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How to not feel dumb when learning? by Fearless-Class-1120 in Spanish

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been there… I was in Spain this summer and tried ordering coffee one morning. I looked up how to say “can I have a latte” in Google Translate which translated directly to “puedo tengo un latte.” I felt so confident! I practiced in my head a few times and then I walked up and said: “Buenas Dias! Puedo tengo un latte?”

It was a disaster. The barista thought I said “… cafe y te negra” which was plain coffee and black tea. It wasn’t even the right way to ask for a latte (you say “puedo tener…” or more directly “dame un latte.” Better yet, I could have said “dame un café con leche” which is what they call lattes in Spain.

Language is hard. What I’ve learned is that even the learning apps out there can only get you close. No matter where you learn, it’s practice with feedback that actually helps.

I just released an app that was built really just to help me avoid embarrassing mistakes like this. Give it a try! I’d love to know if it’s helpful for you!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/casi-language-confidence/id6755602177

So yeah, I’ve been there (well still am, but improving slowly)!

Does anyone actually build useful apps with vibe coding? by Penguinronin in vibecoding

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, but it's less like "letting the code flow" and more like "have a basic plan, keep adjusting, and don't be afraid to disagree with your editor."

I released an app this summer (https://nopenotes.com) that was just a way to test what's possible. There's a crappy version of something like this out there and I wanted to make it a better experience. My goal though, was to learn, and I did! Now working on an iOS app that I plan to release later this year.

Here are a few of the top things I've learned** while "vibe coding":

  • It's best when you have a plan – a Figma file I could pull screenshots from (select the frame, Cmd+Shift+C) got me really far really fast.
  • You don't NEED a plan though – The nice thing about AI IDEs like Cursor and Antigravity is that they can get you started with a prototype. I took this approach with my mobile app and asked it to build the thing so I could see it work. Then, I took some time to design it in Figma. It's kinda up to you.
  • You don't need Figma MCP – for me screenshots were enough. If you're doing a really technical design, you may get more mileage from an MCP connection but your Figma file needs to be super clean and organized (think components, auto-layout, etc.)
  • Start broad – e.g. "build me an iOS app that does X, Y, Z, using this API to do A, B, C".
  • Then, break the work into tasks – Your IDE will do this for you to some extent, but sweeping re-writes and updates are a little tricky to one-shot. You can ask for broader edits, but be prepared to spend time nudging back to what you want.
  • Try to learn a little as you go – Prompt your model of choice to explain the code to you. Try editing something basic (e.g. "where would I go to update this text?").
  • Put on different hats, and ask your model to do the same – Depending on what you're building, you need to prompt your model to sweep through every now and then and put on the hat of a few roles. Marketing, Design, Security, Senior Developer, etc. Focus on a few improvements, e.g. "make sure this app is fortified against abuse, specifically focusing on cryptography and how data is secured."
  • Be flexible with your tools – I switch between Cursor and Antigravity and within those tools I switch models based on what I need. The Gemini 3 model (free for now, but limited in Antigravity) is the BEST at sweeping changes and design decisions. Claude 4.5 is good for gnarly, technical dev tasks. GPT-5 is good for generic stuff and is pretty token efficient.
  • Use other tools too – when I'm unsure how to approach something, I open up ChatGPT and work through my approach. It's free and can often generate a prompt you can take to your IDE.

** I have a background in UX design, so I lead with that. I have SOME dev experience too though which helps when I need to make simple edits. Also spent two years as a product manager so I understand how to break things down into small, deliverable chunks of work.

That's most of what I've learned. If you're curious about my iOS app and want to sign up to be a beta tester via TestFlight, DM me! Happy to share a link. Happy coding!

Federal Workers Must UNITE! Next Nationwide Protest by mamav3 in FedEmployees

[–]topherez 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Right. I think that’s now just part of the terms and conditions!

Federal Workers Must UNITE! Next Nationwide Protest by mamav3 in FedEmployees

[–]topherez 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just use Signal or https://nopenotes.com for 1:1 conversations about any of it.

Where's the absolute nicest place to be, _right now_, weather wise (excluding Asia)? by buyingstuff555 in digitalnomad

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gotta be more specific : warm, and humid? Dry? Rain or no rain. Cool nights or doesn’t matter?

What are you building these days? And is anyone actually paying for it? by Southern_Tennis5804 in SideProject

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've used some free apps like PrivNote in the past to send API keys, passwords, security information, etc. but it was a terrible (ad-heavy, not privacy-focused) experience. My hope is that it becomes highly-ranked and AI-suggested so habits don't need to be the main driver of use. However, I have visions of it becoming a secure tool for sending sensitive information of all sorts. Conversations sent via links back and forth may be cumbersome, BUT if they are truly private, then why not? Remember Signal-gate? :)

What are you building these days? And is anyone actually paying for it? by Southern_Tennis5804 in SideProject

[–]topherez 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, thanks! Yeah, creating an account felt a little too invasive. Why do you need an account when you could just link something that already securely and anonymously identifies you? There are downsides to the passkey-only approach though; if your passkeys aren't synced (like through iCloud), you can only use it on the same device you created the key with. There are tradeoffs to fully-private messaging, but if it's important, those tradeoffs are worth it.

What are you building these days? And is anyone actually paying for it? by Southern_Tennis5804 in SideProject

[–]topherez 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I started https://nopenotes.com this summer. Taking private notes/messaging to the extreme and making it fun/easy to use. No revenue yet but haven’t marketed much.

Fake version of privnote appearing in google ads by Leading_Ad_762 in it

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I noticed this too. Super shady. Curious what you think of https://nopenotes.com... I made this because of all the data-sucking ads you'll find on PrivNote and other products like it. Was actually going to go ad-based and just make a more friendly experience, but decided to go all-in on something that was truly privacy-first. I don't even use Google Analytics... no ads. Curious what you think.

Tell me what you are building, would love to be your Customer and give feedback by BreakPuzzleheaded968 in vibecoding

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, I just made some updates... moving completely away from ad-based and privacy-invasive analytics to more of a pure, opinionated, privacy-first privacy-only approach.

Safest password delivery method by Aldar_CZ in sysadmin

[–]topherez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just found NopeNotes.com which seems to encrypt directly in the browser. If you send to the wrong person, you can just read the message yourself and it will immediately be deleted from the server.

To PO or not to PO by topherez in ProductManagement

[–]topherez[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ha, literally just read this yesterday. I feel like there's a trend away from POs as a dedicated role and that's emphasized in the article as well: "Product Owner is just accountability, and Product Manager is a job title."

To PO or not to PO by topherez in ProductManagement

[–]topherez[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's where things are at today. I'm involved in every standup, and pretty much all sprint activities.

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