[kdmccormick]

> I can also emulate a docker container. I’ll just write down the commands you send me and respond with some believable crap.

Right. The thing that is impressive is that ChapGPT can do this effectively. This means that it has some "understanding" of how `pwd`, `ls`, `apt`, `docker`, etc all work. In some sense, this is an AI that knows how to read code like a human instead of like a machine.

[wokwokwok]

> In some sense, this is an AI that knows how to read code like a human instead of like a machine.

It's literally spitting out responses like a machine. Isn't that the opposite of what you wanted?

> The thing that is impressive is that ChapGPT can do this effectively.

? What is impressive about it?

Forget this is an AI model for a moment. Lets say I give you a black box, and you can type in shell commands and get results. Sometimes the results don't make sense.

Are you impressed?

I am not impressed.

I could implement the blackbox with an actual computer running and actual shell and the results would be better. Why would I ever use a LLM for this?

It's like discovering that the large hadron collider can detect the sun. Yes, it can. Wow, that's interesting, I didn't realize it could do that. I can also look up at the sun, and see the sun. mmm... well, that was fun, but pointless.

There are so many other things GPT can do, this... it's just quite ridiculous people are so amazed by it.

It is not indicative of any of the other breakthrough functionality that's in this model.

[rolisz]

Do you find it impressive when people get Doom running on a toaster? Or Doom inside Doom? This impressive on that level.

[yunwal]

It's impressive because if it can learn enough about how shell scripting works, how filesystems work, and can translate from human language, then we can feasibly stop learning to code (or at least outsource a lot of it). It's mostly not there yet, and I'm not sure how long it will take to actually be useful, but it's not insignificant that a language model can write code that works and manipulates filesystems.

[roflyear]

Give it some medium complexity code that isn't something you can find a variation of online and see if it can explain it.

[scruple]

I was prompting it along this line of thought earlier. What I found was that it doesn't seem like it can do anything novel, which is to be expected, but I can see myself working with it to discover novel things.

[roflyear]

Sure, I agree there - but the point is it cannot understand code. It can try to describe it, but it isn't able to reason about the code. You won't be able to coax it to the correct answer.