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by The_Colonel 878 days ago
One example for which I use ChatGPT is tip of the tongue. I can't remember a word, but I can describe it in other ways. Google doesn't catch on those keywords, ChatGPT does.

It's also pretty good for generating pointers for a complex solution. Like I try to figure out something in the non-JPA old version of EclipseLink, so I ask ChatGPT. The generated code is very often wrong, but it often points me into a right direction.
1 comments
worksonmine 878 days ago
I just use a thesaurus and hit one or more synonyms for the first example. The second isn't really a problem I encounter, some docs are terrible yes but I jump to definition or search the web.

I might've had more use when I was new to programming but my workflow these days is pretty solid and I don't see myself saving time by typing prompts and debugging output rather than just coding.

If it is too complex for me to understand I wouldn't really trust the output anyway and might spend a lot more time sanity checking the generated code and it might not be very useful in the end. I'll try someday if I really get stuck, I expect to get disappointed though.

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rockemsockem 878 days ago
Do you never find yourself using brand new tools or languages? My most common use-case for chatGPT is "explain this syntax <codeblock>" and "<language-construct in languageX>". Simple stuff that it pretty much can't get wrong. Much faster than Googling the same.
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worksonmine 878 days ago
Constantly, but like I mentioned in the other 2 comments I just RTFM. Why would I need a chatbot to explain me something the devs put effort in explaining? New languages these days are pretty well documented. And you can read the entire C reference manual in an afternoon.

Asking GPT to summarize something like that is beyond lazy.

Side-note: stop using google as a verb, you're "searching", teach your peers that there are alternatives that are both better and won't ask you for your first born.

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rockemsockem 877 days ago
No it isn't beyond lazy, it's a more efficient use of my time. If I want in depth language features explained then I read the documentation. If I want to be reminded of specific syntax as rapidly as possible then I'll keep using ChatGPT and save tons of time over the course of a week. And if you refused to even google in such scenarios beforehand then that is a really, really inefficient use of time.

Side-note to your side-note: No. Stop acting like some holier than thou elitist. You're coming off as a luddite.

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