zlacker

>>tablet+(OP)
I use AI every day, basically as a "pair coder."

I used it about 15 minutes ago, to help me diagnose a UI issue I was having. It gave me an answer that I would have figured out, in about 30 minutes, in about 30 seconds. My coding style (large files, with multiple classes, well-documented) works well for AI. I can literally dump the entire file into the prompt, and it can scan it in milliseconds.

I also use it to help me learn about new stuff, and the "proper" way to do things.

Basically, what I used to use StackOverflow for, but without the sneering, and much faster turnaround. I'm not afraid to ask "stupid" questions -That is critical.

Like SO, I have to take what it gives me, with a grain of salt. It's usually too verbose, and doesn't always match my style, so I end up doing a lot of refactoring. It can also give rather "naive" answers, that I can refine. The important thing, is that I usually get something that works, so I can walk it back, and figure out a better way.

I also won't add code to my project, that I don't understand, and the refactoring helps me, there.

I have found the best help comes from ChatGPT. I heard that Claude was supposed to be better, but I haven't seen that.

I don't use agents. I've not really ever found automated pipelines to be useful, in my case, and that's sort of what agents would do for me. I may change my mind on that, as I learn more.

>>ChrisM+Ta
I use it as a SO stand in as well.

What I like about Chatbots vs SO is the ability to keep a running conversation instead of 3+ tabs and tuning the specificity toward my problem.

I've also noticed that if I look up my same question on SO I often find the source code the LLM copied. My fear is that if chatbots kill SO where will the LLM's copied code come from in the future?

>>yeahwh+hq
Not a dev. SO done for then? It's been an important part of history.

>>neom+KV
Agreed. It was a very important part of my personal journey, but, like so many of these things (What is a “payphone,” Alex), it seems to have become an anachronism.

Yesterday, I was looking at an answer, and I got a popup, saying that a user needed help. I dutifully went and checked the query. I thought “That’s a cool idea!”. I enjoy being of help, and sincerely wanted to be a resource. I have gotten a lot from SO, and wanted to give back.

It was an HTML question. Not a bad one, but I don’t think I’ve ever asked or answered an HTML question on SO. I guess I have the “HTML” tag checked, but I see no other reason for it to ask my help.

Yeah, I think it’s done.

>>ChrisM+de1
Hey Chris! Thanks for the reply. :)

As I never used SO except to understand it for doing business for developers, I know many found the community aspect/self building/sense of worth aspect important, same with Quora. Do you have a idea of how this will change things for developers? Is that a real thing I was seeing? (maybe even an opportunity!)