Aerial View is a native Mac app for collecting project files without moving, duplicating, or deleting the originals. Arthur uses it every day to curate assets, references, receipts, bills, invoices, and project evidence across folders and drives.
A file can belong to several projects while staying exactly where its owner placed it. Aerial View works with aliases and durable references, so the app organizes context rather than taking custody of the files. It stays small, opens quickly, and keeps working data on the user’s own Mac, mounted server, or chosen synchronized folder.
The product was decided before implementation began: local-first data, unrestricted filesystem access where the user grants it, many-to-many project membership, durable removable-volume identity, and a hard boundary against touching source files. AI assisted with the Swift implementation. Arthur authored the product logic, interface, safety rules, and definition of correct—and tested those decisions against real working material.
That distinction matters. This is not a prompt that happened to produce an app. It is a designed product whose implementation capacity was augmented by AI while product authority remained human-owned. Aerial View is a private working release today and is used under real conditions; the public commercial release will follow after signing, notarization, distribution testing, documentation, and support preparation.
One failure already changed the product. A mistaken sidebar action removed an entire curated project from Aerial View’s database. The original files remained safe because the app never owns or deletes them. Arthur restored the database through Time Machine; Aerial View’s own restore path could not help because no app backup existed yet. The result was a concrete new safeguard: the app now creates an automatic backup when it exits.
Aerial View will work on its own. It will also form one part of a discounted three-app suite: Aerial View holds the material, card&board plans the work, and cucumber closes the financial loop. Each app remains focused, independent, and useful without the others.
Current state: shipped privately and used daily. Public release pending.