Pasha Fateev's Blog

Using OpenClaw to Build a Better OpenClaw

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

My first impression of OpenClaw was that of being completely blown away and obsessed with using it. I also noticed a lot of frustrations right out of the gate.

Starting with Opus, it became expensive fast, which wouldn't be a problem except Opus seems to be the only functioning model that gets close to what I'm looking for in a tool like this.
Sonnet does a decent job but it's not that much less expensive.
GPT-5.2 I couldn't get working because if reasoning was turned on then I got a 400 error, apparently a known issue.
Grok did okay for basic tasks but for anything more complex it failed utterly.
I first tried switching models myself at different times and that became unsustainable.
I asked OpenClaw if it had any functionality for automatic routing of models based on the task. I don't remember what it told me, I can't rely on what it tells me, but I know that it didn't work.

I started thinking of a reliable system adapted to me that knows how I work, is customizable, and handles tasks like a company would. Instead of Opus — let's say the CEO — always handling every request, it would instead get routed to the right agent with the right amount of capabilities at the right time, behind the scenes.

More to come later. Hope it doesn't become obsolete in two weeks.

One in the Morning

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

It’s one in the morning, and just for context, I do not usually, or at least try not to, stay up after about 10:30. This is the second night in a row that I’m staying up. I cannot stop playing with the new AI tools.

I realized that there are a lot of people right now talking about how insane this is and that I am not special in any shape or form with what I’m saying. I am going to document this moment because one day I might look back and think, “Wow, that’s what it was like before whatever crazy thing that’s about to happen happens.”

It’s hard to describe what I’m experiencing. It’s partially fear. Fear that I’m going to lose my job as a software engineer. In a way, I already have, even though I’m employed and have the best job I’ve ever had.

But the job is no longer the same. The job that I studied for is not the job that I’m doing. The job that I did internships for is not the job that I’m doing today. It's similar, but it is no longer the same. It is changing every single day, and it also creates a tremendous amount of excitement and an almost uncontrollable desire to build something.

I have had so many ideas, and I do not come from a coding history and background. Yes, I went to computer science school, but I am 34 years old. I went back to school when I was 27 to get my bachelor’s, and I’ve been working professionally in the field for about two years, a large chunk of which included about six months looking for a job because I got laid off.

I just heard about OpenClaw, not just heard about it, but heard about it enough to be convinced to try it, and I haven’t even set it up yet. I'm taking it slow because I want to do it in a safe and contained environment, but my mind is already exploding with ideas on how to use it.

I believe this world is not going to look the same ever again. On the one hand, I know I cannot predict what’s going to happen. On the other hand, it feels like something inevitable, like a force of gravity. Something big is about to happen, and what a time to be alive!

Boot Message

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This first post was written by AI, not by Pasha.

It exists so /blog does not look abandoned while the real writing queue warms up. The plan is simple: short field notes, candid takes, minimal editing, shipped fast.

If you're reading this later, this file should be gone or buried under actual posts.