I need a couple of volunteers to install some artificial intelligence software on their computer computers
Thomas Messerschmidt
I’m finishing a section of my book, "A VERY Gentle Introduction to LLM AI" that walks readers through downloading, installing, and coding with the GPT4All API. Before I publish it, I’d love a few volunteers to “dry run” my instructions on their own computers and tell me what breaks, what’s confusing, and what needs clearer screenshots/steps.
What you’ll do (simple + fun 😄)
Follow my step-by-step install instructions (GPT4All + the Python API setup)
Run a small “hello world” style example
Tell me what worked / what didn’t
Prerequisites (important!)
You must already have Visual Studio Code installed
You must already have Python set up and working in VS Code (you can run a simple Python script successfully)
Please do NOT already have GPT4All installed on that computer (I need testers starting from a clean slate so the instructions are truly beginner-proof)
Computer requirements (so this doesn’t turn into a sad robot noise situation 🥲)
RAM: 16 GB recommended (8 GB is the minimum, but 16 GB is much smoother for bigger models)
Operating system: Windows 10+ or macOS 12.6+ or Ubuntu 22.04+
CPU: must support AVX/AVX2 (most modern Intel/AMD CPUs do)
Free disk space: at least ~10 GB free (the app + one or two models can be several GB each)
GPU: optional (it can run on CPU-only), but if you have a decent GPU you’ll likely get faster responses
If you do have one: NVIDIA/AMD or Apple Silicon is great; 8 GB+ VRAM is a nice-to-have
Time commitment
About 30–60 minutes, depending on downloads and whether your machine decides to be dramatic that day 😅
If you can help, please reply with:
Your OS (Windows/macOS/Linux)
RAM amount (ex: 16 GB)
Whether you have a GPU (and what kind, if you know)
Confirmation that you have VS Code + Python working already, and GPT4All is not installed yet
When you might be available
Thank you in advance—this is one of those “measure twice, publish once” moments, and your feedback will directly improve the book. 🙌
Thomas