[JadeNB]

> I don't understand: surely with pencil and paper you are able to see the code you are editing?

Indeed, that is the meaning of the exchange. brandonhsiao said (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8122592):

> You used to... not be able to see your code verbatim as you were editing it?

and Sharlin, affecting to disagree, said (https://news.ycombinator.com/reply?id=8122773):

> Sure you could [meaning, you could see your code verbatim]. You just used pencil and paper.

[omaranto]

Thanks, got mixed up somehow and inserted a negative were there was none.