Re: Using Claude Code
Blake McBride <[email protected]> Sun, 18 Jan 2026 06:36:36 -0600
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.java.ide.netbeans.user |
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| Message-ID | <CABwHSOvLs9E416qidx7Ctc41bfdjtV1HgimaFNZF4BMhv4+gHA@mail.gmail.com> |
--000000000000f7547a0648a8d3f8 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello Ulrich, As to #1, I am also an author. I've published one book, and I am 80% done with my second. I spend most of my extra time on that. Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. If I had the time, I would definitely do that. As to #2, I just sent out another long email that answers that question. Thanks. Blake On Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 6:29=E2=80=AFAM Ulrich Mayring <ulrich.mayring@isys= .de> wrote: > Hello Blake, > > thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I would be interested > in two aspects: > > 1) If Claude Code does save you so much time, surely now you have some > free time to put into Netbeans? You could easily let Claude Code develop > a plugin that supports your own build system. You can teach Claude Code > the core codebase of Netbeans and that of your build system and surely > it would be able to implement the project API for your build system? > > 2) What exactly is it about Netbeans that you like so much that using > another IDE like IntelliJ or Eclipse is not your preferred option? > > Kind regards, > > Ulrich > > > Am 18.01.26 um 05:19 schrieb Blake McBride: > > Greetings, > > > > I thought that sharing my experience with Claude Code might be useful, > > as it has dramatically increased my ability to repair bugs and implemen= t > > features, and I believe it could do the same for NetBeans. > > > > I single-handedly maintain two primary systems. The first is Stack360 > > <https://stack360.io>, a large web-based system. The backend consists > of > > roughly 9,000 Java and Groovy classes. The frontend is HTML and > > JavaScript and includes about 300 screens. The frontend and backend > > communicate over REST. The backend uses PostgreSQL with nearly 300 > > tables, and there are seven distinct frontends communicating with a > > single backend. > > > > The second system is my KISS web development framework, described at > > KissWeb.org <https://KissWeb.org>. It is open source, so anyone can > > examine it in as much detail as they like. > > > > I began using Claude Code to help support, debug, and enhance these > > systems about six months ago. Early on, I invested significant time > > teaching Claude Code about my systems, architecture, and coding > standards. > > > > Computers understand many languages, and to communicate with them you > > must learn one or more of those languages=E2=80=94Java, HTML, JavaScrip= t, C, C#, > > Python, and so on. There is a different =E2=80=9Clanguage=E2=80=9D used= to work > > effectively with AI, and that language is English. Teaching Claude Cod= e > > about my systems and standards is done entirely in plain English using > > plain text files. > > > > Before using Claude Code, I spent nearly all of my time supporting, > > debugging, and enhancing these systems. I worked seven days a week, > > roughly twelve hours a day. My only other concern was spending enough > > time with my wife to keep my marriage on track. > > > > Since training Claude Code on my systems, it now handles roughly 95% of > > my workload. Tasks that once took hours now take minutes. Does it make > > mistakes? Absolutely! But so has every employee I have ever worked with= . > > When an employee makes a mistake, you must be careful how you present > > the issue=E2=80=94people get offended easily. Claude Code is always ava= ilable > > and never gets an attitude. > > > > I pay $100 per month for Claude Code and have never hit a usage limit. = I > > have defined several agents, each with expertise in a specific area. > > Claude Code uses these agents in parallel, with them communicating and > > collaborating to solve problems. > > > > Now to how this relates to NetBeans=E2=80=94I apologize in advance for = being > blunt. > > > > NetBeans was once my favorite IDE by far. It had the most intuitive > > interface I had ever used. Around the time NetBeans stopped functioning > > properly during the Apache transition, I switched to IntelliJ out of > > necessity. While IntelliJ is far better than IDEs like Eclipse, NetBean= s > > was still the best, in my opinion. > > > > Unfortunately, NetBeans has remained unusable for serious work since th= e > > rework that was done as part of that transition. I would like to help, > > but I simply do not have the time. For me, that is not an option. > > > > For my purposes, the current version of NetBeans is far too restrictive > > and buggy for real-world use. That is a shame, because I genuinely like > > NetBeans. For a long time I assumed things would improve. Many years > > have passed, and in many areas the situation has worsened. > > > > I understand that progress depends on contributions. At present, there > > are not enough effective contributions to drive NetBeans forward in a > > meaningful way. Left as things are, I doubt NetBeans will ever regain > > anything close to its former level of use. > > > > This is where Claude Code becomes relevant. Tools like Claude Code can > > dramatically increase the amount of progress each contributor can > > deliver. Making a serious effort to integrate AI-assisted development > > into the NetBeans workflow could significantly accelerate development. = I > > believe that a substantially more capable and useful version of NetBean= s > > could be produced in a relatively short time. > > > > Like it or not, AI systems such as Claude Code are already replacing > > large portions of what we do. This is happening regardless of personal > > preference. My advice is simple: take maximum advantage of it while you > can. > > > > Thanks, > > Blake McBride > > > > -- > iSYS Software GmbH > > Ulrich Mayring | Full Stack Developer > Technology Lab / R&D > > Tel: +49 (0) 89 46 23 28-0 | Fax +49 (0) 89 46 23 28-14 > email: [email protected] > > Grillparzerstra=C3=9Fe 10 | D-81675 M=C3=BCnchen > www.isys.de > > Sitz der Gesellschaft: M=C3=BCnchen | HRB 111760 > Gesch=C3=A4ftsf=C3=BChrer: Stefan Fischer und Max Haller > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > > For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists > > --000000000000f7547a0648a8d3f8 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div><p>Hello Ulrich,</p><p>As to #1, I am also an author.= I've published one book, and I am 80% done with my second. I spend mos= t of my extra time on that.</p><p>Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. If = I had the time, I would definitely do that.</p><p>As to #2, I just sent out= another long email that answers that question.</p><p>Thanks.</p><p>Blake</= p></div><div><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"= ><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 6:29=E2=80= =AFAM Ulrich Mayring <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">ulrich.m= [email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" st= yle=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padd= ing-left:1ex">Hello Blake,<br> <br> thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I would be interested <br= > in two aspects:<br> <br> 1) If Claude Code does save you so much time, surely now you have some <br> free time to put into Netbeans? You could easily let Claude Code develop <b= r> a plugin that supports your own build system. You can teach Claude Code <br= > the core codebase of Netbeans and that of your build system and surely <br> it would be able to implement the project API for your build system?<br> <br> 2) What exactly is it about Netbeans that you like so much that using <br> another IDE like IntelliJ or Eclipse is not your preferred option?<br> <br> Kind regards,<br> <br> Ulrich<br> <br> <br> Am 18.01.26 um 05:19 schrieb Blake McBride:<br> > Greetings,<br> > <br> > I thought that sharing my experience with Claude Code might be useful,= <br> > as it has dramatically increased my ability to repair bugs and impleme= nt <br> > features, and I believe it could do the same for NetBeans.<br> > <br> > I single-handedly maintain two primary systems. The first is Stack360 = <br> > <<a href=3D"https://stack360.io" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blan= k">https://stack360.io</a>>, a large web-based system. The backend consi= sts of <br> > roughly 9,000 Java and Groovy classes. The frontend is HTML and <br> > JavaScript and includes about 300 screens. The frontend and backend <b= r> > communicate over REST. The backend uses PostgreSQL with nearly 300 <br= > > tables, and there are seven distinct frontends communicating with a <b= r> > single backend.<br> > <br> > The second system is my KISS web development framework, described at <= br> > KissWeb.org <<a href=3D"https://KissWeb.org" rel=3D"noreferrer" tar= get=3D"_blank">https://KissWeb.org</a>>. It is open source, so anyone ca= n <br> > examine it in as much detail as they like.<br> > <br> > I began using Claude Code to help support, debug, and enhance these <b= r> > systems about six months ago. Early on, I invested significant time <b= r> > teaching Claude Code about my systems, architecture, and coding standa= rds.<br> > <br> > Computers understand many languages, and to communicate with them you = <br> > must learn one or more of those languages=E2=80=94Java, HTML, JavaScri= pt, C, C#, <br> > Python, and so on. There is a different =E2=80=9Clanguage=E2=80=9D use= d to work <br> > effectively with AI, and that language is English.=C2=A0 Teaching Clau= de Code <br> > about my systems and standards is done entirely in plain English using= <br> > plain text files.<br> > <br> > Before using Claude Code, I spent nearly all of my time supporting, <b= r> > debugging, and enhancing these systems. I worked seven days a week, <b= r> > roughly twelve hours a day. My only other concern was spending enough = <br> > time with my wife to keep my marriage on track.<br> > <br> > Since training Claude Code on my systems, it now handles roughly 95% o= f <br> > my workload. Tasks that once took hours now take minutes. Does it make= <br> > mistakes? Absolutely! But so has every employee I have ever worked wit= h. <br> > When an employee makes a mistake, you must be careful how you present = <br> > the issue=E2=80=94people get offended easily. Claude Code is always av= ailable <br> > and never gets an attitude.<br> > <br> > I pay $100 per month for Claude Code and have never hit a usage limit.= I <br> > have defined several agents, each with expertise in a specific area. <= br> > Claude Code uses these agents in parallel, with them communicating and= <br> > collaborating to solve problems.<br> > <br> > Now to how this relates to NetBeans=E2=80=94I apologize in advance for= being blunt.<br> > <br> > NetBeans was once my favorite IDE by far. It had the most intuitive <b= r> > interface I had ever used. Around the time NetBeans stopped functionin= g <br> > properly during the Apache transition, I switched to IntelliJ out of <= br> > necessity. While IntelliJ is far better than IDEs like Eclipse, NetBea= ns <br> > was still the best, in my opinion.<br> > <br> > Unfortunately, NetBeans has remained unusable for serious work since t= he <br> > rework that was done as part of that transition. I would like to help,= <br> > but I simply do not have the time. For me, that is not an option.<br> > <br> > For my purposes, the current version of NetBeans is far too restrictiv= e <br> > and buggy for real-world use. That is a shame, because I genuinely lik= e <br> > NetBeans. For a long time I assumed things would improve. Many years <= br> > have passed, and in many areas the situation has worsened.<br> > <br> > I understand that progress depends on contributions. At present, there= <br> > are not enough effective contributions to drive NetBeans forward in a = <br> > meaningful way. Left as things are, I doubt NetBeans will ever regain = <br> > anything close to its former level of use.<br> > <br> > This is where Claude Code becomes relevant. Tools like Claude Code can= <br> > dramatically increase the amount of progress each contributor can <br> > deliver. Making a serious effort to integrate AI-assisted development = <br> > into the NetBeans workflow could significantly accelerate development.= I <br> > believe that a substantially more capable and useful version of NetBea= ns <br> > could be produced in a relatively short time.<br> > <br> > Like it or not, AI systems such as Claude Code are already replacing <= br> > large portions of what we do. This is happening regardless of personal= <br> > preference. My advice is simple: take maximum advantage of it while yo= u can.<br> > <br> > Thanks,<br> > Blake McBride<br> > <br> <br> -- <br> iSYS Software GmbH<br> <br> Ulrich Mayring | Full Stack Developer<br> Technology Lab / R&D<br> <br> Tel: +49 (0) 89 46 23 28-0 | Fax=C2=A0 +49 (0) 89 46 23 28-14<br> email: <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">ulrich.m= [email protected]</a><br> <br> Grillparzerstra=C3=9Fe 10 | D-81675 M=C3=BCnchen<br> <a href=3D"http://www.isys.de" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">www.isy= s.de</a><br> <br> Sitz der Gesellschaft: M=C3=BCnchen | HRB 111760<br> Gesch=C3=A4ftsf=C3=BChrer: Stefan Fischer und Max Haller<br> <br> <br> ---------------------------------------------------------------------<br> To unsubscribe, e-mail: <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= .org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><br> For additional commands, e-mail: <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= he.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><br> <br> For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit:<br> <a href=3D"https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lis= ts" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://cwiki.apache.org/confluenc= e/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists</a><br> <br> </blockquote></div></div> --000000000000f7547a0648a8d3f8--