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It seems to be inevitable that with any new technology we go through a phase of super duper excitement about the possibilities, where we try to use it to the ex

It seems to be inevitable that with any new technology we go through a phase of super duper excitement about the possibilities, where we try to use it to the extreme, and through that process start to absorb what it actually is and isn't capable of. The hype cycle's distasteful of course, but I've accepted that this is how humans figure out what things are. Like a child we have to abuse it before we learn how to properly use it. I think many of us sense and have sensed that the promises made of agentic programming smell too good to be true, owing to our own experiences as programmers and engineers. But experts in a domain are always the minority, so we have to understand that everyone else is going to have to reach the same intuition the hard way.

r_lee 7mo ago
that's the problem. I don't know if I'm just not seeing something that the vibe coders do, or if it's not really that crazy? like I'd say it's a productivity boost in some aspects, definitely. but it's not like you'd be able to get the same output unless you had years of experience and know what you're doing and going full unsupervised agentic mode I haven't seen much benefit from that. still have to pretty much just guide em to do this and that in this way
echelon 7mo ago
These models haven't been very good for long. To assume progress stops here is silly. I'm already growing tired of prognostications using the current status quo when the current status quo isn't even six months old.
moconnor 7mo ago
I’ve been programming professionally for 25 years. Well, 24 really because in the whole last year I barely wrote a line myself but my output increased dramatically. If you can’t see that it’s over, I’m not sure what to tell you. You will, in time.
- shimman 7mo ago
  The type of work matters and understanding how capital interacts with labor is something that hasn't really changed over the last 150 years (not the first time productivity tools have been introduced in capitalism). All we are going to get is increased mass surveillance and molding software engineers into more assembly line work. Both things do not sound good or reasonable nor wanted by a majority in our industry. But sure! Being able to do more busy work is useful I guess, too bad the workers will never benefit from such a scheme; hopefully the masses don't overthrow the country, but I wouldn't blame them if they did.
  - weakfish 7mo ago
    +1, it feels very much like a case of _feeling_ more productive because you’re outputting more …stuff…, but IME, it’s easy to produce a lot of stuff that isn’t useful and just creates a productive vibe (pun intended)
  - moconnor 7mo ago
    I’m not saying I prefer it like this. Just stating that the change is already inevitable.
- Sateeshm 7mo ago
  Okay. Did you think about the code even if you didn't type it out?
  - moconnor 7mo ago
    Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A lot of it was “debug this issue and fix it” or “write this small tool to do X”

r_lee 7mo ago

that's the problem. I don't know if I'm just not seeing something that the vibe coders do, or if it's not really that crazy? like I'd say it's a productivity boost in some aspects, definitely. but it's not like you'd be able to get the same output unless you had years of experience and know what you're doing and going full unsupervised agentic mode I haven't seen much benefit from that. still have to pretty much just guide em to do this and that in this way

echelon 7mo ago

These models haven't been very good for long. To assume progress stops here is silly. I'm already growing tired of prognostications using the current status quo when the current status quo isn't even six months old.

moconnor 7mo ago

I’ve been programming professionally for 25 years. Well, 24 really because in the whole last year I barely wrote a line myself but my output increased dramatically. If you can’t see that it’s over, I’m not sure what to tell you. You will, in time.

shimman 7mo ago
The type of work matters and understanding how capital interacts with labor is something that hasn't really changed over the last 150 years (not the first time productivity tools have been introduced in capitalism). All we are going to get is increased mass surveillance and molding software engineers into more assembly line work. Both things do not sound good or reasonable nor wanted by a majority in our industry. But sure! Being able to do more busy work is useful I guess, too bad the workers will never benefit from such a scheme; hopefully the masses don't overthrow the country, but I wouldn't blame them if they did.
- weakfish 7mo ago
  +1, it feels very much like a case of _feeling_ more productive because you’re outputting more …stuff…, but IME, it’s easy to produce a lot of stuff that isn’t useful and just creates a productive vibe (pun intended)
- moconnor 7mo ago
  I’m not saying I prefer it like this. Just stating that the change is already inevitable.
Sateeshm 7mo ago
Okay. Did you think about the code even if you didn't type it out?
- moconnor 7mo ago
  Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A lot of it was “debug this issue and fix it” or “write this small tool to do X”