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Now might be the best time to learn software development

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Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#261

Post by razakel »

dmkolobov wrote: post #124
9rx wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is that really because of the English-esque syntax Well, what we had before SQL[1] was QUEL, which is effectively the same as Alpha[2], except in "English". Given the previous assertion about what came before SQL, clearly not. I expect SQL garnered favour because it is tablational instead of relational, which is the quality that makes it easier to understand for those not heavy in the math. [1] Originally known as…

Do you have any advice for understanding the difference between "relational" and "tablational"? I remember hearing something about how SQL is not really relational from my college professor, but we never really explored that statement.

Per the SQL specification:

>SQL [...] is a database language [...] used for access to pseudo-relational databases that are managed by pseudo-relational database management systems (RDBMS).

>SQL is based on, but is not a strict implementation of, the relational model of data, making SQL “pseudo-relational” instead of truly relational.

>The relational model requires that every relation have no duplicate rows. SQL does not enforce this requirement.

>The relational model does not specify or recognize any sort of flag or other marker that represents unspecified, unknown, or otherwise missing data values. Consequently, the relational model depends only on two-valued (true/false) logic. SQL provides a “null value” that serves this purpose. In support of null values, SQL also depends on three-valued (true/false/unknown) logic.

Or, in other words, "relation" does not mean the relations between the tables as many assume: the tables, as a set of tuples, are the relations.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#262

Post by somenameforme »

UncleOxidant wrote: post #241
tempodox wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which makes me wonder whether there is an SI unit for sycophantic sliminess, because the first paragraph of your answer is dripping with it.

The first paragraph seems like it's written by AI.

I'm fairly sure it was a subtle joke.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#263

Post by pier25 »

bondarchuk wrote: post #259
pier25 wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm always amazed that people feel anything when chatting with an AI bot. Don't people realize it's a machine "pretending" to be human?

People feel things reading books, watching movies, even animated ones that have no people in them, looking at abstract art... Why should this be any different?

Do you take eg advertisement at face value? Even when you know they're trying to convince you to accept some idea of the brand and buy something?

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#264

Post by amanaplanacanal »

UncleOxidant wrote: post #241
tempodox wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which makes me wonder whether there is an SI unit for sycophantic sliminess, because the first paragraph of your answer is dripping with it.

The first paragraph seems like it's written by AI.

I think that was the point.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#265

Post by alganet »

nathanfig wrote: post #230
alganet wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see it being useful for summarization, or creative writing. What makes you so sure that LLMs will be useful _for programming_ in the long run?

Because they are already useful for programming and unlikely to get worse!

We're not getting anywhere with your answer.

All tools I mentioned before were useful for programming. They didn't got worse. Still not enough to keep them relevant over time.

I chose those tools as an example precisely because, for a while, they achieve widespread success. People made awesome things with them. Until they stopped doing it.

What brought their demise was their inherent limitations. Code by humans on plain text was slower, harder, but didn't had those inherent limits. Code by humans on plain text got better, those tools didn't.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#266

Post by amanaplanacanal »

ben_w wrote: post #246
StefanBatory wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my country a MP of lower house sent out a tweet generated by LLMs. As in, copied it with a prompt in.

Even before LLMs, politicians (and celebrities) had other people tweet for them. IIRC, I've met someone who tweeted on behalf of Jill Stein. Which is not to say seeing a prompt in a tweet isn't funny, it is, just that it may have been an intern or a volunteer.

They may be completely insane, but at least the president makes his own tweets! I mean truths.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#267

Post by bluGill »

deanCommie wrote: post #115
bitpush wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bravo. This is the exact sentiment I have, but you expressed in a way that I could never have. Most people miss the fact that technical improvements increases the pie in a way that was not possible before. When digital cameras became popular, everybody become a photographer. That only made the world better, and we got soo many more good photographers. Same with YouTube & creativity. And same with coding & LLMs. World…

> That only made the world better, and we got soo many more good photographers. Same with YouTube & creativity. I think you really missed the point of what these technologies and innovations actually did for society and how it applies to today, underneath the snark. In the 1970's, if you got gifted a camera, and were willing to put in the work to figure out how to use it, you learned a skill that immediately put you…

> In the 1970's, if you got gifted a camera, and were willing to put in the work to figure out how to use it, you learned a skill that immediately put you in rare company.

Everyone in the 1970s was gifted a camera. Many of them got a nice SLR with better lens than a modern smart phone. Cameras were expensive, but within reach of most people.

Film was a different story. Today you can get 35mm film rolls for about $8 (36 pictures), and $13 to develop (plus shipping!), and $10 for prints (in 1970 you needed prints for most purposes, thought slides were an option), so $31 - where I live McDonalds starts you are $16/hour, that roll of film costs almost 2 hours work - before taxes.

Which is to say you couldn't afford to become skilled in 1970 unless you were rich.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#268

Post by khurs »

guicen wrote: post #131

In fact, in my opinion, one of the benefits of AI tools that is often overlooked is "psychological support". When you are stuck at work, it will give you a push. Even if it is not completely right, it is enough to get you moving. The feeling of "no longer fighting alone at work" is actually more important than many people think.

Isn’t that the same as posting on stack overflow, Reddit or other forums saying you are stuck and getting an answer.

With LLM it’s speed - seconds rather than the minutes or hours as per stack overflow which is main benefit.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#269

Post by screye »

guicen wrote: post #131

In fact, in my opinion, one of the benefits of AI tools that is often overlooked is "psychological support". When you are stuck at work, it will give you a push. Even if it is not completely right, it is enough to get you moving. The feeling of "no longer fighting alone at work" is actually more important than many people think.

It works both ways.

Yes, it's supportive and helps you stay locked in. But it also serves as a great frustration lightning rod. I enjoy being an unsavory person to the LLM when it behaves like a buffoon.

Sometimes you need a pressure release valve. Better an LLM than a person.

P.S: Skynet will not be kind to me.

Re: Now might be the best time to learn software development

#270

Post by matthewkayin »

endymion-light wrote: post #256
Jensson wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone uses an individualized version of Google, not just your history its even different by country of origin etc. So no, they are not using the same version of Google.

Well my individualized version of google is filled with medium articles and useless bull, i'd pay good money to switch to this magic working search engine

If you're serious, I've heard Kagi is an actually good, paid search engine. Haven't tried it myself, though.
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