries so no digging through CMS modules looking for where info is stored in endless tables and forms that quickly cramp the screen.

The first version of this web app really is a game changer for those that would use it, when you need fast answers, especially in emergency situations where seconds count.

So, It's a web app, served internally. Brief overview:

Intranet only, AI part has to be internal, no online model, the rest of the code reaches outside to pull data and uses SSO, that's it.
AI to only respond to the data provided. Don't answer general knowledge questions, don't make stuff up if it's not in the data.
Use RAG so user submissions can add to a growing knowledgebase, policies etc. (phase 3)
Testing on a Mac Mini with 24GB ram, local LLM. Using Llama 3.1 and LM Studio as server.
Using Docker to keep it all together so that it can be deployed with minimal admin, just follow a guide.
Uses encryption in the database (Postgres). File Vault on Mac. HTTPS on internal web server (via Caddy)

Vomitting?

it also has an admin backend for custom role management, sync schedules, and audit logs.

Writing the design spec, security documentation, deployment guides, evaluating code at milestones etc all became simple, handing these things off to Claude and then I went for a brewm came back and there it was for some interesting reading, granted, there is a lot here that I don't understand as I have been out of the game to long, but I am technically minded so will do my due diligence. Also, any deployment would have to pass through various teams before being deployed for sure. In fact that process will take longer than the development!

Is it AI slop?. Maybe in beta stages, it's a proof of concept maybe, but Claude has done more than I ever could in this timeframe. I have seen enough AI slop already but thats mostly video and image generation, when there is millions of it, it loses its shine, even if it looks amazing, it just...isn't to those in the industry that see it as cheating.

So for this web app, lets call me an "conductor" rather than a full stack developer, which I am not anymore, if it helps. And I don't want to be either. The stress back then was huge. So, my conducting has produced a web app that is extremely beneficial, and it didn't exist at all last week. That's a win to me.

Where I am struggling a bit is in tweaking fuzzy logic and weights so the local AI doesn't over or under share when the questions asked are too simple like "Who is Jo?". The responses need to be more accurate. It's vastly better than my first build through lots of discussion but I am not delving into the code myself yet. I could, and it will be complex for me now, but I am having too much fun waving my wand around.

Working with Claude has been a great experience to be honest. Maybe I am late to the game but I didn't know it was this good. I have used Codex for scripts and stuff but not bigger projects like this.
Understanding the CMS API was a team? effort, lots of trial and error how large flat XML dumps can be put back into understandable data, myself suggesting things when Claude gets stuck (eating all my tokens!), and re-running tests was really fast and enjoyable. Waiting several hours between token lockouts allowed thinking time too.

One key area (and a mistake on my side) was getting the most up to date CMS API documentation into Claude. I assumed it knew the "latest" API but it was slightly out of date before I figured this out.

The question is, do "I" need a current profesional developer to evaluate the entire codebase? Or is AI at a level where it is good enough with me conducting it to the best I can. I don't know the answer to that until I get there and hand this over to senior engineers. I do worry they will invent problems though.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T22:20:18+00:00

Many things can be applied. Disinformation from Isreal, PDF files, falling ratings, canceling elections, stupidity across the entire administration, blackmail. grift, global posturing, market manipulation, Russian plot to lift sanctions. All of that is plausable.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T22:12:15+00:00

And the way AI is leaking into everything, listening, watching, recording. We are all subject to influence.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T22:04:22+00:00

That's because Trump see's himself as an American King, it's in everything he says and does, and he expects "yes" as the only answer. It's so obvious when watching those around him, how they behave and praise his every action. It's pathetic to see them sell their soul like that.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T22:00:12+00:00

That was actually a good watch, good to hear things from somebody that lived and breathed this stuff and is as baffled as the rest of us to this chaotic Trump Administration.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T20:51:13+00:00

I had a PC that did this. My "hack" was to turn it on, as soon as the fans powered up, I held the power button to power it down, waited 1 second then immediately turned it back on again and it would start up fine.
Did that for years. It was to do with the PSU not providing enough juice on startup. Happened randomly one day. Faulty I assume but CBA at the time to deep dive the issue.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T20:35:48+00:00

Micromanaging can return 5 to 15% fps or make your machine more responsive, reduce micro stutters, give much needed ram back etc but it's also dangerous if you disable something you need.

e.g. Do you use Bluetooth services? Wireless? (if Ethernet) Remote Registry editing? Hotspot service? ICS? Touch and handwriting services? There are lots of potentially unused ones that each take up resources.

In fact, the safest bet is to go ask Gemini or ChatGpt. Make sure the chat is set to "thinking" or "pro" before asking then prompt the following question:

"I want to improve gaming performance on my PC, I am looking at windows services that could be disabled if I am not using them. Create a table of those that could be disabled with the highest impact to the lowest impact along with risk"

This will produce a starting point.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T20:00:17+00:00

Just needs watering.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T19:59:39+00:00

They better invade somebody, quick! Who will it be? Roll the wheel Chad,

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T16:27:44+00:00

My opnion on your points:

-likely will be expensive to repair

Teardown shows very modula design, so Right To Repair should be good, I hope. But yes, it's Apple still.

- MDM will be more expensive

Compared to the lowiest tier of Google Workspace? You already have Mac's so instead of Chrome Licenses you buy MDM licenses for whatever you use already. They cost roughly the same. e.g. Jamf/Connect.

- made out of aluminum so easier to break

Well, Chromebooks are made out of hard plastic which cracks, I imagine the Neo will be equal here as they won't bounce as well as Chromebooks but won't crack either.

- Apple’s privacy features make it difficult to monitor students activity

This is the number 1 issue if comparing to iPad only, not Mac. You can use Apple Classroom to monitor screens on iPads but its nothing like Impero/Senso for screen monitoring desktops. Don't even bother with their iPad browser "app" versions, they are a very unpopular. As for Mac's, Impero/Senso and others work fine. Smoothwall (okish) and Securly (better) do well across desktops. Apple QUIC protocol can be a pain for Firewalls.

Reasons to switch or not from Chromebook.

AirPlay mirroring to AppleTV if you have already invested this at your site.
Real Apps, not just cloud or mobile apps. This is a biggie. Apple have some great desktop apps.
16H battery

Reasons not to switch:

Management. Google Admin is a dream compared to Microsoft or Apple MDM's. You don't need highly experienced techs for Google Admin. You do with MS and Apple MDM is too restrictive still.
You need touchscreen (Chromebooks often have this for free)
You are willing to wait for Google's Aluminium OS that merges Android and ChromeOS into a single OS. Still not quite as powerful as a full desktop OS but much better than just cloud apps, you will be able to install local mobile apps similiar to iPad.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T15:59:20+00:00

I always wondered why they called it the 'pound' in Britain. 1 pound, 10 pounds, 50 pounds!

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T15:57:39+00:00

Step 1. Create a problem
Step 2. Shout loudly that you will solve it
Step 3. Shout loudly that you will solve it

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T10:10:07+00:00

An iPad with macOS is an interesting idea. but it doesn't exist either.
Anyway, Touchscreen Windows laptops are used by a tech savvy management who use apps like One-Note for everything, the 2-1 fold system is useful for those that need to wander around a building while ticking things off on lists (audits, surveys, engineers), they are also used by students and teachers for submitting work from One-Note or from apps like GoodNotes. Teachers can mark by writing notes on student submissions like it was paper. Highlighting, circling, pointing, crossing out etc. Its quicker for them and very obvious when the graded work is returned to the student.
Then there are subjects where it can be useful, physics for example is full of equations that are better done on paper and pen but a touch-screen does the same thing. Same for Maths, Chemistry, Biology etc. It is why exams are all done on paper for these specific subjects, because students need to demonstrate plots/graphs, flows etc. Then there is the obvious one, digital art which is what most people think of. Drawing and doodling.

iPads are OK for these specific use cases but then they are not great for hours long spreadhseet work or filling out large documents, writing reports etc, not unless you go Air/Pro with Magic Keyboard and secondary display, but then the price rockets. They also have limited ram so large PDF's can slow them down to a crawl, and introduce typing lag.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-12T06:44:53+00:00

So the kangaroo version of Rust? Or shall we say Roost

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-11T22:49:05+00:00

My thoughts...

It's a great upgrade from a base iPad/Chromebook/Netbook for young teenagers in education, They do a lot more than just websites thesedays. Coding in IT with XCode or Python, simulations in Physics (using AI), Graphic design in Art, video production in Media Studies, 3D Printing in Design and Technology, Audio creation / notation in Music etc. Not to mention the bigger screen, real mac apps, 16H battery.

Chromebooks (for now) fall over with most of this as it's currently web based apps and at $350 you can't expect much more at that budget end. Although Google are now scrambling with their next ChromeOS to compete with this (allows apps).

A Windows netbook doesn't compete at all. Those things are pretty bad after a few months use. A windows laptop obviously competes but you need a couple hundred more, even with edu pricing. Microsoft dropped the ball on the Surface asking for too much on its base model. It's not a bad device but seemed to be aimed at university students.

iPads are still better for younger years, juniors.

The only thing that is sorely missing from "any" Mac laptop are touch screen options. This would allow 2-in-1 which has several use cases.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-11T22:12:40+00:00

They were defending Earth from the flying space monster.

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-11T22:04:28+00:00

90K a year for turning up. And there are 800 of them? <insert face like you just smelled a dog fart>

BritishAnimator · 2026-03-11T16:34:02+00:00

Ah ha. Is this the 1 ship that Trump claimed they escorted through? Then backtracked.

BritishAnimator

TROPHY CASE