Using an LLM for a hobby project is baffling to me.
"In did in three days what normally takes weeks!" Uh, why does that matter?
"With this new Anthropic footware I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in three days!"
Dude you missed it. Not just the trail itself because you you went so fast you didn't see any detail - you missed the entire point of hiking it.
Aug 11, 2026, 6:56 PM@aaron I suppose if an intrinsic part of the definition of "hobby project" is something where the value comes from actually working on it rather than just having it done, that makes sense. I don't know if I'd define the term that way, though. I do have several projects I enjoy the process of working on, but I also have some projects where I really just want the thing to work and I don't care how it gets to that state, and I'd still call those hobby projects. (Of course there's a whole other issue surrounding how effectively an LLM can make a program work as opposed to making you go through and fix up its output....)
@diazona I intentionally used the phrase "hobby projects" to preempt replies like this one; ultimately though my real complaint is the obsession with going faster.
And I mean that in general. Our entire civilization doesn't seem to understand faster isn't always better. It's okay to wait for things! This isn't a war, construction projects either physical or virtual can afford to go slowly and with great care.
"Leadership says this is top priority and needs this done ASAP" is so common now. "Move fast and break things" - no, fuck all that.
My real point is, "It took less time" is not a convincing argument to me anymore.
Aug 12, 2026, 9:12 AM