Better Offline Vibe Coding is BS w/ Charlie Meyer
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Nov 5, 2025 
Charlie Meyer, founder and CEO of Picode, critiques the concept of vibe coding, arguing it often fails to create real software. He explores the challenges of AI tools like Replit, highlighting how they disrupt educational workflows and can lead to disastrous results. The conversation delves into the hype surrounding scaling laws, the realities of AI capabilities, and the consequences of relying on these technologies without adequate understanding. Meyer offers a contrarian perspective on tech narratives, advocating for a focus on practical skills in software development.
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Demo-Ware Versus Real Software
- Charlie Meyer calls many AI products “demo-ware”: they work for short demos but fail in real usage.
- Demos hide day-to-day reliability problems that kill real product value.
Replit's Useful Pre-AI Era
- Charlie recounts using Replit pre-AI and loving it as a collaborative, Chromebook-friendly IDE for teachers.
- That earlier product proved useful because it reliably supported classroom workflows.
Teachers Lost Curricula On Replit
- Charlie describes Replit turning on AI autocomplete for students with no opt-out and later deleting teacher projects.
- Teachers found curricula and student work permanently removed after a July warning email.