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I think there's a lot of code that gets written that's either disposable or effectively "write only" in that no one is expected to maintain it. I have friends w

I think there's a lot of code that gets written that's either disposable or effectively "write only" in that no one is expected to maintain it. I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. Basically, what's worse? "Vibes" code that no one understands or a cascade of 20 spreadsheets that no one understands? At least with the "vibes" code you can stick it in git and have some semblance of sane revision control and change tracking.

Centigonal 2y ago
> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. I think this is a great use case for AI, but the analyst still needs to understand what the code that is output does. There are a lot of ways to transform data that result in inaccurate or misleading results.
- LPisGood 2y ago
  Vibe coders focus on writing tests, and verifying function/correctness. It’s not like they don’t read _any_ of the code. They get the vibes, but ignore the details.
  - achierius 2y ago
    This seems optimistic -- prescriptive, rather than descriptive. From what I've observed, vibe coders largely do not include tests; they do verify functionality/correctness, but not rigorously or repeatably.
  - cube00 2y ago
    > Vibe coders focus on writing tests From the boasting I've seen, Vibe coders are also using AI to slop out their tests as well.
    - LPisGood 2y ago
      Yeah and tests are much easier to validate than functions.
    - kibwen 2y ago
      Worry not, we can solve this by using AI to generate tests to test the tests.
      - LPisGood 2y ago
        Testing the tests is pretty much the definition of being a vibe coder.
  - hooverd 2y ago
    Huh. The whole promise of vibe coding is that you don't have to pay attention to the details.
    - LPisGood 2y ago
      Yeah, of course. I don’t think what I described could possibly be misconstrued as someone paying attention to details.
    - namaria 2y ago
      "You're programming wrong wrong" /s
pton_xd 2y ago
> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. That sort of makes sense, but then again... if you run some analysis code and it spits out a few plots, how do you know what you're looking at is correct if you have no idea what the code is doing?
- kibwen 2y ago
  > how do you know what you're looking at is correct if you have no idea what the code is doing? Does it reaffirm the biases of the one who signs my paychecks? If so, then the code is correct.
  - usui 2y ago
    LOL thanks for the laughs. But yes seriously though, most kinds of data analysis jobs several rungs down the ladder where the result is not in a critical path amount to reaffirming what upper people believe. Don't rock the boat.
  - AlexandrB 2y ago
    Lol, that's definitely a factor. Actually plotting is the perfect example because python is really popular in the space and matplotlib sucks so much. While an analyst may not understand Python very well, they often understand the data itself through either previous projects or through other analysis tools. It's kind of like vibe coding a UI for a backend that's hand built.
liveoneggs 2y ago
two wrongs don't make a right
cube00 2y ago
> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain Considering the hallucinations we've all seen I don't know how they can be comfortable using AI generated data analysis to drive the future direction of the business.
inetknght 2y ago
> what's worse? "Vibes" code that no one understands or a cascade of 20 spreadsheets that no one understands? At least with the "vibes" code you can stick it in git and have some semblance of sane revision control and change tracking. You can for spreadsheets too.
palmotea 2y ago
> think there's a lot of code that gets written that's either disposable or effectively "write only" in that no one is expected to maintain it. I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. > Basically, what's worse? "Vibes" code that no one understands or a cascade of 20 spreadsheets that no one understands? Correction: it's a "cascade of 20 spreadsheets" that one person understood/understands. Write only code still needs to work, and someone at some point needs to understand it well enough to know that it works.

Centigonal 2y ago

> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. I think this is a great use case for AI, but the analyst still needs to understand what the code that is output does. There are a lot of ways to transform data that result in inaccurate or misleading results.

LPisGood 2y ago
Vibe coders focus on writing tests, and verifying function/correctness. It’s not like they don’t read _any_ of the code. They get the vibes, but ignore the details.
- achierius 2y ago
  This seems optimistic -- prescriptive, rather than descriptive. From what I've observed, vibe coders largely do not include tests; they do verify functionality/correctness, but not rigorously or repeatably.
- cube00 2y ago
  > Vibe coders focus on writing tests From the boasting I've seen, Vibe coders are also using AI to slop out their tests as well.
  - LPisGood 2y ago
    Yeah and tests are much easier to validate than functions.
  - kibwen 2y ago
    Worry not, we can solve this by using AI to generate tests to test the tests.
    - LPisGood 2y ago
      Testing the tests is pretty much the definition of being a vibe coder.
- hooverd 2y ago
  Huh. The whole promise of vibe coding is that you don't have to pay attention to the details.
  - LPisGood 2y ago
    Yeah, of course. I don’t think what I described could possibly be misconstrued as someone paying attention to details.
  - namaria 2y ago
    "You're programming wrong wrong" /s

pton_xd 2y ago

> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. That sort of makes sense, but then again... if you run some analysis code and it spits out a few plots, how do you know what you're looking at is correct if you have no idea what the code is doing?

kibwen 2y ago
> how do you know what you're looking at is correct if you have no idea what the code is doing? Does it reaffirm the biases of the one who signs my paychecks? If so, then the code is correct.
- usui 2y ago
  LOL thanks for the laughs. But yes seriously though, most kinds of data analysis jobs several rungs down the ladder where the result is not in a critical path amount to reaffirming what upper people believe. Don't rock the boat.
- AlexandrB 2y ago
  Lol, that's definitely a factor. Actually plotting is the perfect example because python is really popular in the space and matplotlib sucks so much. While an analyst may not understand Python very well, they often understand the data itself through either previous projects or through other analysis tools. It's kind of like vibe coding a UI for a backend that's hand built.

liveoneggs 2y ago

two wrongs don't make a right

cube00 2y ago

> I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain Considering the hallucinations we've all seen I don't know how they can be comfortable using AI generated data analysis to drive the future direction of the business.

inetknght 2y ago

> what's worse? "Vibes" code that no one understands or a cascade of 20 spreadsheets that no one understands? At least with the "vibes" code you can stick it in git and have some semblance of sane revision control and change tracking. You can for spreadsheets too.

palmotea 2y ago

> think there's a lot of code that gets written that's either disposable or effectively "write only" in that no one is expected to maintain it. I have friends who write a lot of this code for tasks like data analysis for retail and "vibe coding" isn't that crazy in such a domain. > Basically, what's worse? "Vibes" code that no one understands or a cascade of 20 spreadsheets that no one understands? Correction: it's a "cascade of 20 spreadsheets" that one person understood/understands. Write only code still needs to work, and someone at some point needs to understand it well enough to know that it works.