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After like the 20th time explaining the same (simple) problem to the AI that it is unable to fix, you just might change your mind [1]. At that point you just ha

by prmph 1y ago

After like the 20th time explaining the same (simple) problem to the AI that it is unable to fix, you just might change your mind [1]. At that point you just have to jump in and get dirty. Do this a few times and you start to realize it is kinda of worse than just being in the driver's seat in terms of the coding right from the start. For one thing, when you jump in, you are working with code that is probably architectured quite differently from the way you normally do, and you have no developed the deep mental model that is needed to work with the code effectively. Not to say the LLMs are not useful, especially in agent mode. But the temptation is always to trust and task them with more than they can handle. maybe we need an agent that limits the scope of what you can ask it to do, to keep you involved at the necessary level. People keep thinking we are at the level where we can forget about the nitty gritty of the code and rise up the abstraction level, when this is nothing close to the truth. [1] Source: me last week trying really hard to work like you are talking about with Claude Code.

timr 1y ago
> After like the 20th time explaining the same (simple) problem to the AI that it is unable to fix, you just might change your mind [1]. At that point you just have to jump in and get dirty. You're assuming that I haven't. Yes, sometimes you have to do it yourself, and the people who are claiming that you can replace experienced engineers with these are wrong (at least for now, and for non-trivial problems). > Do this a few times and you start to realize it is kinda of worse than just being in the driver's seat in terms of the coding right from the start. For one thing, when you jump in, you are working with code that is probably architectured quite differently from the way you normally do, and you have no developed the deep mental model that is needed to work with the code effectively. Disagree. There's not a single piece of code I've written using these that I haven't carefully curated myself. Usually the result (after rounds of prompting) is smaller, significantly better, and closer to my original intended design than what I got out of the machine on first prompt. I still find them to be a significant net enhancement to my productivity. For me, it's very much like working with a tireless junior engineer who is available at all hours, willing to work through piles of thankless drudgery without complaint, and also codes about 100x faster than I do. But again, I know what I'm doing. For an inexperienced coder, I'm more inclined to agree with your comment. The first drafts that these things emit is often pretty bad.

by prmph 1y ago

timr 1y ago

> After like the 20th time explaining the same (simple) problem to the AI that it is unable to fix, you just might change your mind [1]. At that point you just have to jump in and get dirty. You're assuming that I haven't. Yes, sometimes you have to do it yourself, and the people who are claiming that you can replace experienced engineers with these are wrong (at least for now, and for non-trivial problems). > Do this a few times and you start to realize it is kinda of worse than just being in the driver's seat in terms of the coding right from the start. For one thing, when you jump in, you are working with code that is probably architectured quite differently from the way you normally do, and you have no developed the deep mental model that is needed to work with the code effectively. Disagree. There's not a single piece of code I've written using these that I haven't carefully curated myself. Usually the result (after rounds of prompting) is smaller, significantly better, and closer to my original intended design than what I got out of the machine on first prompt. I still find them to be a significant net enhancement to my productivity. For me, it's very much like working with a tireless junior engineer who is available at all hours, willing to work through piles of thankless drudgery without complaint, and also codes about 100x faster than I do. But again, I know what I'm doing. For an inexperienced coder, I'm more inclined to agree with your comment. The first drafts that these things emit is often pretty bad.