Update: I’ve decided to redact much of this post.
I maintain my reservations on security and ethical grounds with the inclusion of slop in software, but I also drew comparisons about the use of these tools that I think were in poor taste. To be transparent, the feedback I received overnight was positive; the decision to redact this post was a decision I made myself.
I’ve decided to retain my comments about burnout and open source software development though, which I still strongly believe is the root cause of so much of this. Thanks.
☕︎ ☕︎ ☕︎
I take the point about maintainer burnout in that thread; I’ve definitely been feeling that from the sheer volume of slop I’ve had to deal with in my jobs of late. Insofar as someone has to feel like they need a stochastic parrot to keep on top of work is a grim indictment of industry, and how we treat open source projects. One can feel compassion for someone’s circumstances, while acknowledging [the severe externalities, costs, and risks using these tools]. We have utterly failed in our duty of care to the people who make the software upon which our industry relies, while big businesses continue to rake in billions for sitting on top.
#hugops.