3 ms·

Can I ask what makes it read like slop? Because lots of comments here on the style and little on the thinking behind it, which is where I spent my effort. It s

Can I ask what makes it read like slop? Because lots of comments here on the style and little on the thinking behind it, which is where I spent my effort. It seems like a lot of folks arguing about rather or not we need to still read code.

q3k 2mo ago
> Can I ask what makes it read like slop? The fact that it's slop. People know it when they read it. Put Claude and other LLMs away (for coding, writing, everything - block them on your firewall fully) for a few days and then write a blog post from scratch using your own words. No asking for help, comments, editing, nothing. Then compare against this. It'll jump out at you.
- bostonOU 2mo ago
  > Put Claude and other LLMs away for a few days and then write a blog post from scratch using your own words. No asking for help, comments, editing, nothing. Ok, but (and this is the whole point) where _should_ we use LLMs? Because your comment could easily be said to someone writing code. If slop === LLM involved, that's too reductive. If LLM does all the work, that's also too reductive.
  - q3k 2mo ago
    I'm just talking about a few days, so that you see the contrast. You can do that, right?
- nh23423fefe 2mo ago
  Giving out homework is ridiculous. Just say you are a slop oracle and be done with it.
topheroo 2mo ago
For me, it's mostly in the rhythm and pacing of the sentences -- everything is sooo so punchy. Paragraphs are composed of high-impact, terse sentences. Phrases like "Both perspectives, one person", separated on their own line for dramatic effect. To me it feels like the linguistic equivalent of ultraprocessed food; it's over-engineered for impact and gravitas, to get its point across. I honestly feel like my actual writing style has drifted towards this, and I'm sure others' have too (although I overused em-dashes before it was uncool!). But I think that… feeling someone's distinct verbal fingerprint as you read is a signal of authenticity among a sea of lazily generated slop, whereas even a carefully-crafted, thoughtful piece where the final thing is generated by an AI is missing that signal of authenticity.

q3k 2mo ago

> Can I ask what makes it read like slop? The fact that it's slop. People know it when they read it. Put Claude and other LLMs away (for coding, writing, everything - block them on your firewall fully) for a few days and then write a blog post from scratch using your own words. No asking for help, comments, editing, nothing. Then compare against this. It'll jump out at you.

bostonOU 2mo ago
> Put Claude and other LLMs away for a few days and then write a blog post from scratch using your own words. No asking for help, comments, editing, nothing. Ok, but (and this is the whole point) where _should_ we use LLMs? Because your comment could easily be said to someone writing code. If slop === LLM involved, that's too reductive. If LLM does all the work, that's also too reductive.
- q3k 2mo ago
  I'm just talking about a few days, so that you see the contrast. You can do that, right?
nh23423fefe 2mo ago
Giving out homework is ridiculous. Just say you are a slop oracle and be done with it.

topheroo 2mo ago

For me, it's mostly in the rhythm and pacing of the sentences -- everything is sooo so punchy. Paragraphs are composed of high-impact, terse sentences. Phrases like "Both perspectives, one person", separated on their own line for dramatic effect. To me it feels like the linguistic equivalent of ultraprocessed food; it's over-engineered for impact and gravitas, to get its point across. I honestly feel like my actual writing style has drifted towards this, and I'm sure others' have too (although I overused em-dashes before it was uncool!). But I think that… feeling someone's distinct verbal fingerprint as you read is a signal of authenticity among a sea of lazily generated slop, whereas even a carefully-crafted, thoughtful piece where the final thing is generated by an AI is missing that signal of authenticity.