[zzyzxd]

If they are ok with shortcuts being vibecoded, maybe it's time to expose a proper programming language to the end users as well.

All my automation shortcuts can be easily explained in pseudo code under 5 minutes, but it took me ages to put them together because that weird UI/UX forcing me to drag-and-drop squares around to manipulate data structures. Programmers hate it, non-programmers can't understand it, it is not designed for anybody.

[kalleboo]

It's funny how they went from AppleScript -> "oh writing scripts is too complicated for users, let's create Automator" -> "Automator is too simple, let's create Shortcuts" -> now with shortcuts being generated by language models they need a structured scripting language again.

AppleScript even had "dictionaries" declaring their commands and everything, would have been perfect way teach LLMs how to automate applications.

[bobbylarrybobby]

The original MCP!

[archagon]

I've never been more frustrated programming something than when I tried to build a non-trivial Shortcut. Things that I could have expressed in a quick script took me literal hours to compose and debug using the WYSIWYG interface. And since there's no version control, any mistake runs the risk of dislocating an element or messing up an input/output connection and breaking everything permanently.

[nozzlegear]

You can write AppleScript in JavaScript, a much better language than applescript itself. Neither are usable outside of macOS ofc

[bronco21016]

100%. It’s accessible to only the truly stubborn among us who have no other option available to make things just work.