4 ms·

Funny, so far i've been just asking it things i normally ask Google. Same paranoia of answers that StackOverflow/etc give me, but far quicker and more responsiv

Funny, so far i've been just asking it things i normally ask Google. Same paranoia of answers that StackOverflow/etc give me, but far quicker and more responsive. TBH i'm not sure under what scenarios people search into Google expecting perfect answers. Ie where we're disappointed by incorrect information. I filter through a dozen wrong answers on Google every day. Why is it different if it's from ChatGPT?

user3939382 4y ago
I guess one difference is that I have a lot (decades?) of experience in the types of errors humans tend to make. Humans have certain biases, certain blindspots, etc. In programming for sure, there are very strong patterns in the types of mistakes we make that tend to be a function of skill or experience. So you (I) look for those without even thinking about it. Violation of YAGNI, ACID, DRY, pre-mature optimization, etc. Even before getting to an answer I can often judge how trustworthy or skilled the author/speaker is likely to be by all kinds of little signals or keywords in their speech. ChatGPT (and Github co-pilot) disables that highly tuned error detection and correction experience. It makes unpredictable mistakes, which is peculiarly pernicious. I'm sure it varies by the temperament of the user. Personally I don't have the patience for that.
- unshavedyak 4y ago
  Good points. I think it also helps that i purposefully avoid asking for things that i can't validate. The easier it is to validate the more likely i am to ask. I find ChatGPT especially great with giving starting points. It kinda feels like 10 (or something... time?) years ago when i discovered how good Google was at finding movies based on vague wishy-washy definitions. If i don't know what to call something ChatGPT does a better job at pointing me in the right direction. Often giving the right answer. But i'm not saying it has lasting power. We'll see. So far i'm using Search engines less than ever.
  - user3939382 4y ago
    On further reflection one of the major missing signals from ChatGPT is time. This is especially important for technology. When someone's explaining, giving an opinion, providing a solution -- I always consider that in the context of the date attached. ChatGPT gives us these answers that remove that. I see completely the difference in your example, though, where you can easily and immediately validate the response. It definitely is way stronger at that than previous solutions.

user3939382 4y ago

I guess one difference is that I have a lot (decades?) of experience in the types of errors humans tend to make. Humans have certain biases, certain blindspots, etc. In programming for sure, there are very strong patterns in the types of mistakes we make that tend to be a function of skill or experience. So you (I) look for those without even thinking about it. Violation of YAGNI, ACID, DRY, pre-mature optimization, etc. Even before getting to an answer I can often judge how trustworthy or skilled the author/speaker is likely to be by all kinds of little signals or keywords in their speech. ChatGPT (and Github co-pilot) disables that highly tuned error detection and correction experience. It makes unpredictable mistakes, which is peculiarly pernicious. I'm sure it varies by the temperament of the user. Personally I don't have the patience for that.

unshavedyak 4y ago
Good points. I think it also helps that i purposefully avoid asking for things that i can't validate. The easier it is to validate the more likely i am to ask. I find ChatGPT especially great with giving starting points. It kinda feels like 10 (or something... time?) years ago when i discovered how good Google was at finding movies based on vague wishy-washy definitions. If i don't know what to call something ChatGPT does a better job at pointing me in the right direction. Often giving the right answer. But i'm not saying it has lasting power. We'll see. So far i'm using Search engines less than ever.
- user3939382 4y ago
  On further reflection one of the major missing signals from ChatGPT is time. This is especially important for technology. When someone's explaining, giving an opinion, providing a solution -- I always consider that in the context of the date attached. ChatGPT gives us these answers that remove that. I see completely the difference in your example, though, where you can easily and immediately validate the response. It definitely is way stronger at that than previous solutions.