{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"MacVoices #26247: Adam Engst on How AI Lets Non-Programmers Follow Professional Software Development","description":"Our conversation with Adam Engst continues with an exploration of  how AI can help non-programmers build sophisticated software by following professional development practices. Adam explains using specifications, architecture documents, and AI-guided decisions to create reliable apps, then examines the approach his app, SetShot, takes to macOS settings, privacy, security, user feedback, Cloudflare, GitHub, and minimizing sensitive data collection.  MacVoices is supported by Take Control Books. Expert advice from leading tech authors. Visit TakeControlBooks.com and start your library today. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:00 Adam Engst on AI-assisted software development 00:11 Take Control Books 00:24 Learning to build software with AI 01:23 Professionalizing AI-assisted development 01:53 When a simple script doesn\u2019t need a specification 02:14 Why serious applications should start with a spec 02:55 Creating an architecture document with AI 03:31 Letting AI recommend technologies and explain tradeoffs 03:46 Why AI should ask one question at a time 04:07 Building an architecture through an AI interview 04:30 Maintaining architectural consistency as software evolves 05:03 How guardrails prevent bugs, performance, and security problems 05:35 Security and privacy considerations 05:55 Understanding SetShot\u2019s potential privacy concerns 06:05 How SetShot snapshots and compares macOS settings 06:35 Trusting software with access to computer data 06:58 SetShot\u2019s online knowledge base 07:39 Submitting unrecognized settings 08:10 Using Claude to create human-readable descriptions 08:38 Sending user feedback safely 09:06 Text replacements and potentially sensitive information 09:48 Minimizing the collection of personal information 10:11 Using Cloudflare Workers to protect user identity 10:41 Sending submissions to GitHub 11:05 What identifying information is actually transmitted 11:15 Addressing the perception of privacy risk 11:47 Understanding the scope of SetShot 12:13 Sensitive information in text replacements Links: Decades After HyperCard, AI Is Democratizing Development Again by Adam Engst in TidBITS SetShot by Adam Engst SetShot Tracks macOS Settings Changes - TidBITS Guests: Adam C. Engst is the publisher of TidBITS, one of the oldest and most respected Internet-based newsletters, distributed weekly to tens of thousands of readers. He has written numerous technical books, including the best-selling Internet Starter Kit series, and many magazine articles\u2014thanks to Contributing Editor positions at MacUser, MacWEEK, and Macworld. His innovations include the creation of the first advertising program to support an Internet publication in 1992, the first flat-rate accounts for graphical Internet access in 1993 (with Northwest Nexus for Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh), and the highly successful Take Control electronic book series. In addition, he has collaborated on several educational videos on the Internet and has appeared on various internationally broadcast television and radio programs. His tireless support of the Macintosh community and commitment to helping individuals have resulted in numerous awards and recognition at the highest levels. In the annual MDJ Power 25 survey of industry insiders, he ranked as the second (2000), third (2001, 2002), fourth (2003), fifth (2004), and third (2005\/2006) most influential person in the Macintosh industry. He has also been included on the MacTech 25 list of influential people in the Macintosh technical community for 2006 and 2007, and he was named one of MacDirectory\u2019s top ten visionaries. And how many industry figures can boast of being turned into an action figure? Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon http:\/\/patreon.com\/macvoices Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web: http:\/\/macvoices.com Twitter: http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/chuckjoiner http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/macvoices Mastodon: https:\/\/mastodon.cloud\/@chuckjoiner Facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/macvoices\/ MacVoices Group on Facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/macvoice LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chuckjoiner\/ Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/chuckjoiner\/ Subscribe: Audio in iTunes Video in iTunes Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http:\/\/www.macvoices.com\/rss\/macvoicesrss Video: http:\/\/www.macvoices.com\/rss\/macvoicesvideorss ","author_name":"MacVoices","author_url":"http:\/\/macvoices.com","html":"