[AI Struggle Diary 19] "I don't really get it?" Why a 64-year-old is turning his back on the latest tech to build his castle using the "Plum Route"

I am stockpiling late-night note articles in preparation for going independent next year.

The other day, when I showed my wife a thumbnail image I created with generative AI (Nano Banana), she was surprised and said, "It's really beautiful!" When I told her, "I'm going to use Gemini (AI) to build my website too," she was impressed, saying, "AI is amazing."

Actually, last month I signed up for Google Workspace and finally secured a custom domain (land on the internet) for "Genba-chi Kobo" with an annual contract. The time has finally come to build my "castle (website)".

My AI advisor's "runaway" behavior and my true feelings

I consulted my AI advisor (Gemini). "I've got the domain. I can't write code, but I want to build a website that is as low-cost and as simple as possible."

Then, like a fish taking to water, the AI began to say things like, "Vibe Coding is the best!" and "Let's use the latest tools like v0 or Bolt.new!"

A parade of service names I'd never even heard of. My true feelings were this:

"I don't really get it?"

If I look to the future, the latest technology is probably important. However, right now, my top priority phase is focusing on writing for note. This is no time to be wasting effort on building a website. I want to get through this more quickly.

The Pine, Bamboo, and Plum options, and my decision

I pressed the AI further. "Give me something more for beginners."

Then the AI calmed down a bit and presented three options: [Pine], [Bamboo], and [Plum]. How suddenly old-fashioned.

[Pine] Latest tools (v0, Bolt.new, etc.)
You can create cutting-edge sites without programming knowledge, but there is a learning curve.
[Bamboo] AI editor (Cursor, etc.)
AI supports you while you write code; for intermediate users.
[Plum] Google Sites + Gemini Canvas brainstorming
Standard features of the Google Workspace I'm already subscribed to. A gritty hybrid method where you only consult the AI for text and structure and then plug it in.

I chose [Plum] without hesitation.

"Alright, this is good."

For me right now, I thought this was the best judgment. I even felt grateful to Google for providing such a down-to-earth solution.

The beginning of a clumsy "workshop"

It might be different from the strict "Vibe Coding" where you make the AI write the code. However, the gritty spirit of "not studying programming, but conveying my own intuition and ideas to the AI to give them shape" is the same.

I don't need a site that looks like a smart, flashy IT company. A handmade "workshop" where my clients—managers and executives in their 40s, 50s, and 60s—can feel at ease is fine.

I decided to stop overreaching and build my castle with "Google Sites," which fits my current scale. The new struggle of Genba-chi Kobo begins here. Alright, time to study on YouTube for a while.

Thank you for reading until the end. Please look forward to future updates from the "Genba-chi Kobo" (Field Knowledge Workshop). If you could like or follow us, it would be a great encouragement for us to continue delivering down-to-earth, practical knowledge.