I Forgot to Code

Muscles that are not used weaken. Back before mobile phones, it was common to memorize entire phone numbers. And before Google, we used to be able to remember web addresses.

Now it is coding.

odinthedog• 3 months ago

Has this been a common experience for others, this much atrophy in skill after just 6 months?

egeozcan• 3 months ago

I can code (I know because I recently needed to dive and make changes in a codebase where no LLM was allowed to), it just feels pointless writing any CRUD-stuff or silly re-implementations of common algorithms, so much that I literally cannot bring myself to doing it. Leetcode feels especially pointless.

Yes I can write some algorithmic code, and I can also calculate and sometimes even improve the computational complexity of some complex code!

However, I accepted the fact that LLMs can do these better than me and would rather show my skills in the bigger picture stuff.

Maybe I won't be able to code after 60 months? Only time will tell.

Karawebnetwork• 3 months ago

Could I still code the same way? Maybe. Probably, if I really put my mind to it.

The problem, what scares me, is the feeling of emptiness it leaves me with. Before, writing code brought me joy. Today, when I write code that I am not allowed to automate it just feels like a chore. It's a bit like how once you get used to a powerful IDE, writing code in, say, Notepad, becomes a chore.

It also means that my brain really, really wants to forget the basics. Why write:

api.users.forEach(({ id:u, name, contact:{ email, phone="—" }, roles:[r,...rs], active, meta:{ ...m } = {} }, i, a) => console.log({ u, name, email, phone, role:r, others:rs, active, metaKeys:Object.keys(m), index:i, total:a.length }));

When I could just right-click in the IDE and type "loop through users". Heck, I even asked an LLM to generate that example because I didn't feel like thinking, let alone typing that line.

That's what scares me the most.

For now? I still remember how to code. But coding makes me feel like I'm wasting my time, because my brain knows it can offload this task.

It was the same when Google Maps took over. Before, I was able to find my way around my city, go to the next town over and find a place just from the address. Now? I can’t do it anymore.

Before, I could memorize dozens of phone numbers. Now, I can't do that anymore.

Soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to write code anymore.

casey2• 3 months ago

Why would you even bother taking an interview with a company that has you write code by hand? Would you interview for a company that makes you use punched cards? How about stone and chisel?

I Forgot to Code

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