> The "best engineers" we have right now started their careers when the startup era was hot and they now have 15-20+ years of experience. They also started bef

> The "best engineers" we have right now started their careers when the startup era was hot and they now have 15-20+ years of experience. They also started before that era, and after. I've met plenty of them throughout my career, and still do every so often. They were never very common. > They wore all the hats This isn't unique to that era. > In that era, the devs at a startup were the "everything people". They still are. You do everything because you don't have the resources to hire for any positions. > Anyone who chose to specialize went the vocational route of getting certifications and playing the contractor game. That depends on your definition of "specialize". I'm using it in the sense of learning one particular aspect well (in addition to anything else you learn). Certifications and contracting have nothing to do with it. > This pattern already happened in the (blue collar) "trades". It started in the late 20th century. Now we have some of the worst built homes, buildings, roads, etc. This is certainly true in the USA, although I'd argue that it's the companies cutting costs (and corners) rather than the tradespeople becoming unskilled. In most first world countries there are standards and audits that keep companies (mostly) in line so that you don't get disasters-in-waiting like the new Bay Bridge. > Do we really want to make this even worse with automated AI copypasta pretending to be "engineering"? Nobody is fooled. Like with any force multiplier tool, you get the early days where every Joe is pumping out crap (same kind of thing happened with COBOL), and then the shake-out happens where companies realize that it's not a free lunch, and you need skilled people after all.