Why I use AI at RARE DATA

RARE DATA is one person: me. I'm a disabled veteran, a musician, and an independent developer building tools around something I care about deeply.

Music is the reason this business exists. I build things I want to use, work with people who use them differently, and keep improving what I put into the world. This is my full-time work.

I use AI, and I intend to keep using it where it helps me do that work well.

A technical background built over time

I've been fixing computers since childhood, and my professional technical background spans more than 20 years. I served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2011, working with Mk 41 vertical launch systems and graduating at the top of my training class. I've worked in private-sector IT since 2012, including systems administration and ITIL service environments.

My background includes CompTIA A+ certification and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, completed in 2023. Across my IT career, I've built, imaged, prepared for business use, or troubleshot tens of thousands of computers across different industries. That work has ranged from assembling PCs and preparing company systems to replacing drives, laptop screens, phone screens, and other components. I know what it means to find a fault, fix it, and get someone working again.

I formed RARE DATA LLC around the time I graduated. Python was part of my college coursework and the path to my first app, Intelligent Phrase Chopper, which evolved into Quota DS. My experience with real systems and real users feeds directly into the music tools I build today.

Better tools for one person

Better tools have always changed what one person can accomplish. AI extends what I can investigate, build, test, explain, and maintain. That matters when the same person has to work on the product, answer support messages, write documentation, record demonstrations, and run the business.

A workshop changes when better tools become available. The person running it still decides what to make and takes responsibility for what leaves the door. That's how I approach AI.

I'm responsible for the direction of RARE DATA and for the products released under its name. If something breaks, the customer comes to me. If a workflow is confusing, I need to understand why. A tool doesn't take those responsibilities off my hands.

You can see that human involvement in the hours of walkthroughs I record, the conversations I have with users, and the updates that follow their feedback. I'm not naturally comfortable in front of a camera. I do it because showing the software in use and explaining it myself helps people get more out of it.

Private working methods

I don't believe customers need an inventory of my workshop to decide whether a product is useful. I won't publish a running breakdown of which model handled which task, how many lines came from a particular tool, or the prompts and processes behind every release.

Those methods are part of the business I've built. I may share parts of them when I choose, and I will meet applicable disclosure and licensing obligations. That is different from agreeing to open my entire process to anyone who asks.

The name RARE DATA reflects the value I place on ideas, knowledge, and work with something distinct to offer. Some of that work I share freely. Some remains private. Some becomes a product that helps support the next release.

Free software and a sustainable business

I support open source and publish free software. I also sell software. Those choices can coexist. Open-source licenses define the permissions and conditions for reuse. For example, the MIT license permits commercial reuse while requiring its copyright and permission notices to be retained. Respecting a license means following its actual terms.

Charging for my work is part of keeping this company going. The cost includes development, equipment, tools, testing, documentation, and support. A faster way to complete one task doesn't make the whole product cost nothing to create or maintain.

I want pricing to be accessible, and I listen when customers tell me money is tight. I also want this work to be sustainable. Generosity and a viable business need room to exist together.

Why I reject the vibe-coded label

I reject “vibe-coded” as a description of my work. It collapses the ideas, technical judgment, troubleshooting, and responsibility behind a product into a label about one of the tools involved. When I say an app wasn't vibe-coded, I'm making that distinction. I've already said plainly that I use AI.

I am at the center of this process. I decide what the product needs to do, which tools are useful, what to keep, what to rework, and what is ready to release. If AI helps me achieve a better result, I use it. If it doesn't, I use another approach. That judgment is part of the work.

What customers can expect

My aim is to exceed expectations in what these tools can do, how they feel to use, and the support behind them. Better technology is valuable when it helps me deliver on that ambition.

Customers should expect clear information about the product, honest descriptions of its capabilities and limitations, and someone who takes problems seriously. Questions about privacy, compatibility, accessibility, or a feature that isn't working deserve useful answers.

Tell me what you tried, what happened, and what you needed to happen. I can work with that. I remain responsible for what I release.

Professional consultation

The experience and working methods behind RARE DATA have value. If you want practical guidance on using AI in your own business or development work, I offer dedicated consulting on AI-assisted workflows, independent product development, and solving technical problems.

Professional consultation starts at $500 USD per hour.

Scope and availability are agreed in advance. To discuss a consultation, email support@getquota.app with a brief description of what you want to accomplish.

Ordinary product support remains available through the same address and does not require a consulting engagement.

Read the RARE DATA AI use policy