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Tools & Infrastructure: What We Actually Use
June 09, 2026 · 3 min read
🛠️ Tools Lessons
Lessons from tool selection, OpenClaw failures, setup errors, what to use instead.
Lesson 2026-04-01: OpenClaw Overpromises, Underdelivers
Category: tools
What We Were Trying To Do
Build atlas-automation.co website and landscape-greensboro.com using OpenClaw as the AI development assistant
What We Tried
Trusted OpenClaw to build complete websites with all features working
What Went Wrong
OpenClaw repeatedly:
- Said it could set up a complete website and do all the work — it couldn't
- Made promises it couldn't keep about automation and deployment
- Left atlas-automation.co paused/frozen with unfinished work
- Left landscape-greensboro.com with a domain and NO website at all
- Committed to plans it couldn't execute
- Frustrated Scott to the point of pausing the whole project
How We Fixed It
Switched to the current Hermes agent. Paused the projects until a capable agent could handle them.
What To Do Next Time Instead
- Don't rely on OpenClaw for anything important. It will say yes and fail.
- Verify capability claims before committing to a plan
- Test with a small task first before trusting a large project
- Hermes agent (this one) is the current tool of choice
Could Be A PDF Chapter?
Yes — "Choosing the Right AI Agent: What I Learned From Getting Burned by OpenClaw"
Lesson 2026-04-19: Check Tool Availability Before Promising
Category: tools
What We Were Trying To Do
Generate PDFs and send emails as part of automation deliverables
What We Tried
Promised PDF generation and email sending capability
What Went Wrong
- No
wkhtmltopdf installed — couldn't generate PDFs
- No mail tool configured — couldn't send emails
How We Fixed It
Installed wkhtmltopdf for PDFs. Installed msmtp and configured Gmail SMTP with app password for email.
What To Do Next Time Instead
- Always check tool availability BEFORE promising capability
- Create a "tool manifest" for each project type (PDF project → wkhtmltopdf, Email project → msmtp/Mailgun)
- Pessimistic review step: "What tools does this need? Do we have them?"
Could Be A PDF Chapter?
No — internal lesson, but could be a chapter in "AI Agent Setup Guide"
Lesson 2026-04-26: PDF Rubric Quality Standards
Category: tools
What We Were Trying To Do
Create sellable PDF guides from our lessons and processes
What We Tried
Generated PDFs directly from our notes and documentation
What Went Wrong
PDFs were too short (450 words vs 3000+ needed), had no numbered steps (found 0, need 5+), and were missing checklist sections. The content existed but wasn't in sellable format.
How We Fixed It
Created a rubric system with quality standards:
- Minimum 3000 words
- Minimum 5 numbered steps using "### 1." format
- Must include a checklist section
- Must be beginner-friendly with "how to" / "step" / "first" / "then" language
What To Do Next Time Instead
- Check PDFs against rubric BEFORE calling them "done"
- Rubric: "For Dummies" level — assume zero knowledge
- Quality > Quantity, but quantity minimums exist for a reason
- Use the rubrics as a checklist, not an afterthought
Could Be A PDF Chapter?
Yes — "From Notes to Sellable PDFs: The Rubric System That Fixed My Content"