eithed
2 hours ago
What I find fascinating that there is so little substance in this article about the quality of produced code and the medium. Is the code documented and tested? Is it understandable and extendable? Is it secure? What language, framework, database was used? Author mentions judgement and taste - well, is the code tasteful? Will the model rearchitecture the entire thing if I ask it to add new functionality, spending another 9.5h in tokens? I assume that the research part is domain knowledge = how different types of travel translate to time making it presentable; how did the author verify this?
These questions are even not about AI: if I were to give money to a human agency and were given something they tell me works, I would ask the same questions. If I did not know how to evaluate, I would hire people that do. With LLMs the verification part is what bothers me the most.
cgearhart
an hour ago
I’m starting to realize that LLMs are really good at building low-stakes projects. Your questions mostly presume that the stakes are higher. The software will last a long time; the requirements will evolve; we can’t tolerate mistakes; etc.
The trick to getting good at using LLMs for software is to learn how to make _all_ projects low-stakes.
qaq
37 minutes ago
You don't need LLM for that. You make _all_ projects low-stakes by working on green field project using (insert buzzword soup of the day) and leaving for a new green field opportunity (that requires experience with buzzword soup of the day) before the project ships.
acedTrex
39 minutes ago
> The trick to getting good at using LLMs for software is to learn how to make _all_ projects low-stakes.
this doesn't really work in the real world. There are many things that actually matter, engineering is fundamentally about handling them.
coldtea
10 minutes ago
>What I find fascinating that there is so little substance in this article about the quality of produced code and the medium.
I clicked one of his examples intrigued "a snake game where the snake is self-aware and crazy things happen;". Played for 1-2 minutes, and it's the classic 1980s snake game. Am I missing something? What is "self-aware" about it? Some funny messages at the bottom of the screen? And what are the "crazy things"?
hypfer
2 hours ago
Being the first to release an article gives you great SEO or whatever. Doing the things you've mentioned takes time.
Aperocky
an hour ago
There are substance, where the generated example are straight up wrong, didn't stop the author praising it though.
jstummbillig
an hour ago
Less fascinating when you consider that this is a non-coders perspective.
unholiness
3 minutes ago
Yeah, this made it basically clickbait for me, in terms of time I wasted with the wrong expectation.
The lack of downvotes on posts on HN has always felt like more of a bug than a feature to me.
nomel
30 minutes ago
So, the perspective of the one that gains the most, that will value this the most, and that will pay the most? ;)
eithed
an hour ago
Fair enough, but enterpreunership should, I guess, ask questions if given Next Big Thing has substance behind it or is it just snake oil.
munk-a
44 minutes ago
Ah, but billions of dollars depend on those questions not being asked in a genuine manner. Don't you want a slice of that or are you an... AI skeptic thunder clashes.
grafporno
an hour ago
It's an ad.
adamtaylor_13
an hour ago
I'm becoming more convinced these are questions of the Before Times. Yes, yes—heresy, I know.
Yet, I can't deny the reality that I observe working with LLMs every day. If this truly is a step-function (as some are sgguesting), then I have absolutely zero concern for the quality of the code.