2 ms·

If that’s an Electron app, what’s the difference with running it in the browser?

by wltr 2mo ago

SillyUsername 2mo ago
None that I can see - I already have it installed as a chrome app on my Mint desktop, and it seems identical.
- martin- 2mo ago
  Does the Chrome app have access to your local files, like when you're working on a code project?
  - fg137 2mo ago
    Or running local commands or talking to an MCP server at a random domain unrestricted by content policy
lwansbrough 2mo ago
Access to your computer
- JPLeRouzic 2mo ago
  That's why I won't download that tool.
  - Gareth321 2mo ago
    Honestly, you're missing out. The productivity gains I've had with these tools is unbelievable. I understand the risk though, so if you've got government sensitive data on your computer, or no backups, don't use the "full access" option. Babysit what it does instead.
    - dmortin 2mo ago
      Isn't it expensive, though? If you let it perform gui or web tasks for you using vision, I'd think it consumes lots of tokens.
      - zorked 2mo ago
        I don't know about Chatgpt but I used Kimi (they have a Chinese-only plugin that does desktop control - works fine if you enable it even if you don't know Chinese). Observing how it works, it's mostly using the accessibility features of the user interfaces - it fetches a sort of DOM for the desktop applications. Only rarely it has to take a screenshot.
      - Closi 2mo ago
        Depends how much you are using it - for a casual user the $20 tier gives you just about enough use for hobby projects etc. Or if you are doing full time development then you just need to pony up for the 20x tier if you want to use it. Running Codex locally removes so much friction and is so fast compared to either running it on the web (where it has to build environments online etc which consumes time) or compared to copy-pasting chatgpt that it's just a no-brainer.
    - margorczynski 2mo ago
      Can you give some examples? I'm evaluating where/how I could use stuff like this.
      - vineyardmike 2mo ago
        Literally everything from generic coding agent to shopping. I run it in a MacOS vm, fwiw, for certain tasks. I usually hand it a repo and say “install all build dependencies” and it’ll click through installation GUIs where necessary. I wonder if the TOS of an application is enforceable if a bot agreed and a human never saw it. It can UI test web apps if that’s part of your job, but it can also just use the browser for tasks. I’ve had it research flights by checking different dates automatically and compiling the results for me. I’ve heard others use it to handle building a shopping cart for instacart/grocery delivery. Probably the hero usecase for most people would be app/web development. It can control either a browser or a device simulator and can iteratively build and test the application, by clicking real buttons.
  - tristanj 2mo ago
    Access to your computer is the entire point of the app. Codex computer use can script and control any application on your computer. You can give it any task on your computer and it can automate it. Such as creating a photo on Photoshop, creating 3D models, editing videos, or browsing any website without scripting.
  - fsflover 2mo ago
    What about running it in a virtual machine?
water-drummer 2mo ago
Why do you need nodejs if you can run javascript in the browser?
- shevy-java 2mo ago
  I can't answer that question, but I think you can do more with node than with default javascript, such as access to local files. This is something I wanted javascript to do for local use and people always said "you may not do this, your computer will be destroyed". So I just use ruby instead and am still annoyed that javascript is so crippled by default at all times.

If that’s an Electron app, what’s the difference with running it in the browser?

by wltr 2mo ago

If that’s an Electron app, what’s the difference with running it in the browser?

SillyUsername 2mo ago

None that I can see - I already have it installed as a chrome app on my Mint desktop, and it seems identical.

martin- 2mo ago
Does the Chrome app have access to your local files, like when you're working on a code project?
- fg137 2mo ago
  Or running local commands or talking to an MCP server at a random domain unrestricted by content policy

lwansbrough 2mo ago

Access to your computer

JPLeRouzic 2mo ago
That's why I won't download that tool.
- Gareth321 2mo ago
  Honestly, you're missing out. The productivity gains I've had with these tools is unbelievable. I understand the risk though, so if you've got government sensitive data on your computer, or no backups, don't use the "full access" option. Babysit what it does instead.
  - dmortin 2mo ago
    Isn't it expensive, though? If you let it perform gui or web tasks for you using vision, I'd think it consumes lots of tokens.
    - zorked 2mo ago
      I don't know about Chatgpt but I used Kimi (they have a Chinese-only plugin that does desktop control - works fine if you enable it even if you don't know Chinese). Observing how it works, it's mostly using the accessibility features of the user interfaces - it fetches a sort of DOM for the desktop applications. Only rarely it has to take a screenshot.
    - Closi 2mo ago
      Depends how much you are using it - for a casual user the $20 tier gives you just about enough use for hobby projects etc. Or if you are doing full time development then you just need to pony up for the 20x tier if you want to use it. Running Codex locally removes so much friction and is so fast compared to either running it on the web (where it has to build environments online etc which consumes time) or compared to copy-pasting chatgpt that it's just a no-brainer.
  - margorczynski 2mo ago
    Can you give some examples? I'm evaluating where/how I could use stuff like this.
    - vineyardmike 2mo ago
      Literally everything from generic coding agent to shopping. I run it in a MacOS vm, fwiw, for certain tasks. I usually hand it a repo and say “install all build dependencies” and it’ll click through installation GUIs where necessary. I wonder if the TOS of an application is enforceable if a bot agreed and a human never saw it. It can UI test web apps if that’s part of your job, but it can also just use the browser for tasks. I’ve had it research flights by checking different dates automatically and compiling the results for me. I’ve heard others use it to handle building a shopping cart for instacart/grocery delivery. Probably the hero usecase for most people would be app/web development. It can control either a browser or a device simulator and can iteratively build and test the application, by clicking real buttons.
- tristanj 2mo ago
  Access to your computer is the entire point of the app. Codex computer use can script and control any application on your computer. You can give it any task on your computer and it can automate it. Such as creating a photo on Photoshop, creating 3D models, editing videos, or browsing any website without scripting.
- fsflover 2mo ago
  What about running it in a virtual machine?

water-drummer 2mo ago

Why do you need nodejs if you can run javascript in the browser?

shevy-java 2mo ago
I can't answer that question, but I think you can do more with node than with default javascript, such as access to local files. This is something I wanted javascript to do for local use and people always said "you may not do this, your computer will be destroyed". So I just use ruby instead and am still annoyed that javascript is so crippled by default at all times.