Discussion
My current goal (in life) is to have a computer system, whether it's my primary system or not, which contains no "AI code assistant" generated software whatsoever. If I can't have that I want to get as close as possible. My two paths are (1) Make a Redox+Servo system then start attacking Rust dependencies, and (2) "something with the BSDs?". Several BSDs are candidates.
This one has, as far as I know, the *clearest* maintainer anti-AI statement; maybe it's the new base.
@cuirass_entertainment i don't even like linux but i believe switching to bsd will mean giving up certain entire classes of activity i currently do with my laptop. and linux was supposed to be my escape hatch for the classes of activity i can currently only do on Windows (which is going away)
@mcc Yeah, I mean BSD will kill my entire workflow but I haven’t had a need for windows in quite some time
@cuirass_entertainment Okay, well, I would like at some point to play a video game, or use a piece of computer hardware I purchased from a store, or run an art program that is not "Krita" (Krita is very nice but it is not intended for all workflows). So I still have my Windows machine as a big hardware dongle for these activities.
(Notes:
- The problem with the BSDs is while several of them really are "better" about AI than Linux, it's usually "by accident", or indirectly through other policies such as copyright— implying if the copyright status of LLM code were clarified they might. I want someone who is *against LLM tech itself*.
- I still think a "long LTS", where Debian is forked right before Claude 4.5 is released and maintained "forever", is a good third option. But this would take a large, coordinated project.)
In general, it's very plain that there are *both* (1) people who expect that the appropriate amount of AI code assistant use by the people who write their software is "literally none", and (2) software engineers who do not want to use AI code assistants in writing their code, but can no longer find jobs willing to employ them to do so. The trick we need to solve is to somehow connect (1) to (2). (Assuming it is still possible for humans to fund humans to do labor. That might not be true anymore)
@mcc
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@mcc that also presumes that (1) wants that in a way that actually survives contact with the bill. Consumers notoriously want alternatives to Walmart etc right up until they see the ticket price.
@donw i think the difference between software and walmart is people have the option of just not using software, whereas walmart usually sells staples people need to live
@mcc i am available to start on whatever no-AI FLOSS project wants my help as soon as someone offers me a salary for it.
(As the prices of rent and food go up, and the "% of wealth" numbers start to look stranger [1% of the population owns 50% of the wealth, that sort of thing], if trends continue unbounded eventually you hit a point where the *only* way to get money to live is to do something that makes an already-wealthy person happy. More and more industries change from making products to sell, over to some sort of "storytime" where a billionaire is delighted by the way you dance and gives you "investment".)
@mcc LOL "eventually"
@mcc Historically, there have always been boundaries to how long that sort of thing can go on.
Pictured: Historical boundaries
@mcc i keep talking about communes like a crazy person bc i would literally rather do hard labor like farming than survive this way. i’m probably too weak and sickly to actually do it successfully but it feels like it should be possible to like. have an economy that’s real
@mcc In that case, the only alternative will make rich people very, very unhappy.
@mcc I mean, isn’t that the principe of VC funding already? And it’s the biggest factor of economic growth right now 😬.
@mcc I’m following along as well, I’d like to get as smooth and uncompromised as workflow as possible… maybe if BSD has legs I’ll try and contribute, but I do love Linux