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Code is cheap now, but software isn't

chrisgregori.dev

31–40 of 79 posts

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#31
post #13

For the love of all that is holy, I cannot read another 5 page AI post that could've been like 200 words. Just make it a paragraph or two and write using your brain, people. Does everything have to be ran through an AI? I'm sure there's some decent ideas in here, but I'm not wasting my time reading this slop.

you won't get clicks and you can't build brand with it. sad but true.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah it's becoming increasingly obvious now. The moment I see this "contrast framing" I stop reading.

I read this as 'contrast farming' and like the term better.

That's not just contrast framing. It's contrast farming.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#33
post #5

I saw someone use the term "orchestration", which seems to be the word for building the software using LLM tools. It made me think of the conductor, seemingly the most skillless job in the orchestra. All you do is wave the batton, no need to ever play a instrument. If LLMs are doing the hard part (writing code) then we can be the conductor waving the batton. But of course the visuals are misleading. Being conductor d…

This "orchestration" software is about people trying to increase productivity by running many instances of a coding agent on the same project, without stepping on each other too much. It doesn't seem to be fully baked yet. A "shared nothing" architecture where you work have each instance work on a distinct project seems simpler if you want to spin more plates.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#34
post #5

I saw someone use the term "orchestration", which seems to be the word for building the software using LLM tools. It made me think of the conductor, seemingly the most skillless job in the orchestra. All you do is wave the batton, no need to ever play a instrument. If LLMs are doing the hard part (writing code) then we can be the conductor waving the batton. But of course the visuals are misleading. Being conductor d…

> LLMs have made the musician part automated. They'll play whatever you want

I like your metaphor even as someone who can be a bit skeptical of the overly broad promises of LLM’s/AI. But I do think this statement is too generous. It implies way too much actual musical ability. It also means that everything I can imagine musically is possible which it just isn’t, as there are limitations just like with real musicians.

If we want to really make the metaphor work, it’s an orchestra full of very informed people who have read a lot about music and have an idea of what their instrument should sound like and can even make whatever they’re holding sound like the appropriate instrument most of the time sort of. With our direction, our “conducting,” their success goes up.

But ultimately: they aren’t real musicians, they aren’t holding the right instruments, and they haven’t actually been taught how to read music. They are just often good at sort of making it work in a way that approximates what we want.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#35
post #8

> The barrier to entry has effectively collapsed. Google, Apple, Meta, X, Bluesky, Shopify, Stripe and all the big software companies must be really shaking in their boots for disruption against the army of vibe coders. /s (They are actually laughing at all of them)

What a random set of companies to choose. You'd probably need to think critically about each one of those when assessing the accuracy of your statements.

> What a random set of companies to choose.

All of the mentioned named companies have network effects, distribution and trust.

Not quite easy to copy. Disposable LLM gen'd code without users is cheap, which is the point of the article.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#36
post #9

In other words, yes we have CNC machines and electric saws and whatnot, reliable to a certain degree (you can still injure yourself badly), but it doesn't remove the need of a carpenter, because a carpenter also knows how to make a hammer from scratch even if he doesn't make one in his entire life.

eh, rather, a carpenter knows to swing a hammer in a pinch, doing say framing, even if they mostly use a nailgun.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#37
post #30
post #14

This post is AI generated slop.

What makes you think it is?

A title per paragraph (slight exaggeration), half of the form The X, The Y, The Z. Every section ends with "it's not x; it's y" contrast framing.

But really the only issue is it's monotone linkedin still insight fluff and you can't tell where the prompt ends and the LLM crap begins. I expect something interesting was put into the LLM, but the LLM has destroyed the author's ability to communicate it with me effectively. Everything is overinflated to the same level of importance and I can't tell what the author actually cared about expressing.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#38
post #5

I saw someone use the term "orchestration", which seems to be the word for building the software using LLM tools. It made me think of the conductor, seemingly the most skillless job in the orchestra. All you do is wave the batton, no need to ever play a instrument. If LLMs are doing the hard part (writing code) then we can be the conductor waving the batton. But of course the visuals are misleading. Being conductor d…

But also the market for conductors is very small. There are 100 musicians but only one conductor in an orchestra.

So what you wrote does not bode well for the profession.

Re: Code is cheap now, but software isn't

#40
We are all fashion designers now. LLM can code the cloth, do the seams, put in zippers, and sow buttons. You pick what creature you are designing for. You study how it moves, where the limits of movement lie, where it needs ventilation, flexibility, extra reinforced knees, fire resistance, a cape for flare (or no cape for safety). We are all Edna Mode. And the best of us can turn the problems we are working on into superheroes.

You model inference provider and any intermediaries get to watch what you’re designing from behind the curtain and copy, train on, or sell the insights if you’re not paying attention.

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