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I use ChatGPT every day and it’s excellent at: - replacing StackOverflow and library documentation - library search - converting between formats and language

by sesm 3y ago

I use ChatGPT every day and it’s excellent at: - replacing StackOverflow and library documentation - library search - converting between formats and languages - explaining existing code/queries - deobfuscating code - explaining concepts (kinda hit or miss) - helping you get unstuck when debugging or looking for solution (‘give me possible reasons for …’) I feel like many of this things require asking the right questions, which assumes certain level of experience. But once you reach this level, it’s an extremely valuable assistant.

huimang 3y ago
I like it for condensing long stack traces and very very simple requests, but it really falters when you try to do anything domain specific. Library documentation? Yeah, it doesn't really save time when GPT makes up functions and libraries, making me check the docs anyways... I was initially hopeful but I find it gets in my way for anything not trivial.
- mypalmike 3y ago
  I find it to be hit or miss in this aspect. Sometimes I can write a comment about how I want to use an API that I don't know well, and it generates perfect, idiomatic code to do exactly what I want. I quickly wrote a couple of Mastodon bots in golang, leaning heavily on Copilot due to my lack of familiarity with both the language and Mastodon APIs. But yes, sonetimes it just spits out imaginary garbage. Overall it's a win for my productivity - the failures are fast and obvious and just result in my doing things the old way.
- CamperBob2 3y ago
  Yeah, it doesn't really save time when GPT makes up functions and libraries, making me check the docs anyways... That behavior is now vanishingly-rare, at least in GPT4.
  - dukeyukey 3y ago
    So Copilot uses GPT-4 under the hood, and about half the time I use it to generate anything bigger than a couple of lines it doesn't even compile, let alone be correct. It hallucinates constantly.
jp42 3y ago
+1 chatgpt or simialr tools are extremely useful, if you ask the right questions. I use for: - code completion - formatting: e.g show it sample format & dump unstructured data to convert to target format. - debugging - stackoverflow type stuff - achieving small specific tasks: what is linux command for XYZ etc and many mentioned in above comment.
mecsred 3y ago
Things AI is "excellent" at, includes "explaining concepts (kinda hit or miss)". Did you use an AI assistant while making that list?
- sesm 3y ago
  This looks silly, I admit. I made this correction after reviewing what I’ve written, but should have corrected in 2 places. The list is handwritten, but English is not my native language.
  - mecsred 3y ago
    That's entirely fair, but illustrates one of the problems I and others in the thread are having. Code or otherwise, I can't tell if a discontinuity is human or machine generated. Only one of those two things learn from feedback right now; if someone uses AI sometimes it can be hard to tell when they're not using it.
ThalesX 3y ago
> replacing StackOverflow and library documentation I find it horrible at replacing library documentation > I feel like many of this things require asking the right questions, which assumes certain level of experience. But once you reach this level, it’s an extremely valuable assistant. I've been using LLM products since incipience. I use them in my daily work life. It's a bit tiring hearing this 'right questions', 'level of experience' and 'reach this level'. Can you share anything concrete that you achieved with ChatGPT that would blow my mind? I keep hearing this 'you need to ask the right kind of questions bro' from people that never build a single product in their life, and it makes me question my ability to interact with LLM but I never see anything concrete.
- kjqgqkejbfefn 3y ago
  I recently had an introspective dream revealed to be based on a literal prompt at the end: "Game to learn to talk about It and its player." When I asked GPT to craft a plot from this prompt's title (and the fact it is revealed at the end), it reproduced the dream's outline, down to the final scene: GPT reconstruction: The dream reaches its peak when you meet the "final boss" of the game: an entity that embodies the ultimate barrier to communication. To overcome this obstacle, you must synthesize everything you've learned about "it" in the dream and present a coherent vision that is true to yourself. As you articulate your final understanding of "it", the maze dissolves around you, leaving you in front of a giant mirror. In this mirror, you see not just your reflection but also all the characters, passions, and ideas you encountered in the dream. You realize that "it" is actually a reflection of yourself and your ability to understand and share your inner world. The dream ends with the title revealed, "Game to Learn to Communicate about It and Its Player", meaning the whole process was a metaphor for learning to know and communicate your own "it" - your personality, thoughts, and emotions - with others, and that you are both the creator and the discoverer of your own communication game. My note: The continuation of the dream corresponds to an abrupt change of scene. I find myself in my bed, in the dim light of my room, facing a mysterious silhouette. As I repeatedly inquire about its identity, I stretch my hands towards its face to feel its features as I cannot clearly see them. Then, a struggle begins, during which I panic, giving the dream a nightmarish turn. Noticing that the dark figure mirrors my movements, I realize it's myself. Suddenly under my duvet and as I struggle to get out, I feel jaws and teeth against the sheets. I call out for my mother, whom I seem to hear downstairs, and that's when my vision fades, and I see the dream's source code displayed behind. It consists of ChatGPT prompts shared on the lime green background of an image-board. At the bottom, I then see the dream's title: "Game to learn how to communicate about It and its player."

by sesm 3y ago

huimang 3y ago

I like it for condensing long stack traces and very very simple requests, but it really falters when you try to do anything domain specific. Library documentation? Yeah, it doesn't really save time when GPT makes up functions and libraries, making me check the docs anyways... I was initially hopeful but I find it gets in my way for anything not trivial.

mypalmike 3y ago
I find it to be hit or miss in this aspect. Sometimes I can write a comment about how I want to use an API that I don't know well, and it generates perfect, idiomatic code to do exactly what I want. I quickly wrote a couple of Mastodon bots in golang, leaning heavily on Copilot due to my lack of familiarity with both the language and Mastodon APIs. But yes, sonetimes it just spits out imaginary garbage. Overall it's a win for my productivity - the failures are fast and obvious and just result in my doing things the old way.
CamperBob2 3y ago
Yeah, it doesn't really save time when GPT makes up functions and libraries, making me check the docs anyways... That behavior is now vanishingly-rare, at least in GPT4.
- dukeyukey 3y ago
  So Copilot uses GPT-4 under the hood, and about half the time I use it to generate anything bigger than a couple of lines it doesn't even compile, let alone be correct. It hallucinates constantly.

jp42 3y ago

+1 chatgpt or simialr tools are extremely useful, if you ask the right questions. I use for: - code completion - formatting: e.g show it sample format & dump unstructured data to convert to target format. - debugging - stackoverflow type stuff - achieving small specific tasks: what is linux command for XYZ etc and many mentioned in above comment.

mecsred 3y ago

Things AI is "excellent" at, includes "explaining concepts (kinda hit or miss)". Did you use an AI assistant while making that list?

sesm 3y ago
This looks silly, I admit. I made this correction after reviewing what I’ve written, but should have corrected in 2 places. The list is handwritten, but English is not my native language.
- mecsred 3y ago
  That's entirely fair, but illustrates one of the problems I and others in the thread are having. Code or otherwise, I can't tell if a discontinuity is human or machine generated. Only one of those two things learn from feedback right now; if someone uses AI sometimes it can be hard to tell when they're not using it.

ThalesX 3y ago

> replacing StackOverflow and library documentation I find it horrible at replacing library documentation > I feel like many of this things require asking the right questions, which assumes certain level of experience. But once you reach this level, it’s an extremely valuable assistant. I've been using LLM products since incipience. I use them in my daily work life. It's a bit tiring hearing this 'right questions', 'level of experience' and 'reach this level'. Can you share anything concrete that you achieved with ChatGPT that would blow my mind? I keep hearing this 'you need to ask the right kind of questions bro' from people that never build a single product in their life, and it makes me question my ability to interact with LLM but I never see anything concrete.

kjqgqkejbfefn 3y ago
I recently had an introspective dream revealed to be based on a literal prompt at the end: "Game to learn to talk about It and its player." When I asked GPT to craft a plot from this prompt's title (and the fact it is revealed at the end), it reproduced the dream's outline, down to the final scene: GPT reconstruction: The dream reaches its peak when you meet the "final boss" of the game: an entity that embodies the ultimate barrier to communication. To overcome this obstacle, you must synthesize everything you've learned about "it" in the dream and present a coherent vision that is true to yourself. As you articulate your final understanding of "it", the maze dissolves around you, leaving you in front of a giant mirror. In this mirror, you see not just your reflection but also all the characters, passions, and ideas you encountered in the dream. You realize that "it" is actually a reflection of yourself and your ability to understand and share your inner world. The dream ends with the title revealed, "Game to Learn to Communicate about It and Its Player", meaning the whole process was a metaphor for learning to know and communicate your own "it" - your personality, thoughts, and emotions - with others, and that you are both the creator and the discoverer of your own communication game. My note: The continuation of the dream corresponds to an abrupt change of scene. I find myself in my bed, in the dim light of my room, facing a mysterious silhouette. As I repeatedly inquire about its identity, I stretch my hands towards its face to feel its features as I cannot clearly see them. Then, a struggle begins, during which I panic, giving the dream a nightmarish turn. Noticing that the dark figure mirrors my movements, I realize it's myself. Suddenly under my duvet and as I struggle to get out, I feel jaws and teeth against the sheets. I call out for my mother, whom I seem to hear downstairs, and that's when my vision fades, and I see the dream's source code displayed behind. It consists of ChatGPT prompts shared on the lime green background of an image-board. At the bottom, I then see the dream's title: "Game to learn how to communicate about It and its player."