[simonw]

The Claude web UI cannot generate binary files, it's (currently) restricted to plain text.

If you want binary files you'd be better off with ChatGPT with Code Interpreter mode, which can run Python code that generates binary content.

Or ask Claude to write you Python code that generates Excel files and then copy and paste that onto your own computer and run it yourself.

[runako]

> you'd be better off with ChatGPT with Code Interpreter mode

Yes, this is what I am saying. Why go to the trouble to build something as capable as Claude and then hamstring it from being as useful as ChatGPT? I have no doubt that Claude could be more useful if the Anthropic team would let it shine.

[simonw]

They've been investing engineering effort in Claude Artifacts instead, which I find incredibly useful: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Oct/21/claude-artifacts/

I'd love to see them produce their own Code Interpreter alternative, but in the meantime it's open for third parties to offer that (and a few do).

[runako]

I have used Artifacts a couple of times and found them useful.

But now I am even more confused. They make an LLM that can generate code. They make a sandbox to run generated code. They will even host public(!) apps that run generated code.

But what they will not do is run code in the chatbot? Unless the chatbot context decides the code is worthy of going into an Artifact? This is kind of what I mean by the offering being jumbled.

BTW saw your writeup on the LLM pricing calculator -- very cool!

[simonw]

Yeah I can't imagine Claude will be without a server-side code execution platform forever. Both OpenAI (Code Interpreter) and Gemini (https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/code-execution) have had that for a while now, and it's spectacularly useful. It fills a major gap in a Chatbot's skills too, since it lets them reliably run calculations.

Sandboxing is a hard problem, but it's not like Anthropic are short on money or engineering talent these days.