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I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

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Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#301

Post by jimbokun »

gitgud wrote: post #243
abxyz wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's probably the difference between "code" and "programming". An LLM can produce code and if you're willing to surrender to the LLMs version of whatever it is you ask for, then you can have a great and productive time. If you're opinionated about programming, LLMs fall short. Most people (software engineers, developers, whatever) are not "programmers" they're "coders" which is why they have a positive impres…

Interesting, but it seems ridiculous to disambiguate “Programmer” vs “Coder”. They’re synonymous words and mean the same thing right? Person who writes logic for machines

Who cares? Substitute whatever labels you prefer, but the distinction between the two groups I’d certainly real.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#303

Post by radlad »

CGamesPlay wrote: post #300
y1n0 wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you missed the point. The claim is that it would have cost you more to hire a person to do what either claude code or aider did.

I think I pretty directly addressed that point. Yes, it would be more expensive to hire me to do what Claude Code / Aider did, but nobody would be satisfied with my work if I stopped where Claude Code / Aider did.

They aren't necessarily saying it can replace you. They're saying that even though it's expensive, it's cheaper than your time (which can be better spent on other tasks, as you point out.)

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#304

Post by rcpt »

the_lonely_time wrote: post #219
dabinat wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have an example of this?

Can’t remember account login so created a new account to respond. I recently used Claude with something along the lines of “Ruby on rails 8, Hotwire, stimulus, turbo, show me how to do client side validations that don’t require a page refresh” I am new to prompt engineering so feel free to critique. Anyway, it generated a stimulus controller called validations_controller.js and then proceeded to print out all of the…

You can ask AI to help with your prompt

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#305

Post by hsuduebc2 »

icedchai wrote: post #131
abxyz wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's probably the difference between "code" and "programming". An LLM can produce code and if you're willing to surrender to the LLMs version of whatever it is you ask for, then you can have a great and productive time. If you're opinionated about programming, LLMs fall short. Most people (software engineers, developers, whatever) are not "programmers" they're "coders" which is why they have a positive impres…

This aligns with my experience. I've seen LLMs produce "code" that the person requesting is unable to understand or debug. It usually almost works. It's possible the person writing the prompt didn't actually understand the problem, so they got a half baked solution as a result. Either way, they need to go to a human with more experience to figure it out.

Tbh If I do not understand generated code perfectly, meaning it is using slightly something I do not know I usually spend approximately same time understanding generated code as writing it myself.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#306

Post by idiotsecant »

beepbooptheory wrote: post #293
personjerry wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems like a steal? Engineers are paid much more to do much less

I know this is not really in the spirit of the room here, but before I ever dreamed of getting paid to code, I only learned to at all because I was cheap and/or poor cook/grad student that wanted to make little artsy musical things on the computer. I remember the first time I just downloaded pure data. No torrent, no cracks, it was just there for me and all it asked for was my patience. The only reason I ever got int…

This doesn't make much sense to me. Is there some reason a kid today can't still learn to code? In the contrary, you have LLMs available that can answer your exact personalized questions. It's like having a free tutor. It's easier than it's ever been to learn for free.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#307

Post by monkaiju »

atonse wrote: post #272
101008 wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honesty question, and leaving aside implications about what's possible and all of that, what was particular positive about the experience? You didn't do anything, just asked a different entity to do it for you. And nothing noble or original, just a copy of existing games. I see no difference between this and getting a $500 coupon to use at Fiverrr and ask a freelance engineer to do the same while you chat with them.

Is there anything inherently noble about programming if not to solve a real world problem? If they were doing it for an exam where their skills were being evaluated, that’s one thing. But if they were doing it as a means to an end, does it matter if they found a more efficient way to do it?

Idk about "noble" specifically, but fulfilling and meaningful yes. "Solving" a real world problem isnt the only reason I code. It might be why im paid for it, but I enjoy coding and get fulfillment from it.

I recently interviewed a very pro-ai dev who's last position listed 'architect' and was stunned at how limited their knowledge seemingly was. I didnt have a coding question prepared because i assumed we could have a higher level 'architecture'-oriented chat but they had seemingly nothing to contribute... Thankfully another interviewer had a simple coding challenge prepared, which filtered the candidate out.

Long story short, i wonder if the folks who.genuinely enjoy coding are going to be the only remaining skilled technologists after the rest make themselves obsolete by overly depending on these tools, regardless of how good they supposedly are.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#308

Post by jwr »

After reading this, I tried Claude Code (in a docker container, as one does, you wouldn't want to use npm without protection after all).

I gave it a huge Clojure codebase and told it to implement proration in my subscription system. Which currently doesn't have proration of any kind. Very poorly specified task, and yet what I got was really quite good — not working, ready-to-run code, but certainly a great starting point.

I was impressed by how it was able to follow my coding conventions, interface with my Stripe library to (correctly) create and confirm payment intents, and most importantly, by the `calculate-proration-amount` function which was correct in spite of how difficult it was (there are custom plans, plan overrides, extra users, etc).

It is the first time I felt an AI coding tool is genuinely useful. I still think you need to set expectations correctly: this doesn't "just do stuff", it is not a human programmer and will not produce flawless ready-to-run code in most cases. But it's a very good tool.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#309

Post by sureglymop »

jtwaleson wrote: post #63
kthxb wrote: post #43

As a junior, this scares me. I don't think I'll be out of a job soon, but certainly the job market will change drastically and the times where SWEs are paid like doctors and lawyers will end?

Make sure you learn a lot. Ask the LLMs to explain anything you don't deeply understand. With all of these coding assistants, there will be many juniors that get a lot done, but don't really understand what they are doing, and their worth will drop quickly. So far LLMs are great at producing code, but not at architecture or maintenance.

Who's to say that their worth will really drop. We already live in a world where security and performance are largely forgotten aspects when it comes to software.

Unfortunately I fear we will just enter an era of general slop where people get away with creating without really understanding. It sucks for anyone who is actually passionate and curious and really investing the time.

Re: I've been using Claude Code for a couple of days

#310

Post by throwaway743 »

jimbokun wrote: post #301
gitgud wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, but it seems ridiculous to disambiguate “Programmer” vs “Coder”. They’re synonymous words and mean the same thing right? Person who writes logic for machines

Who cares? Substitute whatever labels you prefer, but the distinction between the two groups I’d certainly real.

Obviously you do - enough to respond.
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