3 ms·

Hacker News is just r/roastme for programmers

12 points by gregsadetsky 3y ago

roflyear 3y ago
I wonder what % of readers here do programming in their day to day. Definitely a good amount but I don't think it is the majority.
- retrocryptid 3y ago
  Depends on your definition of "programming." If you mean "putting code together" then maybe even more than half. If you mean "engineering" then a very small fraction.
  - roflyear 3y ago
    That makes it even more subjective!! What's your definition of engineering?
    - retrocryptid 3y ago
      https://www.nae.edu/19579/19582/21020/221074/221278/Presidents-Perspective-What-Is-Engineering https://www.nae.edu/19579/19582/21020/221074/221278/Presiden... I would also argue that "engineering" as a discipline, as part of the "operations" clause in the link above requires a close observation of the economics of any proposed solution. In other words, engineers have to worry about costs.
      - roflyear 3y ago
        If your definition is "The systematic application of scientific knowledge in developing and applying technology." I think we can agree.
        retrocryptid 3y ago
        FWIW, I went through a journey a couple years ago to try to define the term "software engineer." I notice there were A LOT of people just throwing code around or just copying and pasting random crap from stacktrace and aws demo code w/o understanding what it did. I think inherent to the "application of scientific knowledge" part of the definition is an implication there's a mental model where the engineer is manipulating abstractions in the model to get to a solution. I found this book useful (and short): https://academic.oup.com/book/591 https://academic.oup.com/book/591
samketchup 3y ago
I have no idea how to code, yet have boiler plate GPT code in production. No interest in learning, it's not for me. I like this site for the diversity of topics and information.
stefanos82 3y ago
Actually it's more like to "Try to play the wise guy in Hacker News in any category you can possibly imagine and someone will definitely know more than you and write an essay proving their point while making you feel really worthless for just breathing" sub-Reddit lol!
- jassmith87 3y ago
  r/wellactually
  - stefanos82 3y ago
    This exists too! O.o
retrocryptid 3y ago
Your point?

12 points by gregsadetsky 3y ago

I wonder what % of readers here do programming in their day to day. Definitely a good amount but I don't think it is the majority.

retrocryptid 3y ago
Depends on your definition of "programming." If you mean "putting code together" then maybe even more than half. If you mean "engineering" then a very small fraction.
- roflyear 3y ago
  That makes it even more subjective!! What's your definition of engineering?
  - retrocryptid 3y ago
    https://www.nae.edu/19579/19582/21020/221074/221278/Presidents-Perspective-What-Is-Engineering https://www.nae.edu/19579/19582/21020/221074/221278/Presiden... I would also argue that "engineering" as a discipline, as part of the "operations" clause in the link above requires a close observation of the economics of any proposed solution. In other words, engineers have to worry about costs.
    - roflyear 3y ago
      If your definition is "The systematic application of scientific knowledge in developing and applying technology." I think we can agree.
      - retrocryptid 3y ago
        FWIW, I went through a journey a couple years ago to try to define the term "software engineer." I notice there were A LOT of people just throwing code around or just copying and pasting random crap from stacktrace and aws demo code w/o understanding what it did. I think inherent to the "application of scientific knowledge" part of the definition is an implication there's a mental model where the engineer is manipulating abstractions in the model to get to a solution. I found this book useful (and short): https://academic.oup.com/book/591 https://academic.oup.com/book/591

samketchup 3y ago

I have no idea how to code, yet have boiler plate GPT code in production. No interest in learning, it's not for me. I like this site for the diversity of topics and information.

stefanos82 3y ago

Actually it's more like to "Try to play the wise guy in Hacker News in any category you can possibly imagine and someone will definitely know more than you and write an essay proving their point while making you feel really worthless for just breathing" sub-Reddit lol!

jassmith87 3y ago
r/wellactually
- stefanos82 3y ago
  This exists too! O.o

retrocryptid 3y ago

Your point?