The Minimum Viable Unit of Saleable Software

The author argues that while AI/LLMs have made software development significantly cheaper, they haven't made it free, and building custom software still requires substantial human oversight and maintenance costs. Using a task management system as an example, he demonstrates that the true cost of LLM-assisted development includes initial refinement loops and ongoing human labor for bug fixes and feature updates, which must be weighed against commercial software alternatives. The piece explores the economic viability of building small software businesses in the AI era, suggesting that sustainable products can still exist if they operate within realistic cost constraints.