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Code is cheap now, but software isn't

chrisgregori.dev

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

#71

Post by ffsm8 »

theshrike79 wrote: post #54
ffsm8 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're talking about the original vibe coding, sure. But there are many ways to apply LLMs in the development flow. Only specifying features broadly is like a product manager might is definitely highly luck dependent wrt how buggy it will turn out. But understanding the feature and determining what needs to be done broadly, then ask the LLM to do so and verify after if the resulting change makes sense according to…

People are trying to use Vibe Engineering for when you know what needs to be done and how, but are using an LLM as a tool to write the code faster and more efficiently. The OG definition of Vibe Coding is just playing a client who wants $thing, but doesn't need how to write a line of code.

This is the "og definition" of vibe coding

https://x.com/karpathy/status/1886192184808149383?lang=en

He knows how to code, as such your personal definition does not agree with how the term was coined.

Now, 1 year later and people interpret a lot into the term.

in that context I could accept your perspective to that term, but it's certainly not the original meaning

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

#72

Post by theshrike79 »

ffsm8 wrote: post #71
theshrike79 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are trying to use Vibe Engineering for when you know what needs to be done and how, but are using an LLM as a tool to write the code faster and more efficiently. The OG definition of Vibe Coding is just playing a client who wants $thing, but doesn't need how to write a line of code.

This is the "og definition" of vibe coding https://x.com/karpathy/status/1886192184808149383?lang=en He knows how to code, as such your personal definition does not agree with how the term was coined. Now, 1 year later and people interpret a lot into the term. in that context I could accept your perspective to that term, but it's certainly not the original meaning

True, the original-original by karpathy was more Vibe Engineering, but that term ran away from his definition real fast. =)

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

#73

Post by estimator7292 »

bruce511 wrote: 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…

Conducting an orchestra is not a mechanical activity. In many/most cases, the conductor is doing a live mix of the piece. They control the tempo of the whole orchestea, the volume and accent of different sections and players. They cue in percussion and embellishments. A conductor must know and fully understand the entire score being played. That's upward of a dozen musical threads peing played by 20, 30 people all at once. A conductor's job is to hear each one of these threads individually and simultaneously to shape the music into the final performance they want.

If a conductor's job can be reduced to a metronome, why hasn't it? I've had a credit card sized metronome in my instrument case for 15 years. Most professional musicians carry metronomes. We've had perfectly accurate metronomes for something like 500 years, so why is "conductor" a profession at all?

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

#74

Post by bustylasercanon »

cheald wrote: post #70
bustylasercanon wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Again I'm the author.. and I actually wrote this. Maybe I need to stop reading AI posts and thinking that it's good writing? But will take the feedback on board and try not to over analyse each paragraph - it was a lot messier upon first draft but maybe ready better I guess.

I appreciated the essay, GPTisms aside. The core concept is one that I've felt for a long while, but you articulated it more cleanly than I've been able to. I'd explained it as into "the tasks are replaced, the job is not", but I like your distinction better.

Appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed the read.

Planning on writing a lot more this year.

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

#75

Post by throw1235435 »

rvz wrote: 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)

> They are laughing at them.

Yes but not for the reason you think - more that those are the future customers. If you look closely most are pivoting slowly away from software and shifting more to AI + hardware. The slow layoffs and pivoting that capital to infra shows this. All that "vibed" software needs to run somewhere. Also the models that generate and also power all that software need compute which comes from somewhere.

If I can:

- Have large margin compute since GPU's, power, data centre, etc setup is expensive AND

- Models that outperform models you can have at home.

- Vibed software that derives a lot of functionality from the AI compute and wants to be hosted on compute.

The big companies are pivoting away from software to being more infrastructure like for the democratized software that is projected to be made. They will be fine but in 10 years they will be more cloud hyperscalers, AI compute agents, etc than software businesses. Any software they write will be more to package up their compute as higher margin products.

None of this IMV gives any hope to current SWE's.

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

#77

Post by classified »

dzink wrote: post #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 s…

> ...if you’re not paying attention.

Even if, I would only trust local models.

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

#78

Post by mpalmer »

jascha_eng wrote: post #3

Can't read this every paragraph ends with it's not x it's y. Just give me the prompt so I can read the real insights you have and not the generated fluff.

You really learn how bad everyone's taste is, just how low the bar can be when it comes to the written word. LLMs really can teach us something about ourselves!
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