February 9th, 2025

What do I mean by some software devs are "ngmi"?

The article emphasizes the necessity for software developers to adapt to AI tools, as those resisting change may face negative career impacts, while embracing AI can enhance productivity and job security.

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What do I mean by some software devs are "ngmi"?

The article discusses the impact of AI and software assistants on the software development industry, emphasizing that developers who do not adapt to these changes may struggle to succeed. The author uses a metaphorical story about seven fictional developers at a company to illustrate the varying responses to AI tools. Some developers, like Orange and Strawberry, embrace AI and significantly increase their productivity, while others, like Apple and Grape, resist change and ultimately face negative consequences in performance reviews. The narrative highlights the urgency for developers to invest in their skills and adapt to the evolving landscape, as companies increasingly seek expertise in programming with AI tools. The author warns that failure to adapt could lead to job loss, as the industry rapidly shifts towards AI-driven development. The message encourages developers to engage with technical founders and broaden their perspectives beyond their immediate circles to stay relevant in a changing job market.

- Developers who do not adopt AI tools risk falling behind in performance.

- Embracing AI can lead to significant productivity gains.

- Resistance to change can result in negative career outcomes.

- The software industry is rapidly evolving due to AI advancements.

- Continuous self-investment in skills is crucial for career sustainability.

Link Icon 5 comments
By @dopidopHN - 2 months
Summary: a story of software engineer as fruit ranked in a non descript software company, doing non-descript work. ( probably “software” )

I struggle to see any arguments.

And I agree with the general feeling. But beside cute image of fruits and some funny graphic, nothing is backing that opinion.

By @pwdisswordfishz - 2 months
Borrowing vocabulary from the cryptocurrency cult should tell you everything there is to know about this post.
By @stuaxo - 2 months
"they stumble upon new techniques that enable them to do 16x the work output of everyone else - LLMs and AI powered Code Editors."

This is completely wrong.

If you are doing 16x output, with this new tech you are a liability.

If the company is full of people doing this it will either sink or it will realise it's sinking and bring in people to fix it.

By @ThrowawayR2 - 2 months
Previously posted by the article author himself 2 days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42970842
By @RestartKernel - 2 months
Since we're on the topic, is it just me or does GitHub Copilot seem worse than it was on release? Posts like these lead me to believe that some developers are out there halving the amount of code they write, but Copilot often fails for me even with very explicit instructions about how I want something implemented. In fact, ChatGPT seems to fare better, even though it's both OpenAI's 4o (switching to Antropic's model does not help).

What should I use to replace me?