Let's take a hypothetical where we really do all stop reading or writing code, because the models and tooling get good enough. In that scenario I would still argue for this of thing. Studying algorithms gives you a lot of insight and a powerful way of thinking. This class of problems is ultimately about how aspects of software work, so having some familiarity with famous algorithms is part of computer literacy. I'm not saying that you need to be an expert, but struggling to solve a few hard algorithm problems teaches a lot.

The other thing is to give your agent a skill not to solve certain key problems unless explicitly prompted. Write the scaffolding sure, but leave the juicy parts alone. And if I get stuck, I have it enter into a dialogue with me, nudging me towards understanding.

Meditation, in the Therevada tradition at least, never claimed to be nothing, it uses doing to undermine it.

So if I can do both with these tools, then great. I want to cognitively offload in a way that allows me to focus on the important bits. And I'm writing instructions to the LLM to help me do that eg 'help teach me this bit'. A builder and tutor at once.

I haven't.

It's fine to have a preference for live musicianship, but the 'real music' argument has been leveled against every new musical technology (remember the furore around Dylan going electric?). It dismisses contemporary creativity based on a traditionalist bias that elevates one form of execution above all others. There's also a huge amount of skill in producing good electronic music. It's always hard to make good music no matter the means.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46133575

Points: 3

# Comments: 0

Not because I disagree with you, I don't! It's because I fear a gradual brain drain of people who actually love their craft and know how to build things properly. I fear we'll end up with worse software thats simply 'good enough', built a atop a pile of AI slop.

If it's cheaper but with acceptably worse results, I fear this is good enough for a lot of companies.

I don't see a strong argument here, more just a hope that something will spark this sci fi trajectory you describe. I'm sure big enough changes are afoot, but I think that the AI we have now will turn out to be much more of a 'normal' technology than most people expect.

I agree that complex todo apps are a bit of a waste of time.

But if we're talking skill, intellectual depth, craft, then there are objective criteria. Take Bach, his music is like a masterpiece of engineering with its unparalleled compositional complexity and craftsmanship. His mastery of counterpoint being but one example. His work represents a pinnacle of musical architecture, establishing foundational principles that profoundly influenced centuries of Western music.

That just doesn't compare to most pop music does it?