Let’s create magic together
$347,911
pledged
267
backers
This campaign was successful. 267 backers pledged $346,712 to bring Xavvi to life. Pledging has now closed.
Introducing Xavvi
We’re excited to announce Xavvi, the no-code platform that will make creating apps dramatically easier for you.
More than 47 million end users have used apps created in LiveCode. You might think that means we’ve learned a thing or two about the challenges app developers face. And you’d be right. We’ve built Xavvi to solve virtually every problem we’ve seen people like you encounter building apps.
Xavvi, powered by LiveCode, will bring the app building experience to a new audience.
Even if you have no coding experience you’ll be able to build an app. That’s because Xavvi uses AI to let you describe your app.
As you describe it, Xavvi writes code for you in English. For a simple app you won’t need to edit any code. When your app becomes more ambitious you’ll find it easy to expand your apps capabilities step-by-step. If you are a professional developer you’ll find the code we generate is clean and accurate.
This approach blows away the limitations you’ll see in other no-code platforms. Whoever you are, you’ll be able to build amazing things with Xavvi. Everything from a simple business application to an entire SaaS platform that can scale to millions of users.
We’re nearly ready with Xavvi but we need your help to make this project a success. Please back this campaign to help us finish Xavvi and bring easier app creation to you and to the world.
About This Campaign
Xavvi will be based on our well established LiveCode platform with the English LiveCode language as its core. It will represent the biggest step forward for our platform since V1.0. Xavvi is the future of how you’ll create apps with LiveCode technologies though we’ll continue to maintain LiveCode for those that need it.
We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about the challenges that app creators face over the years and designed fabulous solutions for these problems in Xavvi.
Last year we announced our year of reinvention. We’ve come far in that time, with our largest research and development team ever working on the new platform, with 7X our normal annual investment in that vision. Over that time our plans have evolved. In particular we now know that it’s critical to our future to place the latest AI technologies at the heart of Xavvi. Our LiveCode platform was always about bringing app creation to a larger audience. With these new capabilities we’ll be able to broaden, by an order of magnitude, the sort of people who are able to build apps. We see AI as a way to upskill and broaden who is able to create an app, while making our audience of professional coders faster and more productive. We know from our experience that when you’re building a truly sophisticated app, no-code can only get you so far. Unique in the market, our no-code tools will produce code in English, that is understandable and editable. That will provide the gentlest possible ramp up, allowing you to build skills that go from creating a basic application to building one that is really sophisticated and scalable.
Almost everything else that will be in Xavvi has been reimagined from the ground up. From new theme-able widgets based on material design, to a new script widgets architecture, to a brand new web-based editor environment or a No-SQL scalable data back-end, we know the new platform, when finished, will delight.
We’ve crowd funded a couple of smaller campaigns with essential pieces of technology over the course of this past year. The world is moving extremely quickly at the moment and we are excited to be a part of that. There is such an opportunity presented by new AI technologies to realize our vision in a much deeper and more satisfying way. We intend to ride this wave, which means we need to accelerate our pace right now, expand product development scope and maybe see it as a year and half of reinvention rather than a year. We are working in parallel – we have multiple teams working on all aspects of this project and on the other pieces of technology from previous campaigns.
Our plans for Xavvi are very special and we know there is a unique place for it in a rapidly changing market. It is however essential that we bring it to market very fast.
We’ve listed out where every component or feature is in its development journey so you can see our progress for yourself (see the “Tech” tab). We’ll be publishing a monthly update with a complete summary of our progress for all campaign backers as well as access to the public betas as soon as they are ready. Since the new platform is web based once we get the first beta out we’ll be able to update it and add new functionality as soon as it’s ready.
We’ll be spending roughly half the funds from this campaign on development and the other half on marketing to reach a new audience as we launch. If we beat the target we’ll be able to go deeper in the MVP and run an even bigger launch marketing campaign.
We need this campaign to succeed to ensure we have a viable, bright and exciting future for us all. Back it now and get your hands on Xavvi with the very first beta’s!
What’s New in Xavvi Compared to LiveCode?
We’re reimagining almost the entire platform from the ground up in Xavvi. Highlights include:
- AI at 5 stages throughout the platform to make app building accessible to almost everyone
- Templates covering lots of common app types to get you up and running fast
- A brand new set of 30 user-editable objects based on Material design to make your apps beautiful
- A point and click Actions editor that writes and edits sophisticated English scripts you can actually understand
- Responsive design system allows you to create rules for your layouts to view them on desktop or mobile screens without writing code
- App hosting and cloud data store built in – with a new point and click editor that generates English phrases to handle data manipulation. Support for other backends such as SQL are also planned
- New connectors to popular APIs including ChatGPT, Stripe, Airtable and Zapier
- CSS themes to fully customize your app’s look
- An all-new browser-based editing experience for you and your team to share ideas
- One click Web deployment – no more need to fiddle with building standalones for a Web app
- The option to fully compile your app for even greater performance and security
- We’ve maintained backward compatibility with LiveCode. You can export your Xavvi project and open it in LiveCode if you need to build an application for a platform other than web and vice-versa
What’s Unique About Xavvi?
Xavvi’s no-code tools – its AI builder and Actions editor, will let you build a powerful app without writing any code. You’ll love the AI features if you’re new to building apps. You’ll be able to describe your app in English and see it take shape.
If you need to go further, you’ll find that the Actions editor or AI has generated English code from your English instructions! This means you will be able to understand the logic that has been produced and make changes easily. Other platforms churn out code that you need a computer science degree to understand. And if you are a seasoned professional programmer, you’ll appreciate the clean, understandable English code too.
Xavvi has been designed so you can create an app without the limitations present in other no-code platforms. No matter how easy a platform might be to get started with, we know from years of experience helping people to build apps that the reality is unless you’re building a very simple app, you’ll likely bump into a limitation with a platform’s capabilities at some point.
When that happens you’re either stuck because it can’t be done at all in the platform you have chosen, or you need to hire a professional programmer who understands JavaScript, Python or another traditional programming language to add an extension. With Xavvi, if what you need isn’t in the marketplace, while you still have the option to hire someone to help, often you can just do it yourself.
We’ve seen time and again that if your app is successful the chances are that one day you’ll want to do something that you haven’t thought of at the start, and that something isn’t built into the platform. You’re then faced with starting over and recreating your app in something else!
Ask yourself if your app might ever need to do any of the following:
- Customize the look and feel of your app to create an entirely new or custom user experience
- Connect to a new API or service that isn’t included out of the box
- Create a native desktop app for the app store
- Integrate native code libraries or native OS features into your native app
- Create a native mobile app for the app store
- Build a server component that runs facelessly
- Build a command line tool that runs locally
- Develop your app to work offline
- Create new reusable objects for your app
- Use a marketplace for templates, objects and connectors
- Allow multiple authors to edit your app online in a browser
- Create new objects when your app is running to allow your users to edit your app
- Compile your logic to machine code to do some computationally intensive processing such as for a scientific or AI application (extra purchase required)
- Grow your app to hundreds of thousands or millions of users without having to rewrite anything and with a price plan you can afford
- Move or integrate the app with your own backend rather than using our built-in cloud
- Work with a team of developers either sharing in the web editor or using GitHub and source control tools on the desktop
- Have Escrow options that bring certainty that your app and cloud source code will always be available even if something happens to your no-code vendor
- Have long term contract options so you can be confident in what you’re going to pay in the future – one of our values is to be a long term, dependable and reliable partner. We’ve supported some LiveCode customers for over two decades.
Are you sure your no-code or low-code platform has all those things? You will be able to do all of these things with Xavvi!
It’s also very important to consider that not only will Xavvi scale your app without having to think about it, with our fair use pricing plans you’ll be able to afford it when that happens. We won’t charge for the number of app users or downloads. Instead we will have straightforward pricing plans based on factors such as the amount of data you transfer and the number of apps you have. This will make it uniquely affordable to scale with Xavvi.
Solid Success
LiveCode has a history going back to around 1998, when the very first idea for a Revolutionary Rapid App Development tool started taking shape. Since then, the technology has matured and iterated through many changes, always leading the way in software development for “the rest of us”. We took the leap to Mobile when the iPhone was young, explored Server to offer an alternative to PHP and Javascript on the web and moved through revWeb to HTML5 to the current Web deployment, now achieving a new level of maturity. We took a trip through Open Source, and brought coding to a vast and varied audience for 8 years, for free. That project incidentally was the most funded software project on Kickstarter at the time in the UK, and still remains the second biggest ever! Open Source LiveCode (or rather its successor, Openxtalk) is still out there if you want to continue to explore open source options with LiveCode and its descendants. It is community maintained and no longer part of the LiveCode Ltd lineup, but we’re proud to have released it into the world.
Today it’s time to take another great leap forward. AI will – is already starting to – change the face of app creation. Xavvi will build on LiveCode’s deep technical abilities to add AI to your app building experience, in the most logical way possible. The re-imagined interface, running directly on the Web, will really connect with a much wider audience than ever before, bringing the thrill of creation to “the rest of us” like never before. We’re excited. We hope you’re also excited by the possibilities. Pick your pledge now!
Rewards
So, what do you get for backing this campaign now?
First and foremost, you ensure that Xavvi happens, beautifully and quickly, and we have the resources we need to really market it to as wide an audience as possible. You can be proud of helping to change the way people think about creating apps, enabling many more people to get that buzz when they see their ideas come to life. Xavvi will build careers and businesses. It will make a serious impact on the world of no-code. You can be part of that.
All backers will be invited to access the betas of Xavvi as they become available. If this campaign funds to 100% we will create a getting started course which will be available for free for everyone. This will include a series of webinars and online resources covering:
- Regular Feedback and Q&A webinars
- Setting up a Cloud backend with Xavvi
- My First AI App – hands on with our experts
- The Xavvi Extensions – using them with LiveCode
- Training on all aspects of using Xavvi
Rewards for you
We’ve got a raft of tasty rewards for you. All backers will get early access to the first beta versions, as well as saving substantially on licensing when we ship. By backing this campaign now, you will get the best discounts on launch of the new Xavvi products.
Pledge for an advance purchase of Xavvi Individual, for 22 months, and save 45% on the expected shipping price. Discover no-code, in the cloud, with the help of AI and amaze yourself with the apps you can build. Build apps on the Web, for the Web. Stop worrying about data, Xavvi will handle it for you.
Perhaps you’d like to get more data, more AI calls and more domains to create projects on. The Business Pledge is the one for you, you can save up to a whopping 66% on launch pricing.
Maybe you’d like to go a bit further, and get us to build your app for you? Get yourself 2 weeks worth of work from our Services team at a very tasty 25% discount.
Browse all pledges here.
Calling all LiveCoders
The Business and Scale level pledges includes the Xavvi Extensions for LiveCode addon at no extra charge. What is this? It is a Widget pack, with all the lovely new widgets we’ve created for Xavvi, plus the ability to bolt on connection to our Cloud Data store, for your existing LiveCode license. Now you can benefit from the new widgets and effortless data storing, directly from LiveCode. This is not part of the Individual level for Xavvi, however if you buy a pledge now that includes the Xavvi Extensions, we’ll let you keep that access if you later decide to move down to Individual, after we have launched Xavvi and your initial pledge period expires.
Shares
If you are a LiveCode shareholder and would like to purchase shares to support this campaign, please contact us.
Let’s make a better world for Creators everywhere!
Get a 4 month taster of the Individual level for Xavvi. Try out AI, build on and for the Web, get 1GB of storage in our new point and click data store. Save 20% on expected shipping price.
Help ensure Xavvi gets built. Receive our grateful thanks plus a 22 month license for the new platform at the Individual level. 1GB storage in the cloud and limited AI calls per month. 45% discount on expected launch pricing. Get your name on a credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
Help ensure Xavvi gets built. Receive our grateful thanks plus a 3 Year license for the new platform at the Individual level. 1GB storage in the cloud and limited AI calls per month. 45% discount on expected launch pricing. Get your name on a credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
Ensure Xavvi gets built. Receive our grateful thanks plus a 10 month license for the new platform at the Business level. 10GB storage in the cloud and more AI calls per month. Backups, up to 3 editors and more. Includes Xavvi Extensions for LiveCode. Hit the ground running with your apps. Get your name on the credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
Ensure Xavvi gets built. Receive our grateful thanks plus a 2 year license for the new platform at the Business level. 10GB storage in the cloud and more AI calls per month. Backups, up to 3 editors and more. Includes Xavvi Extensions for LiveCode. Hit the ground running with your apps. 66% discount on expected launch pricing. Get your name on the credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
Ensure Xavvi gets built. Receive our grateful thanks plus a 3 year license for the new platform at the Business level PLUS a $750 voucher to spend on anything. 10GB storage in the cloud and more AI calls per month. Backups, up to 3 editors and more. Includes Xavvi Extensions for LiveCode. Hit the ground running with your apps. Massive discount on expected launch pricing. Get your name on the credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
2 Workspaces, 5 Editors, 50GB of storage - everything you need for a serious enterprise. 3 Years for the price of one, save almost $8000. Get your name on the credits page. Get a Forum Badge "I funded Xavvi".
Get 2 weeks - 84 hours - of service time from our team. We can build your app for you. This is a 25% discount on our regular service hours pricing. Limited to 2 per customer.
The tech and our progress
Discover everything we’re creating to make Xavvi the place where you can build amazing things, fast. We’ve tried to give an accurate status update as to where we’ve got to with each piece, check the key at the foot of the page. Check back often as we’ll be updating the status frequently! Note that we have included videos for illustrative purposes only. These are mockups, showing how we envisage it will work once the technology is completed. We have quite a lot to do yet before we can make these videos real, which is where you come in. Pledge to support this campaign!
AI Driven App Building
Xavvi will have AI built in at 5 different levels to make it much easier to create your app.
AI Layout Builder
status = 3️⃣
Describe the app you want and the platform will create the appropriate layouts correctly (using the new set of widgets and objects that we’ve built for Xavvi). We have been prototyping an AI driven layout builder, and are seeing very promising results.
AI Generated Actions
status = 3️⃣
You’ll then be able to select an object and describe what you want it to do. Xavvi will set up Actions to the object based on that description. The Actions editor allows the user to create Actions or make changes without needing to understand any code.
AI Coding Assistant
status = 3️⃣
The AI coding assistant will help as and when you do need to dip into code to do more advanced things. It can explain code, edit or make suggestions.
AI Message Box
status = 3️⃣
The Message Box will have an AI mode allowing you to describe what you want it to do in English.
AI Documentation Q&A
status = 3️⃣
Documentation queries will have an AI layer producing well-formed answers to questions.
Brand New Material Widgets
Xavvi brings widgets to a whole new level
30+ all new, user-editable objects based on Material design to save writing code and make your apps beautiful. These objects look and perform just as you would expect, with properties that make them easy to customize without writing code.
For example, the Input field has validation options that include whether the content is email address, number or password. It has a separate option for a label. The user can choose to show/hide characters in the password field. The new Table objects are simpler to use than ever and allow you to bring in data from outside with one click. The Search Box lets you filter through records in your Cloud Data store, again through point-and-click configuration. These objects look great no matter what platform you’re on. But if you don’t want Material design you’ll be able to customize them by editing their themes.
Planned Widgets & Their Status
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Point and Click Actions
Bring your app to life without code using our point-and-click actions editor. Unique to Xavvi Actions, creates English code you can actually understand if you need to customize your app beyond the built-in Actions.
Single Actions
Status = 3️⃣
When it’s just a single action that you need, such as creating a new record in your collection you can do that directly from the properties panel. Simply select the object in which the action belongs to then select from the list of actions available, Xavvi will create the action and write the English code for you. See video.
Action Editor for Multi Actions
Status = 3️⃣
Xavvi brings a brand new actions editor that allows you to setup a series of actions with conditions without having to write a single line of code. Should you ever want to customise things further then the script Xavvi generates is clean English code that you can understand and extend.
Planned Actions & Their Status
We’ll be adding Actions to cover every aspect of app creation. Here are the ones we’ll have from the start:
We’ll be adding Actions to cover every aspect of app creation. Here are the ones we’ll have from the start:
Navigation = 3️⃣
Notifications = 3️⃣
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Data = 3️⃣
UI Interactions = 3️⃣
|
API Service 2️⃣
Custom Actions 2️⃣
|
App Hosting and Cloud Data Store Built-in
Xavvi provides a powerful, easy to use built in data solution.
Binding Data to UI
Status = 3️⃣
Create tables with text and images, link them directly to your objects and see the content automatically rendered without touching any code. Filter and search as necessary. Switch what is displayed depending on which user is logged in using our User Management features. Our data binding comes with a new library which is included in the Xavvi Extensions for LiveCode, allowing you to use our Cloud backend within the LiveCode 10 IDE
Cloud Data Store
Status = 3️⃣✅
WIth Xavvi it couldn’t be easier to setup a data driven app, it’s all point and click. Create a new collection, add your data to that collection, store your assets on the cloud and then bind your data to your Ui. Using the very latest in cloud technologies Xavvi can handle any level of scale without making changes to code. Need 1 million users in your app for 1 hour? No Problem.
Cloud Data Library
Status = 3️⃣✅
You can learn from and edit the code that accesses our new cloud data library allowing you to easily extend If your app needs to go beyond the built-in capabilities, we’ll be generating English phrases (not function calls) to handle data manipulation, making this code ultra readable. For example creating a collection will be:
create record in collection “Name of collection” with data tRecordData.
Support for other backends such as SQL are planned. 
Responsive Design
Status = 4️⃣ ✅
Responsive design system allows you to create rules for your layouts to view them on desktop or mobile screens without writing code
CSS Themes
Status = 9️⃣
Fully customize your app’s look using the new CSS themes and theme editor. In addition to CSS styling, Xavvi uses standard web technologies such as web fonts.
New Connectors to Popular APIs
Status = 2️⃣ ✅
Connect with the services you need. Includes OpenAI for AI, Stripe and PayPal for payments, Airtable and Zapier to connect to over 5000 apps.
Browser And Cloud Editing Experience
Status = 3️⃣
An all-new browser-based editing experience for you and your team. Includes new tools to share ideas and work together.
One Click Web Deployment
Status = 2️⃣
Launch your entire app on Xavvi or generate an embed code to place your Xavvi app on your existing website. No more need to fiddle with building standalones for a Web app.
Light Fast Web Engine
Status = 4️⃣
Utilising the latest web technologies including Web fonts, deployment is faster and better than ever.
Compile Options
Status = 4️⃣ ✅ 9️⃣
The option to fully compile your app for even greater performance and security. New English sentences describe the new Cloud & Data features and other Actions (e.g. sending an email)
LiveCode Compatible
We’ve maintained backward compatibility with LiveCode. You can export your Xavvi project and open it in LiveCode if you need to build an application for a platform other than web and import at LiveCode stack into Xavvi.
Phases Key
- 1️⃣ Concept
- 2️⃣ Spec Process
- 3️⃣ Initial Prototype
- 4️⃣ Substantial Prototype
- 5️⃣ Ready for or Undergoing Customer Review
- 6️⃣ Refinement Phase
- 7️⃣ Ready to Ship
- 8️⃣ Concept – target launch is after first shipping version
- 9️⃣ Spec – target launch is after first shipping version
- ✅ – In the Xavvi for LiveCode Extensions Pack
Features are an indication of what we have in development, the final line up is subject to change.
Stretch Goals
As ever, we’re developing Xavvi on a really tight budget. It will fit into a space filled with well funded competitors. So we’d really like to raise well over the target for this project, to give us some flexibility to allow for things taking longer than expected and to cover a bigger marketing campaign. We’re not going to add further technology related goals, you can see everything in this project. However hitting a higher target reduces risk and helps us to bring forward delivery of the goals with the and 
designation. Please help us make a splash with Xavvi and back this campaign now!
Logos and imagery for Xavvi and LiveCode are copyright to LiveCode Ltd. All other logos remain copyright to their respective owners.
Pricing is under review, we will publish this when we are nearer to shipping.
What do I get if this campaign is successful?
Your support will make this project happen. You get to be part of creating and completing Xavvi, the game changing new platform for app building. You will also get access to the beta releases, the free tier and all the new learning materials we’ll produce regardless of your pledge level.
Why do I want the Xavvi Extensions Pack?
This lets you add the 30 new widgets, API connectors and data storage directly to your LiveCode IDE on the desktop.
When will you release Xavvi?
Assuming the campaign is successful, we are aiming for the 4th quarter of 2023.
What is a Cloud Action?
A Cloud Action allows you to run processes in the cloud, as opposed to locally in the browser.
If I pledge for a year of Xavvi, when does my year start?
It starts when we actually ship the first full version of Xavvi.
How will deployment work?
For now, by downloading from Xavvi and building a standalone using LiveCode. Later, we’ll have cloud building capabilities for all platforms, making for an easy and seamless experience.
Is this an all or nothing campaign?
No. Payment for products will be taken as purchases are made.
Do I need Xavvi to use the new Xavvi Extensions?
The Extensions require the cloud backend to work, so you will need a valid Xavvi license to use them. You don’t have to use them within Xavvi, you can add them to your LiveCode license.
What happens if the campaign only partially funds?
We will do the best we can with whatever amount we raise, but to have a great launch, in 2023, with all the features including AI integration, we need to make our specified target. Less than that risks Xavvi not being the leading App building solution we are aiming to make it.
What if we don’t reach the goal?
We’ll take a good look at what we can do with what we have. We may have to extend the timeline or cut the marketing budget. Lets reach the target!
I don’t want to be named on the backers page
If you prefer to be anonymous, untick the box at checkout that says “add my name to the backers list”.
What are Cloud Units?
They are a measure of how much data you are using in the cloud, either for storage or for cloud actions such as using API’s, connecting to AI etc.
Why is this a new product and not LiveCode 10?
Xavvi is cloud based, meaning we host your application and data. It also uses cloud-based AI tools. It would not therefore be possible to include it within the LiveCode licensing structure as cloud applications use their own resources and have an entirely different cost structure. We also don’t think that naming a no-code tool “LiveCode” works well. We are keeping the name of the language, it will continue to be called the LiveCode language (including LiveCode Script and LiveCode Builder variants) within Xavvi. LiveCode 10 is unaffected by these plans and we will continue to ship and support LiveCode for those that don’t need the new cloud capabilities. Read a fuller discussion of LiveCode vs Xavvi here.
Can I build complex apps in Xavvi?
Absolutely! Xavvi will have all the depth and power of LiveCode, but with an added layer of prebuilt simplicity. Plus AI of course.
Where does LiveCode 10 fit in to all this?
LiveCode 10 is coming, it will ship very shortly, and you will receive it as part of your existing LiveCode license if you have a current subscription. LiveCode 10 and Xavvi are separate products. Go here for an in-depth discussion of Xavvi vs LiveCode.
What are Workspaces?
Workspaces are where you build your apps. Your Workspace connects to your data storage backend, you get one of these per Workspace, but you can build as many front end apps as you like.
Is Xavvi the final name?
Xavvi is actually the code-name for this project. We thought we’d try it out to see if you like it and gather feedback. It’s possible we will use it in the shipping version or we may change to something else if we can come up with an even cooler name that is available. Like it or hate it? Let us know!
Will I be able to install this on my own server?
It will be possible, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. This would be an extra service on top of any Xavvi licensing.
How do you pronounce Xavvi?
We’re pronouncing it Zavvy. Other options are possible…
Can I do everything in Xavvi that I can do in LiveCode?
Yes, you can! and then some. Xavvi is built on LiveCode, you can edit code within it just as you do in LiveCode. You can also use the drag/drop prebuilt widgets and API’s to save you loads of time and effort.
When will the product I purchased appear in my account?
All of the processing for this campaign is manual (ie done by real humans). It may take us up to 2 business days to put your reward into your account, we ask for your patience. We will try to do it more quickly. If you still don’t see your purchase after 2 working days, please email us to ask about it.
Why are you crowdfunding Xavvi?
This allows us to stay in control of the product and experience, as well as giving our user base exclusive access to some great discounts in advance of shipping.
I just purchased and its not showing on the campaign page
It can take up to 5 minutes for your purchase to be posted to the campaign page. If it’s been longer than that and it’s still not showing, please let us know.
Should I consider Xavvi if I’m new to LiveCode?
Yes, Xavvi will be a great route for new users to get started and build apps without initially needing to learn any coding at all.
We made it!
Well done and thank you to everyone who contributed.
We did it. You guys are amazing.
A special shout out to one of our top customers who put in that massive pledge right at the end, ensuring we got into stretch goal territory and have the start of our marketing budget to spend!
Thank You
24 Hours to Go! A message from the Xavvi team:
Don’t delay! If you haven’t backed the campaign there’s still time to Pledge Now!
Don’t forget your pledge to make this come to life for you.
48 Hours to Go! Watch 6 examples of AI in action in LiveCode Script.
We’ve had a great response to our campaign so far. These last 2 days are critical to meet our target and enable Xavvi to be the best it can be. If you haven’t backed the campaign please Pledge Now!
In this latest video our Product Manager, Steven Crighton, shows some fantastically exciting examples of how AI will improve your apps.
Don’t forget your pledge to make this come to life for you.
AMA session video recording available
Folks, we had a great session once again with many excellent questions asked and answered. You can watch the whole thing for yourselves here if you missed it!
Revised Target: $250,000 (stretch goal remains the same at $395,000)
After evaluating our progress towards our original target we have decided to remove the marketing budget from the core of this campaign and retain it as a stretch goal instead. This means the new target is $250,000 and we believe this is the amount required to produce a first version, MVP, of Xavvi.
In order to have a successful launch, Xavvi will require marketing and so any funds raised over the newly revised target will be invested in that. If necessary, once we have a public beta we will revisit raising funds for marketing on a public forum (such as Kickstarter or Indigogo).
The success of the Xavvi project, and LiveCode as a whole, obviously depends on a successful funding campaign, so we’d urge you to back the project today.
Webinar: AI Demo
Watch as James Conway showed off the initial AI capabilities live in our webinar.
Webinar: Tech Vision
Steven Crighton talks us through some of what to expect in Xavvi.
Webinar: Intro and Vision
Watch LiveCode CEO, Kevin Miller, explain why we’re making Xavvi.
The webinar and Q&A was held on Tuesday 25th April.
Meeting Schedule
- Why Xavvi – the importance of this journey – Kevin Miller
- What is Xavvi – A walk through key areas- Steven Crighton
- AI Interface progress – An early demo* – James Conway
- A look at some of the widgets so far – Steven Crighton
- Q&A – over to you!
Xavvi Backers
Gregory Miller
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23 comments
Join the conversationHeather Laine - April 20, 2023
We’d love to hear from you, leave your comments here.
Michael Roberts - April 20, 2023
Good luck with the Xavvi fundraiser campaign. I have been experimenting with GPT-4 and LiveCode scripting and was wondering if LiveCode would be leveraging AI…and suddenly I look up and you all are doing Xavvi. Nice. As for most of your earlier campaigns I am all aboard for the ride.
Peter Thirkell - April 22, 2023
Along with many others, I have been following and reading about recent developments in the world of AI through ChatGBT and its counterparts. Like Michael I have also played around with ChatGBT, both as a writing tool and as a means of writing Livecode script. To my amazement it wrote some interesting essays right on the selected topic, and also wrote beautiful code as well as solving a longstanding coding conundrum that had puzzled me for a while. I’ve also talked to others in different fields including medicine, graphic design, web development, law, and higher education … and without exception they are saying that their professional fields will change dramatically in just a few years. This seems to be a truly disruptive technology, and so even for old-timers like me the catch-cry really needs to be “if you can’t beat them then join them!”
I applaud Livecode for seizing this opportunity so quickly and fully. Sure there will be some unexpected twists and turns in the road as always, but the basic premise that AI will change everything in the world of programming and web development as we’ve known it seems almost certain to be true … and will very quickly be proven to be true.
So without knowing exactly where this will all land, I for one am happy to support Livecode going ‘hard and early’ on the Xavvi project. In one sense there is no choice, and it can only make Livecode itself a better product for those who may be more cautious in going down the AI road.
Carpe Diem!
Kelly Janz - April 22, 2023
So how does Xavvi compare with Appli? Competitors? They sound extremely similar and Mark Talluto has been working on Appli for years already. Why would I take a flier on Xavvi when Appli is shipping now?
Questions… I’ve got a lot of questions…
Heather Laine - April 24, 2023
It’s a big market. There’s room for everyone. Appli is somewhat different and we wish them all the best. For your questions, do join us for the Webinar tomorrow, Tuesday at 4pm UK time. If you didn’t get an email with the invitation, I’m about to post the link to the Updates tab.
Peter Thirkell - April 25, 2023
Hello Heather I’d love to join the webinar … but rising at 3am (yes I know – who’d live down under) wipes me out for the next day. I’d be most grateful if the session could be recorded. PT
Heather Laine - April 25, 2023
We will record the meeting. Please ensure you’ve registered so that you will receive the recording.
Xavi Garcia - April 27, 2023
Naturally, I’m delighted with the name of this new LiveCode Adventure!
Tim Bartow - May 2, 2023
I’ve been writing code since the early 1980s. Along the way and over the years I dabbled in some lo-tech AI that involved writing code that would generate other code that was better and bug-free. However, the code was limited to certain aspects of the overall application. It was great for what it did, but there was no way to write an entire program / app from UI to backend and everything in between from text prompts. That was all a pipe dream until recently.
I recently watched a YouTuber (AI Nerd) with zero coding experience use Chat-GPT to write a functional arcade-style app that he completed in under a day. It is a given that AI can and will do a better and faster job of coding than your average “Joe” programmer.
What I find most appealing with this project is that the AI will be trained specifically on LiveCode, which will make for better code and fewer potential bugs. Because AI does better with the info / data it’s trained with, having an AI app developed specifically for LiveCode should provide better and faster results for the users.
As with everything else, first-to-market provides greater opportunities for all involved. I hope this project gets more than the necessary funding because we will all benefit from the technology. This could very well be the “bigger, better deal” that is “neater, sweeter, and more completer!”
Best of luck to everyone! 🙂
Gregg Mc Hatton - May 2, 2023
the_hat@icloud.com
This is how ChatGPT explained how it feels about LiveCode’s new venture.
“Coolness abounds! The AI universe, a stream flowing at lightning pace, delights my senses. How thrilling it is to witness LiveCode’s daring leap to the cutting edge, where innovation knows no bounds.”
Is the webinar available?
Wishing you great success with the campaign!
Ewan Richardson - May 2, 2023
As a long term user of livecode i am really torn with this one. I love livecode, but something went wrong around version 8. Not with the product, but the accessibility of the components and the rapid changes in direction / pricing / models. I have used it in the past for rapid prototyping of tools, from interfaces in radar data for air traffic simulation, to a host of other bespoke applications and it has served me really well for these. I have been keeping a close eye on gpt and related tools. It seems to me that livecode (as a language) should be a perfect fit to use with such tools. Which is great, but commercially terrifying for livecode. What’s to stop a few prompts in gpt type tools actually refining or creating a version of livecode itself in a few iterations? This is where these tools are going, they will make their own interpreters to interact with humans in the most efficient ways possible. Even the application stack as we know it is under threat. Already i have seen demos of a prompt spinning up an instance, creating code, solving a problem and destroying itself afterwards. Large parts of society will be ran by prompt engineers describing problems to a system. While the technical demos look great, as it is basically what livecode always aspired to be.. the entire product is changing from being a community driven resource, to a front end to other peoples cloud servers. “Magic” code scares the hell out of me, on many levels. The pendulum sways both ways, and when something big comes tumbling down because of over dependance on smart technology, (and its when, not if) that even the creators don’t understand we will be scrabbling to re-invent infinitely complex wheels, with tools like livecode no longer being there as the solid, trusted technologies that matter. I really think you have got the approach on this one wrong. Yes, embrace the tools, use it in the internal toolchains to make things more efficient, yes add features, but don’t throw away the baby with the bathwater. The email from Kevin tonight prompted me to post this message. Yes the world is changing fast, but great structures need solid foundations. You will have to run really really fast to keep up with features on this and if i’m honest what i have seen is already outdated. As a customer, id rather see version 10 finished.
Heather Laine - May 4, 2023
Ewan, you have some great points in this post, and I’d like to address them one by one.
What’s to stop a few prompts in gpt type tools
actually refining or creating a version of livecode itself in a few iterations?
The law has not changed. We own our IP. We still have a EULA which prohibits using LiveCode to create LiveCode (or Xavvi to create Xavvi), however that is generated. Having said that, we’re a long way away from something like chatGPT being able to produce something like LiveCode! LiveCode is millions of lines of code, a complex UI and coming soon a cloud backend in Xavvi. ChatGPT is struggling to produce a page of code correctly at present let alone the millions of lines and all the other complexity that makes up LiveCode or Xavvi. In the future, if/when this capability comes to AI, you will still need the cloud backend and other infrastructure to run the apps that are created. It’s some distance away if it ever happens.
[tools] will make their own interpreters to interact with humans
in the most efficient ways possible. Even the application stack as we know it is under
threat. Already i have seen demos of a prompt spinning up an instance, creating code,
solving a problem and destroying itself afterwards. Large parts of society will be ran by
prompt engineers describing problems to a system.
Absolutely. Lets be the system they are describing it to! You will still need a human to be the creator, and to understand what is written for many years to come.
While the technical demos look great, as
it is basically what livecode always aspired to be.. the entire product is changing from
being a community driven resource, to a front end to other peoples cloud servers.
You are right, this is what LiveCode has always aspired to be. We’ve always been all about making app creation accessible to “the rest of us” and everything we’re planning for Xavvi is what will make the dream of “everyone can create apps” a reality. A front end to other peoples cloud servers is selling us short however :). We’ll be creating our own cloud data storage backend, which yes, will use other peoples cloud servers because those exist, are solid, dependable and have things like a well developed with a backup system it would make no sense for us to try to emulate. Lets not reinvent the wheel. We are also planning to make it possible to use our easy database connectors with your own backend of choice. It will remain possible to download your apps and build them for desktop or mobile in the “traditional” way. We are not losing anything here, everything you can do today in LiveCode you will still be able to do – plus a whole lot more, faster, better and more easily. As for being community driven… we’ve never been anything else, and never will be. If we aren’t serving the community that wants and needs LiveCode/Xavvi (or whatever product we are producing), then we have nothing. To remain stuck in the past with outdated technology that is no longer fit for purpose would not be serving the community in any way.
when
something big comes tumbling down because of over dependance on smart technology, (and its
when, not if) that even the creators don’t understand we will be scrabbling to re-invent
infinitely complex wheels, with tools like livecode no longer being there as the solid,
trusted technologies that matter.
This is a misunderstanding. LiveCode is not going away. Whenever you use the AI, the prebuilt widgets or any building blocks created by Xavvi, within those building blocks is English language code. LiveCode. Readable, understandable and editable code. Think about it. LiveCode is the perfect partner for the new wave of AI both now and for many years to come for this very reason. This surely will reduce the risk you are describing of producing complex code that nobody can understand (which by the way is already the case, there are many many legacy systems in the world created in obscure and difficult coding languages over many years, which nobody now understands sufficiently well to fix if/when they go wrong). If I have to have AI generated complex application systems, I’d rather they were generated in LiveCode. Readable and editable code under the surface beats the kind of code generated by pretty much any other language you care to name, any day.
Additionally, LiveCode in its present form will be there and you will be able to use it as you do today for the forseeable future. It is the foundation of Xavvi. We need it. Xavvi needs it. Many of our longstanding customers need it to maintain legacy systems built on it. But we’d be doing everyone a massive disservice if we did not also move forward and embrace the future with Xavvi. Yes, new technologies will have new risks and issues. This is something that not just LiveCode Ltd or the community using it is going to have to face. It’s something the entire world is going to need to get to grips with. For today, we work with what we have and what we can do. We think that having LiveCode at the core of what we do is a positive thing for everyone.
Yes, embrace the tools, use it in the internal toolchains to make things more
efficient, yes add features, but don’t throw away the baby with the bathwater.
See above. We are embracing the tools, and we aren’t throwing any babies away. Nothing is being lost. We are building with and on what we already have, to create something new and vastly exciting, whilst retaining those solid foundations. We see this change making more people into coders, more people able to build apps, not less. LiveCode with its English language is the perfect partner for new AI tools.
You will have to run really really fast to keep
up with features on this and if i’m honest what i have seen is already outdated. As a
customer, id rather see version 10 finished.
We agree. We do have to move fast, which is why we are doing this fundraising now, and not in a years time. Version 10 is being finished, in no way whatever have we stopped building LiveCode 10. You can expect another dp release of it very shortly. Xavvi is built on and with LiveCode 10.
I think however, we all have to realise that whilst Xavvi cannot exist without LiveCode, the converse is also true. If we do not build Xavvi, with all the beautiful UI, easy to use widgets, API connectors AND AI that will attract new users in the new world that is opening up, then LiveCode in its present form in a remarkably short space of time will be irrelevant.
Lets look forward to the future where Xavvi is the system of choice for business people, creatives and programmers to plug in their requirements and receive back beautiful, functional apps built upon readable code in timescales that seem to us today to be unbelievable. The stack of Xavvi plus AI is not just about remaining relevant, it’s about creating a perfect partnership that will be a major solution for mainstream app development in this new world. Let’s build Xavvi together.
Tim Bartow - May 4, 2023
Hey Evan,
Greetings and salutations. I don’t know you, so I must preface my comments with the disclaimer that what follows is meant simply for clarification in addition to some positive criticisms/observations, based primarily on my own experience. It is also worth pointing out to everyone that I have no special interest in, with, or connection to LiveCode in any way, shape, or form. My comments here are purely selfish on my part – in the specific encouragement of others to see the benefits that are very time sensitive to the future of this platform. Because I like LiveCode and have invested in it, I have a selfish interest in preserving the value of the time and money I’ve already put in… and securing the future of such. Outside of that, I’m just a plain old boring coder who lives in front of a computer like many of you. 😉
Also, I’ve written long paragraphs below so as to encapsulate single topics more visually and coherently. ALL CAPS are for highlighting only – not screaming.
As I wrote (above – May 2nd) earlier, I’ve been writing code in one way or another on various platforms since the days of the infancy of computers. If you can remember “peek” and “poke” then you know where I’m coming from. I’ve seen and been a part of lots of changes regarding tech. Thankfully I no longer have to connect to the internet with a 56k modem and listen to it perform a handshake with the computer on the other end of the telephone line.
If I were to try to encapsulate your (Evan’s) concerns and fears, I would sum it up by making the analogy of the people who feared/begrudged the advent of automobiles over horses. Yes, much of what you say is fundamentally true, but it’s the same philosophical position from which your positions/perspectives are based. No matter how sincerely the anti-auto people were, the advancing technology prevailed and continues to advance beyond what any of the early auto industry visionaries could have ever imagined. CONCLUSION: The only thing certain in life is “change.” Using the auto industry as an example, the richest person on the earth is Elon Musk – the developer of electric cars, rockets, and AI – including robotics… that are also incorporated into his EVs. Yes, you can still utilize a horse for transportation (Amish rely on it), or you can drive a car, take a plane, etc.
I personally have developed (back in the 90s) and used AI in my own apps that I wrote for commercial purposes, so my perspective is “actual, real life” and not simply a “perspective or hunch.” Because I spent less time coding after developing my own AI, I was able to spend more time developing the UI and data-driven back end, which was a huge advantage. I have always been a one-man operation, so in some instances, I was competing for business against entire teams of developers… and my apps were vastly superior and more robust than those of the teams of developers. CONCLUSION: Less time writing code, debugging, etc. = more time improving the functionality and FEATURES available in our own apps. In My case, to the extent that the other teams could not compete. CONCLUSION: Superior technology and concepts (used properly) = more and superior results that are “neater, sweeter, and more completer.”
While AI is advancing faster and even more accurately, there is room on the freeway for more than one vehicle (no horses allowed on the freeway). Clearly, the likes of Microsoft, Adobe, OpenAI, and many others are leading the charge on AI and integrated technologies. The latest round of “help wanted” for the tech industry is the need for employees to work on AI WHO HAVE CODING EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES / PLATFORMS. You don’t need people like that unless your next improvement involves AI for coding, developing apps, improving code, etc. So, yes, your observations are correct – everyone will soon have the same opportunity to create apps without being a bonafide coder. HOWEVER, Microsoft and the others are not going to spend a dime on training their AI specifically for LiveCode. I understand that over time, the AI learning will learn more about LiveCode and all other platforms through osmosis. But UNLESS it is trained SPECIFICALLY for LiveCode, it may be “good” at writing code, but it will never be SUPERIOR, like the LiveCode AI that is trained not only on what is available for osmosis learning but what the SPECIFIC future tools, resources, and features of LiveCode are going to be. Whereas the LiveCode AI will be trained to provide SUPERIOR results for both present use and future development. So the question you have to ask is whether you want to have assistance and tools that are “just OK,” or would you rather have those that are clearly SUPERIOR?! It’s happening now, so you WILL have to choose if you’re going to continue coding. CONCLUSION: the AI (and there are many versions) is nothing more than written code that processes immense amounts of data to provide “logical” results that, at times can be outright wrong (depending on the slant of the coders). If any of us here had unlimited time, we could all write code for our own AI. Its ability to be a reliable tool is not only dependent on WHO developed it, but just as important, THE TYPES OF DATA upon which it was trained, and the desired “end game.”
You state that “Magic” code scares the hell out of you on many levels. Actually, it should. Because of my own lens through which I view the world, what concerns me most is exactly: WHO ARE THE CODERS BEHIND THE VARIOUS AI TECHNOLOGIES? WHAT IS THEIR WORLD-VIEW? ARE THEY CODING THINGS BASED ON THEIR OWN AGENDA AND HIDDEN FROM THE MASSES? HOW CAN I TRUST PEOPLE WHO COULD HAVE EVIL DESIGNS TO CONTROL SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF MY WORLD – I.E. WHY DO ALL THE ROBOTS AND CHAT INTERFACES ALWAYS WANT TO DESTROY THE HUMANS?! If you are going to be forced to live your life that will increasingly require interfacing (to some degree or another) with AI, then I would suggest that utilizing the tech that is trustworthy would be essential. For example, as it stands now, all the AI chat in all its forms is somewhat “left leaning” in social aspects, and often provides results that are skewed. Let’s take that a step further and imagine that Microsoft doesn’t like the competition from LiveCode and trains its AI to be “less dependable” in writing LiveCode script than LiveCode AI itself. Which AI would be more dependable for your coding purposes? Because you could never “look under the hood” of either AI data, you would never know. In fact, $100 says that a year from now, LiveCode AI will clearly be superior to any other AI chat for the purposes of coding LiveCode. On the other hand, $100 says that Microsoft’s “Bing” and ChatGPT (Microsoft is heavily invested) will produce 100% flawless results for any coding platform to which it is connected / partnered. CONCLUSION: It is true that “off-brand” products can be used with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer’s) items. We’ve all bought cheaper parts that weren’t OEM. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they are a waste of money. OEM parts, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive, but they preserve the INTEGRITY of the product because they were originally built in tandem with their main product(s). Using cheaper parts may prove to be a waste of money, and they OFTEN VOID the product’s warranty! While other AI chat systems may provide “usable” code, getting the code straight from the developers (OEM) will always be the best choice… and typically cheaper in the long run.
For What It’s Worth: From a humanistic perspective, what typically drives resistance to anything (literally anything) is not typically what appears to be the foremost emotion or expression. Rather, it’s almost without exception, that of “fear,” which you’ve indicated in your post. In this case, it is likely the fear of the rug being pulled out from under your feet as you sit comfortably at your computer writing code with the resources that are comfortable to you. All of us can relate to that experience, whether with LiveCode or some other experience/situation in life. From my perspective, it’s a lot like the realization that you have no choice regarding critical elements of your future. However, in this instance, IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE for LiveCode to develop their AI technology WITHOUT simultaneously improving the “traditional” platform in tandem, because the AI is dependent on the traditional base code. CONCLUSION: Take heart, Version 10 will be completed and released and will work in tandem with the AI. Ultimately, Version 11 will be released in tandem, and so on.
OVERALL CONCLUSION:
At the speed at which AI technology is advancing (literally exponentially), those who do not lead the pack, will be reduced to following the pack. And you know what they say, “If you’re not the lead dog, the view of the rest of the pack looks the same.” What we, as users of LiveCode, should be doing is supporting the AI tech and embracing the positive changes it will make in app development. Based upon my own experience, it will save us a great deal of time that we can spend on improvements, additional features, etc. Or just do some things in life we’ve never had time for.
The idea of using some other AI chat to write SUPERIOR code specifically for LiveCode is at best a pipe dream. The specific feature of AI chat producing usable code will most likely be skewed in favor of how that technology can be monetized. Don’t fool yourself, AI is simply another commodity that can be monetized. Just look around… many AI technologies we have now that are monetized, were once free. When it’s free, that simply translates to you being the Beta Tester for them. Once it’s good enough to be monetized, it will likely happen. Or, at the very least, it will be so generic that it won’t provide you with superior results. The question is not “Will we have to pay,” because ultimately, “you get what you pay for.” The more important concern/question we should be contemplating is, “If we have to eventually pay for it, how and where do we get the best bang for our buck? Do we go with “cheaper generic” or superior 100% OEM that benefits us the most?
I was one of the very first backers, not because I want to be the first kid on the block to have the latest toy, but rather because of all the upsides this offers (with few, if any, downsides) for my purposes of writing code for apps I can produce.
The proverbial piper is calling. One way or another, if your course is to begin or continue to develop apps, you will have to pay the piper in order to compete in the marketplace. It will be much cheaper and better (time is of the essence) to pay now. Supporting this project to its fruition will make it a better platform for all of us now and in the future.
Thanks for your time, and best of luck to all of you! 🙂
Andreas Bergendal - May 5, 2023
Thanks, Tim Bartow, for this comprehensive and insightful comment. ^
It was long but well worth reading. I agree wholeheartedly! I too decided early to back Xavvi, and I’m going to double by contribution now! I so hope this campaign is successful!
Thomas Seewald - May 7, 2023
I think one drawback of LiveCode is that you can find relatively few modules on Github or elsewhere, for example.
I have been toying with the idea of switching from LiveCode to javascript and have learned javascript. In the process I discovered my love for Javascript and found my love for LiveCode again.
The concepts are – in my opinion – very similar. And I guess it’s pretty easy to show that you can have many layout-independent functions translated using ChatGPT once you’ve trained the language model a bit.
Knowing this might motiviewrt a few more people.
The same is probably true for Python. Good luck in any case. I wish us a lnage future together with a lot of AI.
I hate all the busywork you have to do as a programmer. Sql in tables, tables in sql, creating forms and – what I really ask you to do, because I have no talent there – offers me graphical themes.
Tim Bartow - May 11, 2023
Hey all,
I just wanted to make some additional observations and provide some additional perspectives.
AI in and of itself is NOT intelligent at all. Because it was developed as software by programmers using code, it is entirely dependent upon data and more importantly, an exhaustive amount of logical (and in some instances “randomness”) processes. AI CANNOT think – all it can do is process lots of data, working under various logical processes. Think of a flow chart with virtually endless options and conditions, wrapped around an almost endless supply of data, with more being added – both options and data.
Humans do not have the capacity to retain even a portion of the world’s data, which is constantly being updated every second of every hour of every day, especially with the growing number of people connected to social media platforms that give virtually everyone a voice that was never possible before. Most humans do not have a brain with any type of advanced data processing capabilities. Fewer than 1% of humans have a brain capable of intensely logical thinking. Humans are also emotional, which has a negative effect on logic. As a result, in the arena of endless data and logic, humans fail miserably. That is why so many experts fear AI – because humans are not even a close second in the race, and the gap widens by the SECOND!
AI has the benefit of being able to do what humans can never do… and more… in the arena of data processing and manipulation! On the other hand, think what you could do if your mind was capable and trained, as is the AI. You could then compete with the AI legitimately, at any level.
Since you ARE NOT capable of that, then you are left to attempt to utilize AI as a tool. The potential problem with that is that you can never “look under the hood” to see exactly the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of the underlying code. Ultimately you are left with no choice but to TRUST those who wrote the code and hope their objectives in coding are somewhat in line with your desired results… which may or may not be the case… that’s why I personally don’t trust the computed results that are produced through someone else’s algorithm, prejudices, world-view, etc.
That being said, AI is nothing more than a systematic way to store and instantaneously access vast amounts of data on any given subject/topic. It also has a vast amount of data relative to any subject/topic in every aspect of literature, language, etc., relative to how that subject/topic has been used in the past, whether technical, educational, conversational, abstractly, specifically, and in conjunction with any/all other related uses. Think of it like everyone in Hollywood can be related to Kevin Bacon in three connections.
Lastly, the AI also has access to every literary and literacy element of every imaginable type, style, and related language, grammar, sentence structure, writing style, etc., etc., etc. This enables it to “communicate” in any language and at any educational level IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. That’s why if you ask AI to explain something at a Fifth Grade Level, it can dumb down the answers with ease.
I must provide the foregoing information as a basis/foundation in order to understand the current situation and specifically as it applies to LiveCode in the present development of Xavvi. From my perspective, I don’t think most of the people who’ve taken a look at it truly understand the potential of this development. And after tuning in on the AMA live broadcast (5-10), I am convinced of that more than ever.
Technical people (i.e., software developers, programmers, etc.) have a difficult time explaining and expressing the benefits of certain technology to those who are not as technical. Technical people get excited about the latest tech and how they can leverage that tech into their own applications and purposes. Most of the people they interact with are likewise tech-savvy and also understand the “coolness” of the newest tech. On the other hand, some people could care less about the underlying genius of the tech, they simply want to know how they can make what they do simpler, easier, and better… and why they would or should pony up some money for it. This is especially true of the non-tech people who WILL be entering the coding and development world we live in.
So, with that in mind, imagine if you knew every aspect of LiveCode inside and out. If you knew intimately every possible command in conjunction with every possible parameter/argument of said commands. And you knew every possible use of every command, of all code, of all widgets, and every possible interface with all other languages, apps, and everything involving native app building, web access, database interface, e-commerce, etc. And include the bonus that you would evolve with all future technology so as to be up-to-date at all times. And imagine that you could train and explain what you know to others. What would you do? Probably make a nice living doing training and explanatory videos and writing tutorial books… or simply bashing out awesome code easily for your own apps. No matter how you slice it, you would be miles ahead of the average “Joe” user.
When prompted, AI does not simply “think about it” and spit out an answer like you or I might. Instead, it gathers immense amounts of data relative to the inquiry and goes through an exhaustive number of cycles of logic to render the possible solutions to the one that still exists after everything else has been eliminated (for the most part). AI does not think… it processes data – period… end of story… it’s all logical according to the programmers’ methodology.
None of us will ever be the top guru of all things LiveCode, including the developers, programmers, etc. With that in mind, then the next best thing for us would be to have a way to SIMPLY access every command, function, accessibility, resources, etc. and how best to apply it in our own work. That is the goal of AI in relation to our particular use.
Now, instead of you having to learn every possible aspect of LiveCode to be the top guru and make the best possible apps with it, you can simply have access to that information at all times. Want to include a certain function in your app but don’t know the best way to accomplish that? Then simply tap your “guru” and get the most efficient code possible.
THE AI IS NOT GOING TO MAKE YOU BETTER APPS… IT’S SIMPLY GOING TO MAKE YOUR APPS BETTER!
The closer you can get to the source or the root of the absolute best use and application of the underlying code you are using to build your apps, the better off you will ultimately be! The average “Joe” user will now be able to compete with the best of the best… and everyone wins.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the best AI is not the one powered to access everything under the sun but rather the one trained specifically for what you need to know and what you need to have access to.
At this juncture, it won’t be long, and there will be more inexperienced people developing apps with the help of AI than you can shake a stick at. All you need to do is look at the number of app developers on IOS and Android now compared to a few years ago… and developing those apps requires some time, effort, and programming skills. Just think of how many there would be if all that was required was being able to type good prompts?!
Just look at the AI results that are winning art contests. People who spend months and sometimes years working on their art are getting beat out by some person with ZERO artistic background, training, experience, etc. The person taking home the blue ribbon simply wrote a good prompt and through the randomness of the underlying AI code, a masterpiece was created in about a minute!
If you’re simply making apps for your own personal use, then MAYBE stick with what you have. If you’re trying to make a living through app development, then you will be forced to move on with the technology, and the future is all AI at this juncture. It’s survival of the fittest… evolve or die… pretty simple.
Again, my purpose for writing this is simply selfishness… I want the best possible resources available for bringing ingenuity to fruition in the “neatest, sweetest, and most completest” way possible… as quickly as possible.
I hope you back this project so it can be available ASAP!
Thanks, and good luck to all of you! 🙂
Richmond - May 13, 2023
What are the plans if the target sum is not reached by the deadline?
Heather Laine - May 15, 2023
I refer you to the video response to this question, which you can find in the faq tab on this page:
https://livecode.com/xavvi/?wvideo=jlzgafezxb
We’ll take a good look at what we can do with what we have. We may have to extend the timeline or cut the marketing budget. Lets reach the target!
Mark Smith - May 17, 2023
Just watched the latest video showing how AI will be integrated into Xavvi/LC. This will completely transform how we write (and document) our code in the future. It looks like LC has give this a lot of thought and the UI is extremely well done. If you haven’t backed the campaign so far I’d give this short 4 minute video a watch and be prepared to be blown away.
André De Tienne - May 18, 2023
Congratulations to the entire team on this marvelous outcome, as surprising and suspenseful as it has been. And thanks to whomever made the pledge that made the final difference and much more.
Jim Lambert - May 18, 2023
jiml@netrin.com Congratulations on a successful campaign!
Looking forward to Xavvi.
rg - May 29, 2023
Will there be a Linux version?
Panos Merakos - May 30, 2023
Hello,
I’m not sure we have a definitive answer to this at present 🙂
Of course, the Web version will run on all browsers, regardless of the OS, so it will run on Linux as well.
Desktop version is eventually planned I believe … whether that will include Linux is hard to say at the moment.
Kind regards,
Panos