[HN Gopher] Show HN: NoteTech - Create personal automations by w...
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Show HN: NoteTech - Create personal automations by writing notes
        
       Author : kenstler
       Score  : 114 points
       Date   : 2024-07-24 18:00 UTC (1 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.simpltech.ai)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.simpltech.ai)
        
       | nbbaier wrote:
       | This is interesting. I assume you're using an LLM to generate the
       | code that runs these automations? Like "compiling" the prompt to
       | code?
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Yes, but instead of "compiling" directly to generated code, we
         | generate a type of DAG that defines an execution flow of pre-
         | defined parameterized code modules.
        
       | teachmetolearn wrote:
       | Love the UX, AI is unlocking a completely new ux paradigm and
       | kudos to you for pushing it forward!
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Appreciate the feedback!
        
       | pyinstallwoes wrote:
       | This is cool in a similar way that Forth is cool.
        
         | downrightmike wrote:
         | explain
        
           | barbarr wrote:
           | "It is a language that makes complexity painful, but which
           | reveals that a surprising amount can be accomplished without
           | introducing any." - https://blog.information-
           | superhighway.net/what-the-hell-is-f...
        
       | skybrian wrote:
       | Could write some documentation with some examples of common
       | commands?
       | 
       | Otherwise, it seems like "guess the verb" in a text adventure.
       | 
       | [Oops, edited before I saw the reply.]
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Hi! A good general point.
         | 
         | We're doing a few things to try to guide the user:
         | 
         | 1. We include ~26 fully-formed "Example" and "Template" notes
         | in the app - these are intended to show users what they can do,
         | but they can also be copied and used as-is or edited.
         | 
         | 2. When users write new notes, we use a custom keyboard tool
         | called "AutoPrompt" to show the user what actions they can take
         | in each section. It includes prompts like "Search reddit
         | for...", etc. that is inserted into the text entry and the user
         | completes the statement. (You can see this in the vid on our
         | home page).
         | 
         | 3. If users write incorrect or wrong things in the note, they
         | get a response back that instructs them what they need to
         | correct.
         | 
         | Admittedly, as a notes-based interface there's a tradeoff we're
         | trying to balance on flexibility vis-a-vis unstructured text
         | input, and guardrails to inform the user. Appreciate any
         | further feedback you can share!
        
           | skybrian wrote:
           | That sounds useful for someone who already signed up, but I'd
           | rather read them before signing up or installing anything.
           | The documentation is how I decide if it's worth looking
           | further.
           | 
           | (I also don't play videos or animations, and try to ignore
           | them if they autoplay. They are usually too fast or too slow.
           | A slideshow that you step through is okay.)
           | 
           | Maybe I'm not your target audience, though?
        
             | kenstler wrote:
             | Ah - I assumed you were talking about the in-app
             | experience. My bad!
             | 
             | Point well taken and we'll definitely add more details/docs
             | on the site.
             | 
             | Thanks!
        
               | dr_kiszonka wrote:
               | I just wanted to add that this information would be
               | useful to me too, and I did watch the video. Also, I
               | would be curious to know what integrations you already
               | have and plan to add.
        
           | kissgyorgy wrote:
           | If you highlight the actions in the text with something like
           | a differnet background color, it would be clear what it will
           | trigger and over time the user would remember these actions.
           | It would also be clearer to see them in predefined notes.
        
             | kenstler wrote:
             | Love this - thank you!
        
       | jwong_ wrote:
       | Interesting idea. I liked the AI button, but had difficulty even
       | finding it since you need to click into a line item before you
       | can see it.
       | 
       | Also, I wanted to "test" my work before deploying it, but that
       | seems not possible?
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Thanks for the feedback!
         | 
         | Yes - at present, a note needs to be deployed before you can
         | test. Then you can make a change, and redeploy. We can look at
         | making this a bit more seamless in future iterations.
         | 
         | Re: the AI button - any suggestion on how we might improve
         | there?
        
           | jwong_ wrote:
           | Perhaps using the same nomenclature for both? In the tooltip
           | you call it an Autoprompt, but the icon itself just says
           | "AI". Also, I typed some steps in, and expected to need to
           | review before deploying since I didn't have any "AI" or
           | "autoprompt" to help.
           | 
           | Maybe some sort of more obvious workflow that it's "done" and
           | can be tested?
        
       | breck wrote:
       | 1. Could you make a web version? (I don't own a smartphone).
       | 
       | 2. Are you looking for investors?
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | 1. We can do one for web. 2. Would love to chat about it.
        
           | breck wrote:
           | 1. Awesome! 2. Great! breck7@gmail.com
        
       | Brajeshwar wrote:
       | Is there a desktop version planned? Watched the video. I'd love
       | to have a Desktop version.
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Yes!
        
       | poulpy123 wrote:
       | Looks interesting. But you should add a note that it is not
       | available in Europe (or at least France) for Android
        
         | decide1000 wrote:
         | In the Netherlands it doesn't work either
        
       | devansh_jain wrote:
       | Not available in India :(
        
       | smusamashah wrote:
       | The video shows actions on external services. Can NoteTech be
       | used to automate phone activities e.g. "Turn phone silent from
       | 10pm to 6am" , "When John is calling, ring at full volume" ?
        
         | salil999 wrote:
         | I think you can already do some of this in iOS with the
         | Shortcuts app
        
         | kenstler wrote:
         | Presently our focus is more on enabling automations that
         | integrate with external services, but we do intend to enable
         | some phone actions that make sense in that context.
        
       | stefanyas wrote:
       | It's not available in my country via Play Store - any chance of
       | enabling? I'm in Serbia.
        
       | shireboy wrote:
       | Fun related anecdote. I learned to program Amiga BASIC when I was
       | around 12 by copying games from the back of Amiga magazine. At
       | the same time, my sister was learning to read and write. As a
       | nerdy big brother, I set out to write something where she could
       | type plain english instructions and it would do what she typed.
       | Playing Zork made this seem very feasible at least to my 12 year
       | old mind. I never finished the project, but have been thinking
       | about something like this again lately.
        
       | hexcase wrote:
       | Not available in Canada unfortunately. I'm excited to see, always
       | looking for personal automation tools
        
       ___________________________________________________________________
       (page generated 2024-07-25 23:13 UTC)