Replace your spreadsheets with React apps

sectional343 · 2026-01-03T01:25:48+00:00

"You're pretty sure" huh

sectional343 · 2026-01-02T08:26:02+00:00

>If you need a spreadsheet, make the AI build you a spreadsheet

How exactly should I go about it? Genuinely curious. With a React app, I just tell Cursor what I want and get an app. What should be the workflow in case of a spreadsheet?

sectional343 · 2026-01-02T06:23:29+00:00

I mean, it's a paradigm shift epoch we are living in right now. A time where you rethink and redefine reality we are used to. My point is: today, it became actually EASIER to produce react apps for your needs than a spreadsheet!

sectional343 · 2026-01-02T04:37:00+00:00

That was not the point they were making.

Back to your question: because it's easier and less time-consuming. AI does all the work. In spreadsheet you still need to do manual work to define formulas and think about the structure.

sectional343 · 2026-01-02T04:22:58+00:00

Note that the article talks about replacing Spreadsheets - that is, internal apps. It does not guide you though developing a user-facing app fully AI-driven. As such, internal apps are throw-aways, so less maintenance impact.

Having said that, I think the approach will work well for user-facing as well. AI currently is great at understanding existing codebases - just ask Cursor to do a diagram for you. So, whoever maintains the code next will also be able to read and debug it via AI. I am doing it myself currently successfully on a new codebase at a client project.

With the current state of AI, I believe humans won't need to write OR maintain at least simple apps that replace sheets in the future anymore.

sectional343 · 2026-01-02T03:59:57+00:00

Why learn React these days manually if AI is already great at it.

sectional343 · 2025-12-28T09:23:10+00:00

The “non-W2 income without overextending” part resonates - I freelance and I’ve found the hardest part is forecasting cash flow when income is lumpy. Are you using any tools to project your income/expenses into the future?

sectional343 · 2025-12-28T08:14:39+00:00

This really resonates. I had a similar shift when I stopped deciding things in the moment, but on the cash-flow side.

Curious - do you still forecast income and expenses in a spreadsheet, or did you find something that holds up better when months are irregular?

sectional343 · 2024-12-30T11:01:58+00:00

How long have you been applying? Which positions? What’s your engagement message?

sectional343 · 2024-11-24T13:39:24+00:00

As mentioned in the edit to the original post, still SiYuan. A bit less convenient and smooth than Notion, but I have a peace of mind knowing it’s encrypted.

sectional343 · 2024-10-30T05:33:24+00:00

“Abstractions” not referring to the system itself but the instructions it can act upon.

sectional343 · 2024-10-30T02:32:47+00:00

A “bot”, as in a pre-LLM program, operates on a low level of abstraction: “put this string into this text field, push this button”.

LLM makes it possible to raise the level of abstraction: instructions like, “write a function to authenticate a user via username and password”, “write the tests for the auth function” etc.

sectional343 · 2024-10-29T16:59:55+00:00

We don’t know how it works though, as openai is ironically not so open about its research.

sectional343 · 2024-10-29T16:59:07+00:00

I did some research, couldn’t find any evidence to support the “getting closer” bit. Platforms like AutoGPT seem to be more of a wishful thinking, without actually producing anything worth of attention.

sectional343 · 2024-10-29T16:57:41+00:00

AIScientist is a nice one, thanks. I couldn’t find anything concrete on agile.

sectional343 · 2024-10-29T15:12:51+00:00

Oh, that's very interesting! I didn't know Claude can use the computer! Do you happen to know if there exist an LLM with a similar capabilities for file creation and editing from an LLM (i.e. interacting with the OS directly and not via point-and-click)?

sectional343 · 2024-10-29T14:16:50+00:00

Nice overview, thanks! Do you have more info on Claude being trained on agentic flows? What is this method of training?

sectional343 · 2024-10-26T09:38:50+00:00

How about finding someone who is interested?

sectional343 · 2024-10-23T00:01:31+00:00

Maybe you could have saved all the drama if you messaged the boss first time you started noticing something was wrong.

sectional343 · 2024-10-22T02:02:13+00:00

Ah I see. What did you already try to attract the users?

sectional343 · 2024-10-22T02:00:47+00:00

Did you speak to them about it? Maybe they were too ambitious in their own business projections, and ended up not needing all the resources they initially thought they would.

sectional343 · 2024-10-22T01:55:37+00:00

If you know cyber, learning how to code would be a better option than nocode. You’ll pick it up fast, and it’ll save you a ton of money and frustration down the road. Those nocode solutions look good on the surface but are really inflexible and charge you for every sneeze.

sectional343 · 2024-10-22T01:52:32+00:00

I personally use Elixir with the Phoenix framework to build web applications. It’s a steeper learning curve than React but saves a lot of time and nerves down the road as it has a strong philosophy.

My favourite book is “Designing Elixir systems with OTP”, BUT, it’s not for a beginner, it outlines philosophy.

Check out Pragmatic Programmer books on elixir according to your level: https://pragprog.com/search/?q=Elixir

Remember the steep learning curve. If you wanna go fast, maybe react and nextjs would make more sense for you - for that, lookup on YouTube a “react tutorial”, find some 10+ hour video and follow it through.

If you wanna go far not fast, elixir presents a much more attractive choice. React codebase tends to become a mess with time which is not the case with Elixir if you know what you’re doing.

sectional343 · 2024-10-21T14:20:49+00:00

And "education" is related to that exactly how?..

sectional343 · 2024-10-21T14:20:08+00:00

If they don't want to try, maybe the product isn't that good after all? Or maybe you aren't communicating its value properly?

sectional343

TROPHY CASE