Will programmers be replaced by AI they develop themselves?

Robert’s MetaMask
2023年10月23日
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Yes. In fact, the term 'programmer' has been constantly replaced by its own technology countless times, so this is not surprising and almost certain to happen.


The algorithm for the program written by Ada Lovelace, the world's first programmer, for an analytical engine is as follows (this should be arranged when later published).

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via: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace


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巴贝奇的分析机


The analysis machine is a machine composed of a pile of precise gears, and these programs may be inputted using punched card hand crank. I haven't verified the details, but one can imagine that programmers like Ada were evidently eliminated shortly afterwards, but Ada Lovelace is remembered by the world as the first programmer.


The world's first electronic computer, ENIAC, was said to be programmed like a telephone operator, with various cables being connected:

How did people write code for ENIAC?

While ENIAC was designed and built by men, six female programmers - Jean Jennings Bartik, Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer, Betty Snyder Holberton, Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum, Kathleen Antonelli, and Frances Bilas Spence - were responsible for 'coding' the machine by moving cables by hand.

via: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/analysis/eniac-at-75-a-pioneer-of-computing/

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Without any suspense, this kind of programmer who operates like a switchboard operator was quickly eliminated by more advanced punched cards:

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Later, everyone had more advanced methods, such as using keyboards. A bunch of panel switches could input machine code, and machine code could be used for programming. One could also use punched paper tapes for input. The older generation of programmers were once again eliminated.

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Then assembly language emerged...There was no need to memorize machine code, which was a tedious task. After writing assembly language, it could be translated into machine code, greatly improving efficiency. The programmers who wrote machine code were mercilessly eliminated by the new tools they invented.

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The following story, everyone knows too much, various advanced languages emerged like mushrooms after the rain, every time a technological breakthrough occurs, a group of programmers are 'eliminated'. Fortunately, many programmers have good learning abilities, they keep inventing wheels, some successful wheels will eliminate previous skills, and they will start mastering new skills, thus constantly repeating the cycle.


Speaking of myself, I have never used punch card. I hand wrote a little bit of machine code (on the 6502 and 8086 architectures), It was just a few small code snippets that I could do this way. I can say that I am quite proficient in 8086's assembly language, but since C language became the main force, I rarely need to touch assembly language. Then came C++, when the web era began, I dabbled a little bit in Perl and PHP (version 1.x of PHP!). Then came Javascript, Java, and then I liked Ruby (on rails). After that, Python/Django became my main language and framework. During my time at Microsoft, I also couldn't avoid some C#, and I might be one of the earliest users of TypeScript (back when it was still called Stroda). In recent years, I have mainly focused on Javascript (including TypeScript), and recently the thing I have been writing most closely resembles code is called "Prompt".


Will programmers be eliminated by the technologies they develop? Yes, they will, it has happened time and time again. But is this a disaster? No, because we are simply replacing old troublesome things and gaining newer, simpler, and more efficient things.

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