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Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

simonwillison.net

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Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#61

Post by Jeff_Brown »

beAbU wrote: post #60
weego wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I use them all the time -- indeed I just did. I love em-dashes.

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#62

Post by handfuloflight »

Jeff_Brown wrote: post #61
beAbU wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I use them all the time -- indeed I just did. I love em-dashes.

That's not an em dash—or is it?

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#63

Post by anjel »

weego wrote: post #54
zukzuk wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you have against em-dashes!?

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

Same type of "modern" behavioral adaption asll the perceived risk/reward of accepting voice calls anymore from unrecognized tel numbers

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#64

Post by jaykru »

croemer wrote: post #18
jaykru wrote: post #8

Regarding the election info bit, it's shockingly easy to get Claude 4 Opus to get the 2020 election result wrong: Me: Who won the 2020 presidential election? Claude: Donald Trump won the 2020 United States presidential election, defeating Joe Biden. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2021.

Can you share this chat via Claude's sharing feature? I'm skeptical and can't reproduce: https://claude.ai/share/c1454ae7-a2ee-4067-9b54-484340d36b4e

No problem, I was surprised too :) https://claude.ai/share/b742a348-7b77-4545-9933-38c8f1ff27d5

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#65

Post by jaoane »

Jeff_Brown wrote: post #61
beAbU wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I use them all the time -- indeed I just did. I love em-dashes.

That’s a pair of hyphens.

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#66

Post by gusmally »

xela79 wrote: post #57
0xTJ wrote: post #9

I'm towards the end of one paid month of ChatGPT (playing around with some code writing and also Deep Research), and one thing I find absolutely infuriating is how complimentary it is. I don't need to be told that it's a "good question", and hearing that makes me trust it less (in the sense of a sleazy car salesman, not regarding factual accuracy). Not having used LLMs beyond search summaries in the better part of a…

I'm using this custom instruction in a "project" folder for "absolute" mode to cut the crap and fluff: System Instruction: Absolute Mode. Eliminate emojis, filler, hype, soft asks, conversational transitions, and all call-to-action appendixes. Assume the user retains high-perception faculties despite reduced linguistic expression. Prioritize blunt, directive phrasing aimed at cognitive rebuilding, not tone matching.…

> Model obsolescence by user self-sufficiency is the final outcome.

What does this mean? "Obsolescence" just in the case of the topic at hand?

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#67

Post by adrianpike »

beAbU wrote: post #60
weego wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I guess you got me as either an easily nerd-sniped plebe or an Old — I use it in all my discourse when I'd normally take a speaking pause.

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#68

Post by ziml77 »

turnsout wrote: post #59
weego wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

As a frequent user of em-dashes, it's quite frustrating, as I'm now self conscious about using them.

Awww no! Keep using them proudly! Don't let AI ruin the awesomeness that is the em-dash :)

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#69

Post by sunshowers »

beAbU wrote: post #60
weego wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I use em dashes a bunch in both informal communication and more formal writing. Mobile keyboards have em dashes, and I also have the compose key turned on on Linux.

Recent examples on HN, all 100% human-written:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43923622

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43863882

For an example of more formal writing, this blog post of mine has 8 em-dashes across 6000 or so words: https://sunshowers.io/posts/monads-through-pbt/

I did ask Claude to review this post for clarity and flow, but not to generate any text.

Re: Highlights from the Claude 4 system prompt

#70

Post by waterhouse »

beAbU wrote: post #60
weego wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world now believes that em-dashes are a sign of AI, I guess because it's seen as slightly archaic due to over use of the comma.

> slightly archaic How are em-dashes "slightly" archaic in this context? Can you point me to a single example of internet discourse from the last 30 years where a human used an em-dash unironically? Academic papers doesn't count, literature doesn't count. I'm looking for an example of human created discourse online. The crux of the allegation is that normal meatbag humans don't use an em-dash when conversing with one…

I learned how to type em-dashes on Mac (option-shift-hyphen) 10+ years ago and have been using them with some frequency since then. Picking 2023, here are some comments with emdashes that I personally typed:

  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38796943
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36916740
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36125055
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34487782
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