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I've been writing software for 30 years, a part of it had success in the sense of being widely known and adopted for a long time. Writing software is difficult,

I've been writing software for 30 years, a part of it had success in the sense of being widely known and adopted for a long time. Writing software is difficult, consumes time and is difficult as you get older to focus the needed time away from other matters like a professional life and family. With LLM, my productivity suddenly went up x25 and was able to produce at a speed that I had never known. I'm not a developer any more, instead feels like project manager with dedicated resources always delivering results. It isn't perfect, but when you are used to manage teams it isn't all that different albeit the results are spectacularly better. My x25 isn't just measured on development, for brainstorming, documentation, testing, deployment. It is transformative, in fact: I think software is dead. For the first time I've used neither a paper notebook nor even an IDE to build complex and feature-complete products. Software isn't what matters, what matters is the product and this is what the transformation part is all about. We all here can write products in languages we never had contact with and completely outperform any average team of developers doing the same product. Replaces the experts and domain specific topics? Not yet. Just observe that the large majority of products are boringly simple cases of API, UI and some business logic inside. For that situation, it has "killed" software.

rhubarbtree 10mo ago
What tool do you use, which languages? Could you give us an example of something you’ve built and how you did it 25 times faster?
- nunobrito 10mo ago
  Using Claude code Pro with a maxed subscription and ChatGPT Codex with the business subscription. The code is written in Dart and never wrote a line of DART in my life, I'm a veteran expert around Java, C++. The reason for choosing DART is simply because it is way readier for multi-platform contexts than Java/C++. The same code base now runs on Linux, Android, iOS, OSX, Windows and Web (as static HTML). Plus the companion code in C++ for ESP32 microcontrollers. It also includes a CLI for running as linux server. Don't ask me for a hard analysis and data proving x25 performance increase, what I know is that an off-grid product was previously taking me two years of research/effort to build in Android/Web and get a prototype running. Now in about a month went far above all previous expectations (cached maps with satellite imagery, bluetooth mesh, webRTC, whatever apps) and was able to release a product several times per day that works as envisioned. Iterating quickly and getting direct feedback from users. The repository: https://github.com/geograms/geogram https://github.com/geograms/geogram Overview of the apps being written: https://github.com/geograms/geogram/tree/main/docs/apps https://github.com/geograms/geogram/tree/main/docs/apps IMHO, Codex is far superior at the moment for complex tasks, Claude is cheaper and still good enough quality for most tasks. In addition to keep several terminals with tasks in parallel, this gives me time throughout the day for other tasks with family/friends and a lot of motivation like a coding-buddy to try different routes and quickly implement a prototype instead of always being alone doing this kind of work. For example, it added an offline GPT bot but wasn't what was needed so could quickly discard it too. These tools get lost on API implementations and the documentation folder is mostly there to provide the right context when needed. I've learned to use simple markdown documents with things to keep in mind like "reusable.md" or "API.md" to make sure it won't reinvent them. Given my experience, there are parts that I'd implement with higher quality on my own, the trade-off is that I can't touch the code by myself now. One of the reasons is that it would make more difficult for these AI to work since my naming and file structure would make it difficult for the AI to work with, the other reason is because I don't want to waste a full day on a single problem like before. As the product grows more stable is when more attention is given to the finer details. On early stages, that type of quality is still more than good enough for me. You can try the Android or Linux versions if you are so inclined. Never in my life would I ever be able to build so much in 5 weeks.
  - FEELmyAGI 10mo ago
    Would you describe this product as a whole application suite (blogging, calendar, commerce) plus its own backend infrastructure that is capable of serving these apps to the public internet and functioning offline via ad-hoc wireless peer-to-peer, with a cryptographic layer providing identity, security and censorship resistance, and that runs on phone, laptop or raspberry pi? Quite ambitious. Is this an LLM hallucinating? taking a break from coding? or leaking your personal desktop session? https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/.cli_history https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/.cli_history
    - NitpickLawyer 10mo ago
      > Is this an LLM hallucinating? taking a break from coding? or leaking your personal desktop session? Ha! In any case, I'm happy to see I'm not the only one compulsively "ls-ing" all over the place in every terminal I open :)
      - nunobrito 10mo ago
        Thank you for the concern, I've checked and that is the CLI history file that is used on the linux server. Had some fun and added some CLI dungeon and dragon games inside. Will put that file on the .ignore list. Basically the games are based on markdown text files: https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/games/azurath-ruins.md https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/games/azurath-...
    - nunobrito 10mo ago
      > leaking your personal desktop session? I've answered in more detail on the other reply below on the conversation. Thank you for spotting that. > Would you describe this product as a whole application suite The rabbit hole goes even further. The reason why callsigns are used is because geogram can happily communicate using radio-waves on walkie-talkies without internet at all. On the previous iterations (before AI) it was sending free SMS using walkie-talkies and satellites (APRS), this current incarnation should soon be doing the same things too. A presentation from two months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb_VUSaNw8k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb_VUSaNw8k This is a niche app, written for our community in Portugal to connect with each other.
- oblio 10mo ago
  You'd be surprised what you can do with Claude Code. Pick any mature programming language, including niche ones like Ada and treat the project seriously. Write detailed agent files, features spec files, start from the bottom with CI/CD and set up a test suite, coding guidelines, static analysis. Be careful to create a consistent architecture and code base early. You'll get a lot further and faster than you'd expect. Things will probably plateau as you master the new tech, but it's possible you'll not write a ton of code manually along the way. Oh, your general software development experience should help with debugging the weird corner cases. I imagine it's really hard to do this with 0 software dev experience, for example. Yeah, you'll build some simple things but you'll need and entire tech education to put anything complex in prod.
  - nunobrito 10mo ago
    That is correct. I'm able to steer the project and find many of the issues because of experience. Also, it is indeed a new tool so is necessary to change our own mentality about the way how code is created (generated). In overall it is fantastic despite the occasional frustration when the computer hangs (too many compilers at the same time) or when AI gets lazy and tries to avoid implementing what it was asked.
  - rhubarbtree 10mo ago
    Challenge accepted. I’m expert in Ada 95, I will see how it does.
- deleted 10mo ago
  [deleted]

rhubarbtree 10mo ago

What tool do you use, which languages? Could you give us an example of something you’ve built and how you did it 25 times faster?

nunobrito 10mo ago
Using Claude code Pro with a maxed subscription and ChatGPT Codex with the business subscription. The code is written in Dart and never wrote a line of DART in my life, I'm a veteran expert around Java, C++. The reason for choosing DART is simply because it is way readier for multi-platform contexts than Java/C++. The same code base now runs on Linux, Android, iOS, OSX, Windows and Web (as static HTML). Plus the companion code in C++ for ESP32 microcontrollers. It also includes a CLI for running as linux server. Don't ask me for a hard analysis and data proving x25 performance increase, what I know is that an off-grid product was previously taking me two years of research/effort to build in Android/Web and get a prototype running. Now in about a month went far above all previous expectations (cached maps with satellite imagery, bluetooth mesh, webRTC, whatever apps) and was able to release a product several times per day that works as envisioned. Iterating quickly and getting direct feedback from users. The repository: https://github.com/geograms/geogram https://github.com/geograms/geogram Overview of the apps being written: https://github.com/geograms/geogram/tree/main/docs/apps https://github.com/geograms/geogram/tree/main/docs/apps IMHO, Codex is far superior at the moment for complex tasks, Claude is cheaper and still good enough quality for most tasks. In addition to keep several terminals with tasks in parallel, this gives me time throughout the day for other tasks with family/friends and a lot of motivation like a coding-buddy to try different routes and quickly implement a prototype instead of always being alone doing this kind of work. For example, it added an offline GPT bot but wasn't what was needed so could quickly discard it too. These tools get lost on API implementations and the documentation folder is mostly there to provide the right context when needed. I've learned to use simple markdown documents with things to keep in mind like "reusable.md" or "API.md" to make sure it won't reinvent them. Given my experience, there are parts that I'd implement with higher quality on my own, the trade-off is that I can't touch the code by myself now. One of the reasons is that it would make more difficult for these AI to work since my naming and file structure would make it difficult for the AI to work with, the other reason is because I don't want to waste a full day on a single problem like before. As the product grows more stable is when more attention is given to the finer details. On early stages, that type of quality is still more than good enough for me. You can try the Android or Linux versions if you are so inclined. Never in my life would I ever be able to build so much in 5 weeks.
- FEELmyAGI 10mo ago
  Would you describe this product as a whole application suite (blogging, calendar, commerce) plus its own backend infrastructure that is capable of serving these apps to the public internet and functioning offline via ad-hoc wireless peer-to-peer, with a cryptographic layer providing identity, security and censorship resistance, and that runs on phone, laptop or raspberry pi? Quite ambitious. Is this an LLM hallucinating? taking a break from coding? or leaking your personal desktop session? https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/.cli_history https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/.cli_history
  - NitpickLawyer 10mo ago
    > Is this an LLM hallucinating? taking a break from coding? or leaking your personal desktop session? Ha! In any case, I'm happy to see I'm not the only one compulsively "ls-ing" all over the place in every terminal I open :)
    - nunobrito 10mo ago
      Thank you for the concern, I've checked and that is the CLI history file that is used on the linux server. Had some fun and added some CLI dungeon and dragon games inside. Will put that file on the .ignore list. Basically the games are based on markdown text files: https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/games/azurath-ruins.md https://github.com/geograms/geogram/blob/main/games/azurath-...
  - nunobrito 10mo ago
    > leaking your personal desktop session? I've answered in more detail on the other reply below on the conversation. Thank you for spotting that. > Would you describe this product as a whole application suite The rabbit hole goes even further. The reason why callsigns are used is because geogram can happily communicate using radio-waves on walkie-talkies without internet at all. On the previous iterations (before AI) it was sending free SMS using walkie-talkies and satellites (APRS), this current incarnation should soon be doing the same things too. A presentation from two months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb_VUSaNw8k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb_VUSaNw8k This is a niche app, written for our community in Portugal to connect with each other.
oblio 10mo ago
You'd be surprised what you can do with Claude Code. Pick any mature programming language, including niche ones like Ada and treat the project seriously. Write detailed agent files, features spec files, start from the bottom with CI/CD and set up a test suite, coding guidelines, static analysis. Be careful to create a consistent architecture and code base early. You'll get a lot further and faster than you'd expect. Things will probably plateau as you master the new tech, but it's possible you'll not write a ton of code manually along the way. Oh, your general software development experience should help with debugging the weird corner cases. I imagine it's really hard to do this with 0 software dev experience, for example. Yeah, you'll build some simple things but you'll need and entire tech education to put anything complex in prod.
- nunobrito 10mo ago
  That is correct. I'm able to steer the project and find many of the issues because of experience. Also, it is indeed a new tool so is necessary to change our own mentality about the way how code is created (generated). In overall it is fantastic despite the occasional frustration when the computer hangs (too many compilers at the same time) or when AI gets lazy and tries to avoid implementing what it was asked.
- rhubarbtree 10mo ago
  Challenge accepted. I’m expert in Ada 95, I will see how it does.
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]