Dave Frampton5d ago
Thomas Sturm

So the kid had more JavaScript homework (grade 10 Math).

All the kids are using VS Code, and they have the default settings with IntelliSense/AutoComplete/AI Help on full blast.

It is 100% impossible for a student to learn programming with all of this AI crap on.

Every time the kid types as much as a single word, VS Code not just completes the command or the line, no, IT ACTUALLY COMPLETES THE ASSIGNMENT.

I've now turned all of this off. There are 52 settings for "suggestions" in VS Code.

Jun 8 at 12:16amWeb
Show thread🐢6d ago
@tsturm i keep thinking about this... and i have a dumb question. how do their exams look like, then?
Show threadThomas Sturm6d ago

@happyturtlethings For the scripting portion, the test contains a quiz with each question a few lines of code and the output with gaps that they have to fill in by hand on paper. One or two questions where they have to write down a JavaScript loop or create an array with the correct elements.

They can get there, but VS Code removes all deeper understanding on how to create code by thinking up a solution. All they do is write the first word or line and then tab through suggestions.

A disaster.

Show thread🐢6d ago
@tsturm the selfish, knee-jerk reaction i have to that is that it takes the joy out of math. you can very well memorize formulaic solutions, though, and then become the "i've never used long division since i was in high school" person. but this might actually lose us engineers.
Show threadSteven Hoefer6d ago

@tsturm VS Code is also the primary platform for code bootcamp and online coding classes.

Teaching folks how to be the meat in a genAI sandwich.

Show threadThomas Sturm6d ago

@troublewithwords I'm still trying to figure out how to bring this up with the teacher.

It's too late for this class anyway, but I think I want them to change this for future classes. All the students should have suggestions OFF.

Show threadSteven Hoefer6d ago
@tsturm I don’t have any suggestions for how to approach it, but I’m rooting for you. The kids deserve better.
Show threadEmory6d ago
@tsturm @troublewithwords default settings for who i have like three plugins period lol
Show threadslims  🐟⁂6d ago
@tsturm time for the good ol’ vi
Show threadcluelesstoshika6d ago

@slims @tsturm Make sure it's Vim Classic.

https://vim-classic.org/

Vim Classic

Show threadcluelesstoshika6d ago
@slims @tsturm https://drewdevault.com/blog/Forking-vim/
A eulogy for Vim

Show threadslims  🐟⁂6d ago
@cluelesstoshika @tsturm you misread. vi, not vim 😝
Show threadcluelesstoshika6d ago
@slims @tsturm ed, you can't call yourself a computer toucher if you're not using ed as your dev environment.
Show threadThomas Sturm6d ago
@cluelesstoshika @slims OK, that's where I might draw the line. ed is... a bit rough around the edges.
Show threadFrank Bennett 🇯🇵6d ago
@tsturm @cluelesstoshika @slims I once wrote a test rig for automated citation styles that's lying around somewhere. It accepts an external editor set in an environment variable. So of course I tried it with edlin, and it worked fine. After I dug out some documents on how the damned thing works.
Show threadAlan Bradburne6d ago
@slims @cluelesstoshika @tsturm I still think of vim as 'that weird newfangled vi"
Show threadThomas Sturm6d ago
@alanb @slims @cluelesstoshika Same! 😅
Show threadThomas Sturm6d ago

@slims BBEdit for over 25 years now.

...and vi when I'm stuck in a shell. :)