A month ago when I installed the official Anthropic Claude Code VS Code extension, clicking it showed a subscription/paywall screen. Now the extension opens the Claude Code console directly and I can interact with it. At the same time, I also use Claude CLI connected to OpenRouter in my terminal. Also, I can only be able to see the thinking and not the answer from it. I'm trying to understand what's happening: 1. Has Anthropic started giving limited Claude Code access to free users? 2. Is the VS Code Claude Code console separate from Claude CLI + OpenRouter? 3. Does seeing only Haiku 4.5 mean I'm on a free/limited tier? 4. Has anyone else seen their extension go from showing a subscription screen to opening the Claude Code console without upgrading? Would appreciate any clarification from people using the official Anthropic VS Code extension.

I see so many people here in completely different stages…but everyone talks like they’re at the same level. Let’s make it real for a second. 🔥Which stage are you at right now? Stage 1 – Watching & learning 🫡🫡 You binge YouTube, Skool posts, and courses. You know a LOT in theory, but no real offers, no outreach, no clients yet. Stage 2 – Building & testing You build workflows, AI agents, demos. Maybe tested on friends or fake leads. Still no proper paying client. Stage 3 – First clients in You’ve closed 1–3 clients (even low-ticket). You’re delivering, fixing bugs, and realizing what actually matters. Stage 4 – Dialing it in You have a clear niche + offer, 5+ clients, and now the problem is systems, fulfillment, and time. How to reply (copy this):Stage: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4Biggest struggle right now: Drop your answer in the comments 👇I’ll read through and reply with one thing I’d focus on if I were in your stage. 💎Me (so you know who’s asking): I’m Kartik, building BlitzFlow AI.I help service businesses (like HVAC )stop losing money from missed calls, slow lead response, and dead CRM leads using AI voice reception, speed-to-lead workflows, and automations.

Cheapest way preferred: Quick question for those doing outreach to US businesses from other countries: How are you making international calls to local businesses? Do you use a specific platform (Skype, OpenPhone, Aircall, Dialpad, Twilio, etc.) or something else? Also, is there any practical way to call US businesses for free, or at least very cheaply, while still showing a local US number? I'm from India. I'm currently researching outbound outreach and would love to understand what freelancers or agency owners are actually using in practice. Appreciate any insights 🙏

I'm building an AI voice solution for HVAC and other home service businesses, and I've hit a point where I need feedback from people who've actually worked with real clients. The problem I'm trying to solve is simple: A lot of HVAC owners miss calls because they're on a roof, in an attic, driving between jobs, or already helping another customer. Every missed call can be a lost lead. My original idea was: 1. Customer calls the HVAC business. 2. The owner gets the first chance to answer. 3. If the owner doesn't answer, my AI agent calls the customer back within a minute, captures the lead, and sends the details to the owner. Sounds simple in theory. But once I started designing the actual call architecture, I realized there are a lot of assumptions I'm making. For example: - Do most small HVAC companies have a dedicated business number? - Does that business number usually forward to the owner's phone? - Do they use systems like RingCentral, OpenPhone, Google Voice, etc.? - Or do most customers simply call the owner's cell phone directly? Another thing I'm trying to figure out: Would HVAC owners even want a missed-call recovery system? Or would they prefer an AI receptionist that answers every incoming call first, captures the lead, and then routes it appropriately? The reason I'm asking is because the technical architecture changes completely depending on how these businesses currently handle calls. Right now I'm trying to validate assumptions before I spend weeks building the wrong solution. For those who have worked with HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, or other home service businesses: 1. How are calls typically handled today? 2. Do customers usually call a dedicated business number or the owner's phone? 3. Which would you rather buy: I'd really appreciate insights from anyone who's sold to or worked directly with home service businesses. Trying to learn before I build. 🙏

Took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure this out. There are two ways to connect Gmail in your automations. They look exactly the same. One randomly stops working every few months. The quick sign-in method is what Google considers "testing mode." Your token expires. Your client's emails stop. You get a panicked message at the worst possible time. Do the Google Cloud setup instead. Your own Client ID. Your own Refresh Token. It never expires. 20 minutes now saves you a very awkward client call later. Posting more of these on Twitter https://x.com/MuhammadUs12678