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I work with a guy who is absolutely dedicated to using LLMs to generate C++ code. If I ask him for a specific small thing I'll get back a PR with hundreds of li
by jeffbee 3y ago
I work with a guy who is absolutely dedicated to using LLMs to generate C++ code. If I ask him for a specific small thing I'll get back a PR with hundreds of lines of irrelevant crap and when I ask why it has this move constructor or whatever, they won't have a good reason. Even though my colleague is an industry veteran, their new habit has made it feel like they are delegating all their work to the stupidest teammate I've ever had.
I feel like we are going to need to work out some norms and customs in this industry for using code-generating systems in a way that respects the time and attention of coworkers.
- stouset 3y agoRequest changes on the PR with the exact same reasoning you would use with any other developer who works like that?
- halfmatthalfcat 3y ago> absolutely dedicated Hard to reason with developers like this, especially if they're more senior than you.
- convolvatron 3y agoit really doesn't matter how many years they have been working, or how old they are, or how long they have been at the organization. we should all agree that someone who offloads the error correction of llms to their teammates isn't someone that's really 'senior'
- stouset 3y agoThen don’t approve their PR since it’s unreviewable in its current form.
- bluefirebrand 3y agoOffloading all of the actual code reasoning onto your team because you cannot be bothered to write the code yourself and are trusting an LLM should get you fired on the spot. I cannot imagine a worse teammate or a worse developer.
- lpapez 3y agoI had one such coworker until recently, and he was actually fired because nobody on the team felt he was pulling his own weight. He produced massive amounts of code which did not fit the style of the codebase at all, and when questioned point-blank if it was LLM-generated he denied it (even thought it was undeniable). I'm all for using tools to boost your productivity, but IMO when you offload generated junk to be reviewed by your team it's a sign of disrespect.
- rvnx 3y agoAsk the PR to be reviewed by an LLM. Enjoy your new life with lot of free time.
- johnny22 3y agountil you get tasked with fixing the buggy code
- ptero 3y agoThis. Good code is clean and has a well thought through internal architecture. LLM-ifying the code and treating it as a black box (if it passes the tests, it is acceptable) is tempting, but it works until it does not and the "does not" might come pretty quickly: once a human cannot easily untangle the logic the only fix is a rewrite. I think there is a way to extend the useful life of such an approach by setting up a good architecture with lean, strict interfaces and thorough tests. Then one can treat any module that is compliant as a black box and give a computer the power to insert as much crap as it can generate. You then should be ready and willing to rewrite any box that has become so convoluted that LLM can no longer fix, likely by splitting it into smaller externally observable and testable elements. I doubt that this is a long-term viable approach, but this is just a personal hunch. It would be interesting to see how such approaches develop. My 2c.
- flappyeagle 3y agoMaybe he needs to get a stern talking to by his manager? Has that happened?
- timeon 3y agoHope manager won't be like: "According to chatGPT..."
- blibble 3y agoif he's doing that the company might as well save his salary and get an intern with a ChatGPT subscription