“One of the most accurate quotes I’ve heard about AI comes from the 19th century and concerns logging. Seriously.”

Jeff Francis
Founder
ENO8
…on the power of preparation in the age of AI—and solid advice from Abe Lincoln, via LinkedIn.

The quote Francis is referring to?

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I’ll spend the first four sharpening my ax.”
—Abraham Lincoln (allegedly)

Francis admits he doesn’t actually know if Lincoln said it. But “the sentiment is bang on when it comes to developing software in 2025,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

The founder of the Dallas-based tech studio argues that if companies want to use AI coding to build production-ready digital products, they should spend about 60 percent of their time perfecting their prompts first—sharpening the ax before chopping down the tree.

He calls this approach “vibe code+”—AI-assisted coding where master engineers take concepts all the way to working solutions. And it requires serious upfront work.

“AI is a force multiplier… but you have to be sure you’re multiplying the right thing,” Francis added.

“Yes, anyone can vibe code,” he said in the post. “But to get usable products that a senior engineer can take across the production finish line, you gotta spend a loooooot of time nailing your prompt… then layering on all the bells and whistles to make it ready for prime time.”

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

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