<![CDATA[This is *brutal*...]]>This is *brutal*...

"There are no more juniors. There was a funeral for their passing in 2024. Nobody came. The machine does what they do now, but cheaper. Of course, juniors weren't valuable for what they produced, they were valuable for who they would become: the senior engineer who knows where the bodies are buried. We optimized for output, and abolished apprenticeship. A few years from now, we'll wonder where all the seniors are. We shot them. Nobody will remember."

Programming Still Sucks. — Writing

Sorry Peter. — I'm at a birthday party, and while most people here also work in tech, there's always a Guy with a Real Job. You know, a physical job, building some or other thing people need. And this Guy always asks some variant of the same question: aren't you worried AI is taking your job? I glance around and see a few faces turning around toward us, rolling their eyes ever so slightly before returning to their previous conversation. Yes, this question again.

favicon

(www.stvn.sh)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/0bb6ef9f-1643-47d8-9236-062a396d8e07/this-is-brutal-...RSS for NodeFri, 15 May 2026 02:50:19 GMTWed, 06 May 2026 16:38:03 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 03:50:40 GMT]]>@llorenzin

This will self-correct over time, because halting forward progress isn't really an option, and some of us will always want to know how things work and learn. That's not to say it won't be painful and lots of folks will have a really bad time before they learn a lesson. But there's a lot of businesses that are going to make a cautionary tale out of themselves.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tbortels/statuses/116531255088737323https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tbortels/statuses/116531255088737323Thu, 07 May 2026 03:50:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 03:27:35 GMT]]>@llorenzin I have a job where AI isn't likely to impact me anytime soon. But I have seen the same problem, albeit over a longer time-span.

What I've seen is a company who underbids contracts in order to win business. Then cuts staffing (or never hires) to meet the bogus cost targets. What this means is that we no longer have lead engineers. We no longer have someone responsible for training the juniors.

I've been pitching the idea that, when I retire, all my skills will go with me.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/agreeable_landfall/statuses/116531164300924392https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/agreeable_landfall/statuses/116531164300924392Thu, 07 May 2026 03:27:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 02:48:33 GMT]]>@llorenzin @IAmDannyBoling Congrats. It's pretty awful.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://masto.ai/users/WildEyedBoyFromFreecloud/statuses/116531010797864083https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://masto.ai/users/WildEyedBoyFromFreecloud/statuses/116531010797864083Thu, 07 May 2026 02:48:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 02:27:27 GMT]]>@llorenzin This is so on the money.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/megatronicthronbanks/statuses/116530927850555721https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/megatronicthronbanks/statuses/116530927850555721Thu, 07 May 2026 02:27:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 02:16:48 GMT]]>@llorenzin @solsetur I like boreal forests. Why? Because they have this neat trick. Every so often when things get out of hand, there is a massive forest fire. And it does something amazing. It cycles the nutrients, triggers the seeds and starts the process all over again. It rejuvenates the forest. Now, why I am talking about boreal forests? Because I hope to god that humans have a similar trick up their sleeve, because things are way out of hand and I have no idea where we go from here.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/jasohill/statuses/116530885988372249https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/jasohill/statuses/116530885988372249Thu, 07 May 2026 02:16:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 02:04:30 GMT]]>@llorenzin This is the best possible error message to get when trying to read this story

Link Preview Image
]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://aoir.social/users/sakhavi/statuses/116530837630711030https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://aoir.social/users/sakhavi/statuses/116530837630711030Thu, 07 May 2026 02:04:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 02:00:38 GMT]]>@llorenzin

By the way, if anyone wonders about the title of this blog post "Programming still sucks" (and the "sorry peter" at the beginning), its like a continuation, or maybe a response from an old article, called "Programming Sucks" by Peter Welch.

Which is also nice read, albeit less pessimistic than this one IMO. The current one sounds more like a eulogy for programming as craft and as an art form (hopefully it does not come true).

Link Preview Image
Programming Sucks

favicon

(www.stilldrinking.org)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/glitchypixel/statuses/116530822401848417https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/glitchypixel/statuses/116530822401848417Thu, 07 May 2026 02:00:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 01:02:44 GMT]]>@llorenzin "You knew. And you signed off anyway. Because the alternative was losing the job, and the job was the mortgage, and the school fees, and the visa, and the version of yourself who'd fix it later once things stabilized."

If you had stood up and said no the first time it would have been a much easier fight that the one you have now.

An unwillingness to speak truth to power is at the core of the failings of our society.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://wirejunkie.net/users/Ooze/statuses/116530594746111079https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://wirejunkie.net/users/Ooze/statuses/116530594746111079Thu, 07 May 2026 01:02:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 01:01:22 GMT]]>@llorenzin @wordshaper let's note the author's words,

"AI didn't take our jobs. Greed did."

Cc @drwho

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/users/grahamperrin/statuses/116530589374398661https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/users/grahamperrin/statuses/116530589374398661Thu, 07 May 2026 01:01:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 00:39:34 GMT]]>@llorenzin

Probably the best essay I have read.

No stupid "Ai always hallucinates"
No stupid "No Ai use case"
No stupid "Six fingers"

Just the facts.
Damage is done.
Most folks, even the forest folk dancing around bonfires, waiting for the that never comes, instead of concrete action.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/n_dimension/statuses/116530503668819036https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/n_dimension/statuses/116530503668819036Thu, 07 May 2026 00:39:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 00:28:05 GMT]]>@AimeeMaroux @llorenzin I can’t see how this ends well. Eventually you need to bring people up in the system. How do you get senior devs without juniors. You just end up with a gaping hole in the talent pool.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/RichardNairn/statuses/116530458480775804https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/RichardNairn/statuses/116530458480775804Thu, 07 May 2026 00:28:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Thu, 07 May 2026 00:18:46 GMT]]>@llorenzin They cut off the lowest rungs for so many career paths, not just programming. I see it in writing as well. 😔

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/AimeeMaroux/statuses/116530421841416998https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/AimeeMaroux/statuses/116530421841416998Thu, 07 May 2026 00:18:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 22:37:55 GMT]]>@llorenzin b/c they're fucking built on reddit?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/averageGuy101/statuses/116530025316579469https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/averageGuy101/statuses/116530025316579469Wed, 06 May 2026 22:37:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:45:20 GMT]]>@tsturm indeed... I think there are a whole lot of Saras out there, unrecognized and uncompensated.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529818554630765https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529818554630765Wed, 06 May 2026 21:45:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:32:36 GMT]]>@llorenzin The section towards the last third about Sara and the cron job... yeah... that's me. 100%

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/tsturm/statuses/116529768444010836https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/tsturm/statuses/116529768444010836Wed, 06 May 2026 21:32:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:27:13 GMT]]>@inw he really takes something I think we've all been vaguely feeling, and absolutely nails it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529747285458418https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529747285458418Wed, 06 May 2026 21:27:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:26:30 GMT]]>> Honestly, I'm to the point of telling young people excited about coding to go learn a trade that will pay their bills, and find an open source project to be passionate about in their free time...

@llorenzin that sounds like a tough conversation to have. i know it would be for me. 😢

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/elmiko/statuses/116529744486166744https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/elmiko/statuses/116529744486166744Wed, 06 May 2026 21:26:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:26:10 GMT]]>@vex @joerg that seems both terribly challenging and incredibly worth the effort...

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529743160717160https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529743160717160Wed, 06 May 2026 21:26:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:24:51 GMT]]>@elmiko that's absolutely the most painful part for me - I'm at the point where I want to reach down and give a hand up, and the ladder just fucking evaporated.
Honestly, I'm to the point of telling young people excited about coding to go learn a trade that will pay their bills, and find an open source project to be passionate about in their free time...

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529737983621547https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529737983621547Wed, 06 May 2026 21:24:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:22:59 GMT]]>@heroicthehobbyist at least he was honest with you. Not that that's a consolation.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529730634317506https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529730634317506Wed, 06 May 2026 21:22:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:22:12 GMT]]>@maestrafenix absolutely. I think we have no idea the extent of the damage this will cause as it plays out...

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529727588377735https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529727588377735Wed, 06 May 2026 21:22:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:21:24 GMT]]>@Diami03 I was thinking the destruction of the junior-to-senior pipeline, but you make a great point - the destruction of code quality, of software architecture, of solution design best practices are all in play too.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529724403215827https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/llorenzin/statuses/116529724403215827Wed, 06 May 2026 21:21:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:20:21 GMT]]>@llorenzin I'm glad you did too

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/IAmDannyBoling/statuses/116529720318570487https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/IAmDannyBoling/statuses/116529720318570487Wed, 06 May 2026 21:20:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to This is *brutal*... on Wed, 06 May 2026 21:19:01 GMT]]>@llorenzin - I kid you not I had a potential mentor say the exact same thing! He gave me so general wisdom and insight but he told me and i quote “The pathways to got me to where I am and where I want to go aren’t around anymore”.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/heroicthehobbyist/statuses/116529715083330914https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/heroicthehobbyist/statuses/116529715083330914Wed, 06 May 2026 21:19:01 GMT