{"id":62,"date":"2026-05-02T11:14:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T11:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8080\/handwerk\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T08:25:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T08:25:26","slug":"craft","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tb-software.ch\/ai\/en\/craft\/","title":{"rendered":"True craftsmanship in software \u00b7 since 1989"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n \n
\n
\n Career Path \u00b7 Manifesto<\/span>\n

7 years of coding.
\n No Vibe-Coder.<\/span>\n <\/h1>\n

\n In 1989, I started on a 286 with DOS, using BASIC and dBase. Today, I build AI systems with local LLMs. In between: Windows\u00a03.11, Clipper, FoxPro, Visual Basic, ASP, C#, .NET, WPF, ASP.NET, JavaScript, WordPress, Python, LangChain. I use AI tools every day, but I understand how they work. That's the difference.\n <\/p>\n

\n 7+ years of development<\/span>\n since 1989<\/span>\n Rheintal \u00b7 on-premises if necessary<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/header>\n\n \n
\n

Timeline<\/h2>\n

A journey through time with hardware, operating systems, and languages. Each decade has shaped how I build software today.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

989, late 80s<\/h3>\n
\n
Hardware<\/dt>
86\/386, 1 MB RAM, no mouse support<\/dd>\n
OS<\/dt>
DOS 3.x \u2022 Norton Commander<\/dd>\n
Languages<\/dt>
BASIC \u00b7 dBase III \u00b7 Assembly snippets<\/dd>\n <\/dl>\n

First own programs. Understanding data instead of clicking data. Those who learned to code back then also learned how a computer truly functions\u2014no marketing layer in between.<\/p>\n <\/article>\n

\n

990s<\/h3>\n
\n
Hardware<\/dt>
86 \u2192 Pentium \u00b7 CRT monitors<\/dd>\n
OS<\/dt>
Windows 3.11 \u00b7 Windows 95\/98<\/dd>\n
Languages<\/dt>
Clipper \u00b7 FoxPro \u00b7 Visual Basic 3\u20136 \u00b7 HTML<\/dd>\n <\/dl>\n

First client projects for SMEs. Database applications, inventory management, simple websites. The internet went mainstream, and software moved from the specialist shop to every desk.<\/p>\n <\/article>\n

\n

000s<\/h3>\n
\n
Hardware<\/dt>
Pentium 4 \u2192 Multi-core \u00b7 LCD<\/dd>\n
OS<\/dt>
Windows XP \u2022 Linux alongside<\/dd>\n
Languages<\/dt>
ASP \u00b7 ASP.NET \u00b7 C# \u00b7 SQL Server \u00b7 JavaScript<\/dd>\n <\/dl>\n

Web applications for SMEs, backend logic in C#, .NET 1.x \u2192 3.5. Here I learned how to architect software that goes beyond a simple script.<\/p>\n <\/article>\n

\n

010s<\/h3>\n
\n
Hardware<\/dt>
SSD Standard \u00b7 Mobile \u00b7 Cloud Start<\/dd>\n
OS<\/dt>
Windows 7\/10 \u00b7 iOS \u00b7 Android<\/dd>\n
Languages<\/dt>
ASP.NET MVC \u00b7 WPF \u00b7 jQuery \u2192 Vue \u00b7 REST APIs<\/dd>\n <\/dl>\n

Desktop and web in parallel. First mobile apps. APIs as standard. This was the realization: Separation of data, logic, and presentation isn't just academic\u2014it pays off over time.<\/p>\n <\/article>\n

\n

020s, today<\/h3>\n
\n
Hardware<\/dt>
GPU inference \u00b7 IoT devices \u00b7 Edge<\/dd>\n
OS<\/dt>
Linux server \u00b7 Windows workstation<\/dd>\n
Languages<\/dt>
PHP\/WordPress \u00b7 Python \u00b7 LangChain \u00b7 LLM Prompting<\/dd>\n <\/dl>\n

Local AI on your own hardware. Mistral, Qwen, GLM, DeepSeek, all runnable on-premises. AI tools used for coding but never blindly. I read and understand each suggestion before it goes into the repo.<\/p>\n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n \n

\n

AI is my tool. Not my crutch.<\/h2>\n

\n Vibe-Coding produces code that somehow works. Real software craftsmanship builds systems you can still debug in five years. I use AI tools every day, but I understand what they do. That's the difference. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

What AI does for me<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Generate boilerplate code<\/li>\n
  • Reviewing architecture proposals<\/li>\n
  • Documentation available in other languages<\/li>\n
  • Quick \u201ewhat was the syntax for \u2026 again<\/li>\n
  • Provide refactoring ideas<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n
    \n

    What I do myself<\/h3>\n