A lot of it is, in fact, new.
replyThe hype around OpenClaw is largely due to the large suite of command line utilities that tie deeply into Apple’s ecosystem as well as a ton of other systems.
I think that the hype will be short-lived as big tech improves their own AI assistants (Gemini, improved Siri, etc), but it’s nice to have a more open alternative.
OpenClaw just needs to focus on security before it can be taken more seriously.
What part is new? the thing that took off is that it allows technophiles who couldn't probably flash a raspberry pi to feel like they are hackers. All of this stuff exists in tons of random AI apps that exist already it just wasn't really that much of a value add, there is just a virality of it reaching audiences that previously only knew how to use a chat app.
replyI wouldn’t call it new, just conveniently packaged and with more momentum. I’ve been running an apple-mcp server on a Mac Mini for Claude to use to manage my reminders in addition to Gcal + gmail, and I could have just as easily added messaging capabilities.
replyCall me crazy, but… I feel more likely to trust Anthropic than anybody else when it comes to safety on things like this.
To me, the magic is around interactions with personal info where they are - iMessages, e-mails, etc. I still am wart to open up like this, but it certainly is not as simple as Claude code and cron task. The “you can already do this via rsync + FTP” comment on Dropbox Show HN thread comes to mind.
replyIt's a bit different than the Dropdox situation because the market is already flooded, the big players have their options, the cycle is rapid (who's langchain?)
replyI hope, think, and build towards a world where there will be fewer winner-take-all in this foundational tech