Principle Stash

Remix

Six panels. A developer laying bricks says he is nearly done, then has an idea and wanders off to try a new framework, building a wooden frame instead. A bearded colleague asks if he is starting another side-project; he insists he had nearly finished the other one. A wide panel shows a field of half-built structures. The final panel, captioned “Post LLMs”, shows the same field filled horizon-to-horizon with abandoned foundations and frames, the colleague saying “I think you have a problem”.

Side-project (AI Edition)

After CommitStrip, “West Side-project story”

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I can now start and abandon a project in the same afternoon.

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Appears in Where Does Software Engineering Go From Here? (Part 1)

Transcript

Title — SIDE-PROJECT (AI EDITION).

Panel 1 — A developer lays bricks on a low wall, thinking: “There we are, nearly done. Just a few more hours and this thing will be up and running…”

Panel 2 — He straightens up, grinning: “Oh wait, I just had an idea…”

Panel 3 — He walks off across the field carrying planks: “Let’s try out that new framework, just for fun…”

Panel 4 — Whistling, he hammers together a wooden frame. The brick wall is out of frame.

Panel 5 — A bearded colleague, arms at his sides: “Starting another side-project, are we?” — “Yeah… Well no actually, I’ve nearly finished the other one so I just wanted to test out this other thing.” Behind them the field is dotted with half-finished walls, slabs and frames.

Panel 6 — Caption: POST LLMs. The same field, now covered to the horizon with foundations, stacked brick, and skeletal timber frames, none of them finished. The colleague: “I think you have a problem.”