Comment by hbn
16 days ago
There are times I feel minor guilt for using an LLM to relieve brainwork, like figuring out an algorithm. That's probably a skill I should continue practicing for my own sake.
ffmpeg commands though? It's really not a practical skill outside of using ffmpeg. There's nothing really rewarding to me about memorizing awkwardly designed CLI incantations. It's all arbitrary.
memorization is not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about
1. you have a problem, you try something and it doesn't work. 2. you find an LLM and it "gives" you the answer with one or two tries 3. problem solved! what have you learned? How to have answers given to you when you ask.
or 2. you look for an answer in a dizzying haze of man pages, quacks, and website Q&As. 3. you try and try again and eventually problem solved. you have learned not only how to solve a particular problem but your overall ability to solve similar problems has done up. You've learned how to fish, not just ask an LLM for a fish.
after well more than three decades of ice fishing, i am absolutely delighted to ask an LLM for an ffmpeg fish
and yet, i too know that it is perhaps not quite as good for me as finding the fish on my own lake
at least i can keep these fish in my own warm pond, and go back to them whenever i like
after decades of ice fishing, i think the LLM fish are quite good... and even when they are no good, that fishing experience makes it so easy to go back to the LLM and get the exact right fish for my pond
it will continue to be helpful for everyone in the future if we keep publishing the contents of our ponds, whether it's a web site like this, or in a repository