[michaelchisari]

| type errors, scope issues, import resolution, dependencies.

I write code myself and use the LLM to find mistakes then fix them manually. I recommend inverting the conventional wisdom on LLMs:

  1. Don't use it to write code. It's a terrible
     programmer. But it's an intelligent rubber duck
     and a solid analysis tool.

  2. Write the code yourself. It'll go faster than
     figuring it out as you go along. It's just typing
     if you have a plan.

  3. Use an LLM to sanity check what you wrote.
     It can find potential design issues or future
     problems or breaks from convention. Decide based on
     your experience how much you want to address these
     issues before moving on.

Is this as fast as AI writing the code? Not at first but possibly over time. Maybe faster. Certainly better quality.

Plus you don't lose any of your skills in the process.

You're still doing the gruntwork necessary to keep your skillset.

And the token cost is a small fraction of what it takes to get LLMs to write good code.

[dnadler]

> Don't use it to write code. It's a terrible programmer.

I see this sentiment often, and I’m honestly not sure where this comes from, as it’s really not been my experience. I feel like this must come from people feeling threatened and just moving the goals posts, or not knowing how to use the tools effectively.

[Ferret7446]

I think a lot of the people saying AI code sucks is because the code isn't formatted it the way they like, not because the code doesn't work.

Basically, the people that leave dozens of bikeshed code review comments.

[rmdashrfv]

> I see this sentiment often, and I’m honestly not sure where this comes from, as it’s really not been my experience

If you see people saying it often, but you are convinced they are just feeling threatened, what AI generated software would point to to say, "Look at this! Definitive evidence that they are just coping!"

[marcosdumay]

I see your sentiment quite often here on HN¹, I'm honestly not sure what kind of experience you may have had with automatic program writers. LLM code absolutely sucks.

1 - I wonder why my other social circles are so different.

[michaelchisari]

It's a common enough experience that it shouldn't be dismissed.

[purple-leafy]

I agree. This sentiment is quite tiring and I put it down to one of 3 things:

1) lies and/or cope

2) lack of actual software ability, therefore over evaluating your own skill

3) haven’t actually used LLMs, and want to do a “look at me I’m so unique and different”

I roll my eyes whenever someone says “AI bad” “AI sucks” “AI can’t replace me”

Yeah. Load of