The Good Stuff - Episode 29 - From Zero to Vibe Coder

In this episode, Pete and Andy dive into the world of "vibe coding" and discuss how to get someone from absolute zero to building their own applications in record time. The conversation centers around Pete's upcoming workshop at the Bitcoin Bush Bash in Busselton, where he plans to teach 20-50 people how to create customized Bitcoin wallets from scratch in just 30 minutes.

They explore the traditional barriers to learning programming—the presupposed knowledge, the friction of setup, and the intimidating complexity—and how AI tools have dramatically changed the learning landscape. The discussion touches on the asymmetry of knowledge in tech, the challenges of teaching coding to beginners, and how AI has become the non-judgmental tutor that cuts through layers of assumed expertise.

They also explore practical applications of AI tooling beyond coding, from business automation to tax preparation, and make a compelling case for why business owners in particular need to understand these tools to stay competitive.

**Timestamps:**

- 0:00 - Introduction and the value of "always be recording"

- 2:00 - The vibe coding workshop challenge: teaching Bitcoin wallet creation in 30 minutes

- 5:00 - The friction problem: terminal commands, repo cloning, and beginner barriers

- 8:00 - Why experienced developers struggle to teach: the asymmetry of knowledge

- 11:00 - How AI cut through the learning barriers and changed everything

- 14:00 - The "Hello World" drop-off problem and learning surface area

- 18:00 - Current tools still aren't normie-friendly enough for true beginners

- 25:00 - The Replit solution: web-based coding that removes installation friction

- 30:00 - AI agents and the future of automated workflows

- 35:00 - Why business owners need to attend vibe coding workshops

- 40:00 - Moving beyond ChatGPT/Claude to agent-based tools like Wingman

- 43:00 - Using AI for non-coding tasks: tax organization and business automation

- 47:00 - The future of email-based businesses and automation opportunities

- 50:00 - Closing thoughts on freeing people up for higher-value work

Good Stuff Episode 28

Pete and Andy reunite in person at City Beach to explore how AI agents are can give individuals the power to solve their own problems. From Wingman V2's evolution to the resurrection of pre-digital work practices, they discuss why treating agents like employees with their own computers might be the key to unlocking practical AI leverage without the complexity of SaaS abstractions.

0:00 Back in the van at City Beach, Perth - discussing grass, beaches, and jet lag after Madeira

2:55 Kicking off with Wingman V2 development and the importance of reading skills documentation

5:02 What is Wingman? The TLDR for new listeners on agent orchestration software

9:05 Anthropic releases Claude Code on mobile - perfect timing for Wingman's approach

10:19 The lobotomization problem and why model flexibility matters for production systems

13:29 Building processes with agents: triggers, workflows, and file-based conventions

16:12 File watchers and convention-based programming for agent coordination

18:44 The challenge of selling Wingman vs. using it to run businesses directly

21:08 Why agents are like employees: managing workload across multiple direct reports

23:30 The cloud vs. on-premises debate: putting computers in businesses, not businesses in computers

25:42 Staying involved in the process to maintain intuition and avoid costly mistakes

27:52 The last mile problem: getting from 95% to production-ready

30:09 Small vibes, many courses: iterative development with constant testing and commits

31:38 The shift from resource allocation to rapid experimentation in enterprise

34:17 Why outsourced consulting models struggle with agent-driven development

37:20 Multi-user Wingman: the philosophical question of shared vs. individual agents

39:53 Using Nostr keys for identity management in small business tools

42:10 Building Good Stuff with just two people and AI leverage

44:45 The importance of developer logs, security reviews, and daily highlight reports

48:49 Relearning structured work practices from the pre-digital era

52:07 Building Pontefex: a visual interface bridge for Claude Code web development

54:37 Why clipboard-based workflows beat complex integrations

56:07 The Excel principle: empowering people to solve their own problems with tools

The Good Stuff, with Pete and Andy - Episode 27: Lessons Learned

Hosts: Pete and Andy

Episode Overview: Pete and Andy reflect on lessons learned from months of experimentation with AI agents, coding tools, and building software. They discuss the shift from "vibe coding" to more structured approaches, the importance of shipping usable tools, and their plans for a multiplayer version of Wingman.

Key Discussion Points:

Side Quests and Experimentation (01:16-08:30)

• Andy builds a habit tracker that evolved into a doom-scrolling prevention app
• Pete experiments with media over QUIC and real-time streaming protocols
• The power of AI to remove gatekeeping from learning new technologies
• Building an Nostr-based virtual pub with spatial audio

Vibe Coding vs. Slow Coding (09:38-16:13)

• Insights from working with serious engineers on AI-assisted development
• Everyone uses AI differently - no single "vibe coding" workflow
• The importance of understanding your codebase architecture
• Moving slower to go faster: maintaining intuition while delegating implementation

Build vs. Buy: The Shopify Question (14:25-25:06)

• Andy's journey building an e-commerce site from scratch instead of using Shopify
• The value of understanding how things work vs. convenience of platforms
• Localization of software development - kids will build these things natively
• Self-reliance as a valuable use of AI-gifted time

Shipping Tools People Can Use (25:06-33:00)

• The critical lesson: put working demos in users' hands
• Plans for multiplayer Wingman to lower barriers to experimentation
• Designing the business into Wingman - mapping workflows and agents
• Testing at Bush Bash with live coding sessions

Orchestrators vs. Deterministic Processes (33:00-38:52)

• Why probabilistic orchestrator agents often fail in production
• The case for simple, deterministic workflow rules
• Left curve vs. mid curve: sometimes simpler is better
• Humans should still design the business processes

Rate Limits and Model Selection (38:52-42:43)

• Claude Haiku as a solution to usage limits
• Running agents via API for unlimited usage
• Multiplayer mode for sharing subscriptions efficiently
• The challenge of making complex technology accessible

Simplifying the Message (42:43-48:31)

• Beacon demo: focus on the "moment of magic" not the complexity
• "Solvatur Ambulando" - solve it by walking around
• Wingman's unique value: anywhere access + multiplayer agents
• Don't let ego get in the way of clear communication

AI Agents Playing Games (48:31-59:09)

• Using game environments to test model performance for business applications
• Games as sandboxes for learning resource allocation and strategic thinking
• Beyond single-agent approaches: teams of specialized agents
• General Catalyst's investment in gaming arenas for model testing

Multiple Minds Per Task (55:13-01:01:38)

• Humans have multiple personalities for different contexts
• Agents may need similar specialization to avoid being overwhelmed
• File-based handoffs between agents as a clean interface
• The power of forcing agents to document their reasoning

"Mid curve me is just like 'oh I've been so clever' - but that's not for the person on the other end that wants to look at it."

The Good Stuff, with Pete and Andy - Episode 26: Beyond Coding

Hosts: Pete and Andy

Episode Overview: Pete wraps up Sovereign Engineering's final week while Andy discovers Claude Code's surprising versatility beyond coding. The hosts explore multi-agent orchestration, Nostr ecosystem developments, and the expanding use cases for AI agents in everyday business tasks.

Key Discussion Points:

Claude Code for Non-Coding Applications (01:30-08:00)Andy shares his revelation about Claude Code's effectiveness beyond programming tasks, including organizing financial records, preparing taxes, and restructuring Apple Notes into Obsidian. The tool excelled at extracting action items from scattered notes and even analyzed a 100-page DNA report to create a personalized diet plan. Discussion of why Claude Code feels more capable than Claude Desktop for complex tasks, potentially due to different system prompts optimizing for autonomous operation versus interactive sessions.

Multi-Agent Architecture and Wingman (08:00-12:00)Pete describes building agent orchestration systems where Wingman calls other specialized agents through local APIs. Beacon now integrates Wingman for complex research tasks, automatically determining when to use web search or other tools. The vision includes abstracting recipes and MCP servers to switch between Claude Code, Codex, Goose, and Gemini based on task requirements.

AI for Content Optimization (12:00-16:00)Andy experiments with using Claude Code to analyze podcast YouTube data, discovering which thumbnail text styles drive better click-through rates. YouTube's built-in A/B testing capabilities for thumbnails revealed. Discussion of the resistance to over-optimizing content for platforms like LinkedIn versus the authentic engagement on Nostr.

Nostr vs. Traditional Social Media (16:00-19:00)Pete's viral post on Primal contrasts with the performative nature of LinkedIn. Both hosts appreciate Nostr's ability to provide meaningful content without the dopamine-driven engagement loops of traditional platforms. The five-minute check-in versus the endless scroll.

Sovereign Engineering Demo Day Prep (19:00-31:00)Pete showcases progress on WhatsApp Bitcoin integration with Lightning payments, emphasizing the "hook" of seamless crypto in mainstream messaging. Rebuilt gateway architecture to support multiple networks. Tired on the Field game adds skydiving cows, laser eyes, and Nostr login for persistent leaderboards. Other notable demos include Context VM servers, Gigi's Amps semantic search, local-first relay architecture, DNS alternatives using public key infrastructure, and BitChat's offline Bluetooth mesh for protest coordination.

Andy's Project Portfolio (31:30-38:00)Building Supply Drop, a standalone e-commerce brand using Shopify with third-party manufacturing APIs. Developing a podcast knowledge graph with Neo4j to track recurring themes and philosophical evolution across episodes, aiming to create an interactive agent for exploring the show's intellectual journey. Designing a minimalist habit tracker app that locks users into one habit for 21 days before allowing additional habits, incorporating AI accountability coaching.

Future Direction (38:00-39:00)Plans for workshops on both coding and non-coding agent applications when Pete returns to Perth. Recognition that agent capabilities are poorly understood despite their power across diverse use cases.

The Good Stuff, with Pete and Andy - Episode 25: Freedom Tech & The Beacon Project

Hosts: Pete and Andy

Episode Overview: Pete and Andy reflect on their Jeff Booth conversation, exploring contradictions in AI-debt narratives. Pete unveils major progress on Beacon, his freedom tech project bringing internet access and Bitcoin payments to constrained environments via WhatsApp. The hosts debate AI coding tool frustrations and the shifting development landscape.

Key Discussion Points:

AI, Productivity, and the National Debt Paradox (01:35-09:55)

Examining flawed logic that AI productivity gains will solve government debt. The hosts argue this ignores job displacement and debt repayment mechanics through taxation. If AI eliminates jobs while boosting productivity, governments lose salary tax revenue - accelerating wealth concentration and triggering more money printing.

Gold Manipulation vs Bitcoin's Transparent Ledger (14:46-21:42)

Gold price suppression through derivatives and lack of auditing contrasted with Bitcoin's audit every 10 minutes. The importance of self-custody to prevent paper Bitcoin markets. "If we all fully reserve our Bitcoin, then there will be no paper Bitcoin for these guys to trade."

Bitcoin in Madeira and Nostr's Permissionless Payments (21:42-29:30)

Pete shares observations from Madeira where Bitcoin acceptance has normalized. The revelation of Nostr's permissionless payments - sending value instantly without intermediaries. Andy's realization: traditional money transfers require multiple friction points; Nostr enables instant zaps.

The Beacon Project: Internet Access via WhatsApp (29:30-47:10)

Pete introduces Beacon for environments with no smartphones or reliable internet - only text-based WhatsApp. Beacon enables AI queries, research, and Bitcoin payments through text messages. Origin story from Togo, where internet costs were prohibitive but WhatsApp was free. The vision: delivering the entire internet via text messages to people without internet access.

Beacon's Trust Architecture (47:10-58:02)

Deep dive into Beacon V5 design separating identity from AI services. Two independent providers create a trust model where neither can unilaterally defraud users. Uses Context VM over Nostr for discovery and communication, eliminating firewall complexities. Challenges the custodial vs self-custodial dichotomy, creating middle-ground trust models where full self-custody isn't practical.

AI Development Tool Chaos (58:02-01:12:23)

Frustrations with Claude Sonnet 4.5's rate limits and inconsistent performance. Andy hits weekly limits after one day. Pete's migration to Codex and Goose, finding better consistency. The problem: opacity in which components change makes debugging impossible.

Notable Quote:

"Bitcoin audits the entire world supply every 10 minutes - like melting down all the gold in the world repeatedly to make sure it's legit."

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Jeff Booth discusses the transformative power of Bitcoin and the importance of agency in shaping our realities. He explores the relationship between consciousness and the perceived world, emphasizing that our beliefs influence our experiences. The discussion delves into the natural state of the free market, which is deflationary, and how Bitcoin provides a framework for value creation and entrepreneurship. Personal journeys to Bitcoin highlight the desire for freedom and agency, while the role of AI in business is examined as a tool for enhancing productivity. The conversation concludes with insights on the future of work, the necessity of flexibility, and the importance of making conscious choices in a rapidly changing world.

Titles

Unlocking Agency: The Power of Bitcoin

Consciousness and Reality: A Bitcoin Perspective

Sound bites

"The jail cell door is open."

"You have the choice. We all have agency."

"The world is going to be a chaotic place."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jeff Booth

01:57 Agency and Consciousness in Bitcoin

05:43 The Role of Mind in Reality

10:36 The Filter Bubble and Agency

12:34 The Importance of Perception

16:22 Personal Journeys to Bitcoin

19:12 The Zero-Sum Game vs. Infinite Game

23:19 The Challenge of Bridging Two Worlds

28:25 The Future of AI and Bitcoin

30:38 The Impact of AI on Business

39:19 The Illusion of AGI

46:55 The Role of Entrepreneurship in a New Economy

51:27 Building Value in Bitcoin

01:01:06 The Future of Work and Value Creation

01:09:11 Conclusion and Future Outlook

Keywords

Bitcoin, agency, consciousness, deflation, entrepreneurship, AI, value creation, free market, perception, reality

Takeaways

Agency in the world allows individuals to create their desired reality.

The perceived reality is shaped by individual consciousness and beliefs.

The natural state of the free market is deflation, which benefits everyone.

Bitcoin provides a new framework for value creation and entrepreneurship.

Personal journeys to Bitcoin often stem from a desire for freedom and agency.

The zero-sum game mentality limits growth and understanding of Bitcoin's potential.

AI and Bitcoin can coexist and enhance each other's value.

Entrepreneurs must adapt and reinvent their businesses to thrive in a changing economy.

The future of work will involve more flexibility and creativity in problem-solving.

Building value in Bitcoin requires a shift in mindset from traditional financial systems.

The Good Stuff, with Pete and Andy - Episode 23: Left Curve Solutions and AI Implementation Challenges

Hosts: Pete (from Madeira) and Andy (from Perth)

Episode Overview: Pete and Andy explore the challenges with AI tooling reliability, the philosophy of "left curve" solutions over complex engineering, and why most enterprise AI pilots are failing. The discussion covers Nostra protocol development, business implementation strategies, and the ongoing debate between bionic human versus human-at-the-edge AI integration models.

Key Discussion Points:

**Nostra Protocol Development and Decentralized Applications (04:00-25:00)**

Pete shares updates from Madeira on building decentralized applications using Nostra protocol

Discussion of "bring your own database" concept - Nostra KV Connect for private company data

Benefits of distributed data storage versus centralized honeypots vulnerable to hacking

Identity portability and cryptographic authentication as core value propositions

**Craig David Bot Demo Project (22:00-25:00)**

Pete's weekly demo challenge: building a bot that analyzes your week using Nostra events

Integration with payment systems and automated research capabilities

Future plans for video generation with custom music overlays

**Claude Code Performance Issues (25:00-40:00)**

Widespread reports of Claude Code degradation affecting productivity across the development community

Anthropic's explanation of "three interlocking bugs" affecting token routing and limits

Discussion of alternatives like Wingman, Goose, and maintaining control over AI tooling stack

The shift from 100x productivity back to 90x productivity as a "first world problem"

**Left Curve Solutions Philosophy (40:00-46:00)**

Concept borrowed from Sovereign Engineering: avoid mid-curve over-engineering

Examples from Bitcoin e-cash development where simpler solutions (Fedimints, eCash) succeeded

The tendency to over-complicate due to ego and "tall poppy syndrome"

Focus on minimal viable approaches rather than proving technical sophistication

**Enterprise AI Pilot Failure Analysis (46:00-58:00)**

MIT study showing 95%+ failure rate for AI pilots in large organizations

Root causes: poor scoping, misunderstanding of technology capabilities, bureaucratic implementation

Lack of genuine problem identification and systems thinking approach

The consulting industrial complex extracting fees without delivering value

**ROI Measurement Challenges (58:00-1:05:00)**

Traditional additive ROI models don't capture compounding AI benefits

Example: document review automation leading to faster deals, new service offerings, market expansion

Need for longer-term measurement frameworks beyond quarterly reporting cycles

Hidden individual AI usage versus official pilot programs

**Build vs Buy Strategy Discussion (1:05:00-1:12:00)**

Opportunity to capture market share while incumbents struggle with implementation

Time advantage for building AI-native solutions while large companies run ineffective pilots

Path dependency question: bionic human as stepping stone to human-at-the-edge models

Role-dependent optimal human placement in AI-augmented workflows

**Implementation Philosophy**

"Full left curve solutions" - prioritizing simplicity and function over complexity

"We're not here to fuck spiders" - focus on meaningful problems, not technical masturbation

The "dog with two dicks" problem - AI tools that code aggressively without proper planning

The Good Stuff Podcast - Bitcoin, Nostr and Sovereign Engineering

Hosts: Pete and Gigi (walking around Funchal, Madeira)

Episode Overview: A walking conversation exploring Bitcoin circular economies, eCash payment systems, Nostr's permissionless internet vision, and AI's impact on business transformation.

Key Discussion Points:

Journey to Madeira and Initial Motivations (02:00-10:00)

• Guest's discovery of the No Solutions podcast and the Calle eCash episode
• Previous work in eCash space and early Lightning Network skepticism
• Worldview centered on individual control and localism over centralized institutions

Bitcoin Adoption Reality in Madeira (10:00-22:00)

• 200+ merchants accepting Bitcoin across the island
• Seamless payment experience - "just another payment method" for merchants

eCash and Payment System Evolution (22:00-35:00)

• AI services driving demand for micro-payments and permissionless APIs
• The "Netflix problem" of subscription fatigue across services
• eCash enabling true "lemonade stands" in cyberspace without KYC barriers
• Solving the chicken-and-egg problem through prepayment models

Nostr as Internet Infrastructure (35:00-50:00)

• Cryptographic identity and money as native internet protocols
• Replacing username/password systems with permissionless access
• Japanese Nostr communities as example of organic self-organization
• Moving beyond the "app player renaissance" toward true peer-to-peer systems

AI Business Transformation Strategies (50:00-1:15:00)

• Debate over AI as incremental tool vs. fundamental paradigm shift
• Real-world business automation in rental management and service industries
• The cost of building vs. buying existing businesses for AI transformation
• Human role shifting from process center to "edge interfaces"

Local vs. Global Community Building (1:15:00-1:28:00)

• Relocalization enabled by AI reducing dependence on Silicon Valley
• Sovereign Engineering cohort as proof-of-concept for prototype-driven development
• Nostr enabling global communities with local trust relationships
• Bitcoin businesses emerging organically from community connections

Optimism and Future Outlook (1:28:00-end)

• Choosing optimism as pragmatic approach to uncertainty
• Technology tools creating new possibilities for permissionless innovation
• The importance of meaning and human agency in an automated world

Notable Quotes:"Pre-Bitcoin, it was basically impossible to do a lemonade stand in cyberspace."

"Everything's a remix. That's why I don't like copyright. It just doesn't exist."

"Stop being sick and just be awesome instead - that's how you get better very quickly."