FAQ

What is this?

leaf is several different things depending on who you are. For flip phone users, leaf is a good tool for navigating society without apps or the internet. For those concerned with the extent to which apps track and distract us, leaf is a minimalist and powerful alternative. For the technically-inclined, leaf evokes the brute simplicity and efficiency of the terminal. For some, it is purely a novelty.

Who made it?

I (Sawyer) made leaf. I live in New York City, so its design has been slightly shaped by that fact. It does work in other places though. And if you live somewhere else and need a specific feature, I'd be happy to add it.

How does it work?

When you text leaf, our server interprets your command and does some combination of processing your request locally and calling external services. My primary goal is for leaf to be simple, pleasant, and powerful. Right now, that means using a mix of free and commercial APIs. While we don't directly call any LLMs, some of leaf's data providers (Google Maps) are less morally sound than I'd like. I hope to transition to ones that are more ethical and open in the future.

Why is it slow?

If it's slow it's because Twilio (our SMS provider) is taking a while to deliver messages. This is likely due to cosmic forces that are beyond my comprehension. I usually take a few deep breaths while waiting.

How much does it cost?

It's free for a little usage and $3 a month for more than that. This is roughly how much a cappuccino cost in 2014. I want leaf to grow sustainably and protect our privacy, attention, and right to navigate the world without a smartphone. On average, $3 a month is enough to pay for Twilio, data sources, servers, and food.

How do I pay?

Text 'support' to leaf. That will give you a link to click on or type in a browser. From there, you can become a patron for $3 a month. To cancel, visit your account page or text 'account' to leaf.

How do I start?

Text 'hello' or whatever you want to +1 360 800 2048.

Do you have plans for the future?

I plan to add more tools and improve existing ones. Down the road, I'd like to add some optional communication tools (something like mail or bulletins). Even further down the road, I'd like to make leaf accessible in more places (email, SSH, web, ?). Further still, maybe one day people can create, share, and customize their own tools.

How can I contact you?

You can contact me for any reason at mail@swyr.net. I welcome ideas, questions, suggestions, crossovers, tribulations, and anything else I have not enumerated here. You can also text 'feedback' to leaf for these purposes.

Can I use leaf from a terminal?

You sure can! Run curl -s https://leaf.saw.dog/install | sh from a Mac or Linuxy thing. Run "leaf auth <account-number>" to authenticate. Run single commands like "leaf w queens" or type "leaf" to enter a REPL.