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So instead of being creative and finding ways to avoid duplication, you look for a way to make copies faster. That's one way to solve the problem. Not the way
by codr7 2y ago
So instead of being creative and finding ways to avoid duplication, you look for a way to make copies faster.
That's one way to solve the problem.
Not the way I'm looking for when hiring.
- AnimalMuppet 2y agoThis has happened before. When we went from assembler to compilers, this logic would have said, "So instead of being creative and finding ways to avoid hand-coding loops, you look for a way to spit out copies of loops faster." And the answer is, "Yeah, I do! I want the compiler to write the loop for me and get all the jumps right so I don't have to worry about it! Getting the jumps for the loop right is incidental to what I'm actually trying to write; I've got better things to spend my time on." Note well: I am not arguing that AI will produce good code rather than multiple layers of garbage. I am merely saying that this particular argument is weak.
- codr7 2y agoYou're comparing an LLM to a compiler, which doesn't make much sense to me. If my compiler occasionally output the recipe for vegan pancakes instead of working code I would definitely think differently of it.
- AnimalMuppet 2y agoI'm comparing an LLM to a compiler to the degree that they automate much of the writing of the tedious parts of code, rather than finding ways to reduce the amount of such code written (and therefore to the degree warranted by the argument in your previous post). I will admit that compilers don't hallucinate much.
- xigoi 2y agoThe difference is that a high-level programming language abstracts away the duplication, whereas an LLM does not.
- player1234 2y agoComparing current AI to a compiler is a dogwhistle for white supremacy.
- JohnBooty 2y agoSo instead of being creative and finding ways to avoid duplication, you look for a way to make copies faster. That's not at all how I read the parent post. It feels more like you're replying to a hybrid of the grandparent post (person who churned out a lot of duplicated code with AI) and the parent post (person who likes being "editor" and finds AI helpful)
- codr7 2y agoYou are probably right about that.
- solumunus 2y agoThe more experienced I get as a developer the less importance I place on avoiding duplication. The amount of time wasted breaking apart abstractions because someone year or two earlier was intent on avoiding duplication… A lot of these abstractions are just not worth the time to implement or maintain. It’s much better to have all the duplication and then in time the optimal abstraction will become apparent, if there even is one.
- codr7 2y agoSort of agree, I don't rush into abstractions the same way I used to; premature abstraction is definitely a thing. These days I prefer to let duplication accumulate, allowing me to make a more informed decision. But mindless duplication is still a bad idea imo.