Probably closer to SEO.
Works for the time being while there's low hanging fruit, but researchers will use those exploits to help build more robust systems.
Eventually there'll be no point in doing it anymore.
Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
121–130 of 206 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#122Earlier quoted context omitted.
In most jurisdictions, a professional engineer is essentially a specific legal thing. In most jurisdictions I am aware of, software engineers are not professional engineers. I am sure there are many exceptions. That said, I think all of the above are rather easy to apply to SWE aside from, arguably, the first bullet point.
And I can list counter examples for each. Civil engineers and architects don’t “move fast and break things” or “fake it til you make it” after a 3 month bootcamp.
There are software engineering domains, like aerospace, where the process is very stringent with rigorous planning and testing.
There are others, like consumer app development, where there's simply no need for that kind of process, so it doesn't exist. HNers might complain, but average people don't care if their social media app crashes once in a while and they have to restart it — so why should developers care? Better to spend their time on other stuff. Whereas people care a lot if their airplane crashes.
I don't think it suggests anything about the relative value of working in those domains.
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#123Calling yourself a Prompt Engineer makes me think you don’t know college math and computer science. Prompt Engineer sounds like a Subway employee calling themselves a sandwich artist.
Welcome to Clown World! Where things that should not be are, and things that should are not. I first noticed CW when someone reached out to me during COVID and their title was "Professional LinkedIn Specialist". In hindsight, it was probably when people were making gobs of funny money from running their GPU 24x7
My advice? Don't fight it, accept it and embrace the change. Don't sell yourself short, you only need to put in like 3 months of work to earn that Principal Prompt Engineer title!
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hard to apply those to software engineering as well.
In most jurisdictions, a professional engineer is essentially a specific legal thing. In most jurisdictions I am aware of, software engineers are not professional engineers. I am sure there are many exceptions. That said, I think all of the above are rather easy to apply to SWE aside from, arguably, the first bullet point.
In the UK my computer science masters was a masters of engineering and I got some kind of engineering qualification (which I have since lost and have never used)
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#125Professional engineers are typically: * Regulated by a profession and associated legislation * Work first to ensure the safety and welfare of the public * Perform only within their area of competence * Act as faithful agents or trustees for their clients * Avoid deception and represent matters in an objective and truthful manner * Invest in continuous professional development * Can be subject to penalties for malprac…
You might be interested in this three article series https://www.hillelwayne.com/post/are-we-really-engineers/
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Eh yes and no. "Traditional" engineering professions, ones where you need to get licensed, are all grounded in physics. Software engineering isn't (ignore the fact that bits running on silicon is physics, it's irrelevant). Software engineering is based on best practices and algorithms that are based on...some guy writing them, saying they're good, and others trusting that they're good. There's a million different way…
Engineering = Applied Physics. Software Engineering = Applied Math. Both are about modelling, so you have a good idea if a solution works before you build it. If you're gluing stuff together and hoping it's not going to fall apart too often you're not doing either.
And the last piece of the equation:
Applied Physics = Applied Math.
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
And I can list counter examples for each. Civil engineers and architects don’t “move fast and break things” or “fake it til you make it” after a 3 month bootcamp.
There are software engineering domains, like aerospace, where the process is very stringent with rigorous planning and testing. There are others, like consumer app development, where there's simply no need for that kind of process, so it doesn't exist. HNers might complain, but average people don't care if their social media app crashes once in a while and they have to restart it — so why should developers care? Bett…
But those consumer apps that use or sell personal data against that persons interests as a business model, or those that leak or lose personal information through negligence are very harmful to society. Why should they get a pass?
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are software engineering domains, like aerospace, where the process is very stringent with rigorous planning and testing. There are others, like consumer app development, where there's simply no need for that kind of process, so it doesn't exist. HNers might complain, but average people don't care if their social media app crashes once in a while and they have to restart it — so why should developers care? Bett…
But those consumer apps that use or sell personal data against that persons interests as a business model, or those that leak or lose personal information through negligence are very harmful to society. Why should they get a pass?
That's a totally unrelated argument. Plenty of "real" engineers work on weapons systems. Architects work on ultra luxury skyscrapers for Saudi businessmen. Civil engineers work on new highways that destroy poor neighborhoods. No one is talking about ethics here.
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#129[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Is prompt engineering just snake oil?
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
LLMs are very quirky. They need the correct context to produce something good and it’s often surprising what that needed context is. OP just play around with midjourney and you’ll soon realize that it is a very real thing
100%. People who have not tried to interact with these models don't understand there is actually quite a lot of skill in navigating the latent space.
Just like you wouldnt be able to drive, let alone start Ford T.