Don't need to read: cost.
Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
51–57 of 57 posts
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#52The truth is that it's all about wage suppression because billionaires want something for nothing. And this situation exists because of a failure to unionize and a failure to form worker-owned co-ops that are fairer and more stable than megacorps.
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes this has been the motivation for decades. There has always been a language, methodology, or system being hyped that promised to eliminate the need for trained programmers. Why? Because they are expensive. Digital computers were cheaper than the legions of human "calculators" that they replaced, but once those savings were realized, the next step was to attack the smaller number but still expensive per head staff…
I had the feeling that the promise was higher productivity and better quality. Like, we wanted to implement more and faster. Maybe now we have run out of more and faster things to implement, so the optimization is on the costs?
Why not all of the above? Reducing costs and improving quality.
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#54Why does this entire article read like chatgpt? Kind of ironic considering the content. Big llm smells: 'Not "AI helps you autocomplete a function." Not "AI explains a stack trace." I mean the full-on narrative:' 'Sure, it's a weird language. It looks archaic. Sometimes it's hostile. Sometimes it's beautiful. But still—if you know what you're doing—you can sit down with a keyboard and turn words into: a product a wor…
I don't know if it's LLM-generated or not, but I'm guessing you're right. It sure as hell matches the horrible choppy LinkedIn blogspam pattern, though, and that was enough to bounce me right there.
Short sentences. And construction in 3's. Not because......, not because...., but....because. or - It's this....., It's that.....And.......
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#55This reads like a fanfic. "My manager wants to get rid of me because I'm too good with computers and he is jealous." No, he wants to get rid of you because you are an operating expense for the company. If they can achieve the same outcome without paying your salary then why wouldn’t they fire you?
So far they have prevailed despite RADs, 4GLs, no-code solutions, etc. Software engineers have ended up using these new tools to still develop. You can already see developers embracing LLMs to create heaps of trash for fun while they learn to integrate them in their job. It would take a huge leap forward, if not actual AGI, to fully replace Software Developers. If that's the case, they could replace any human job at…
I’m less worried about them “fully” replacing developers than what partial replacement looks like for the 95%+ of us who aren’t set-for-life, special genius devs in big tech.
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The first thing to join a company is to see whether they assign Eng department to Costs or to Assets mentally. Workers are costs. Always have been. If you don't own them, they're not assets. "SWEs are assets" is HR propaganda so you think you're valued.
Hard disagree, I've seen how it can be otherwise. Try looking at smaller companies, they can be much better OR much worse than large companies, more variation.
You can disagree all you want, but it's really a matter of defining basic concepts. If you don't own it it's not an asset. It's not a matter of opinion.
Re: Why do they want to get rid of software engineers?
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
So far they have prevailed despite RADs, 4GLs, no-code solutions, etc. Software engineers have ended up using these new tools to still develop. You can already see developers embracing LLMs to create heaps of trash for fun while they learn to integrate them in their job. It would take a huge leap forward, if not actual AGI, to fully replace Software Developers. If that's the case, they could replace any human job at…
Software engineering as a profession isn’t going anywhere, but what makes AI different from previous fads is that engineers who fail to adapt and update their skills will definitely be replaced.
That's no different from previous developments. If you refuse to work with modern programming languages, or with the web, or with a task-tracker, you're narrowing your opportunities for employment considerably.