this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2026
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Programming

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Hello everyone! For many years, I have been coding every once in a while and actually learned a lot. I especially liked C and C-Like languages and building useless stuff just for fun and for the sake of the intellectual challenge that came with it, but since when AI became decent enough, it just kinda ruined the passion for programming and computers as a whole. Thing is, I am in university now and need to go back to using C and program regularly, but now that AI does everything 20000 times better than I ever will I always either cede to temptation to use it (thus nullifying learning) or just get bored so quickly I just turn off the computer to do something different.

is there a way to revive the interest for programming and building projects? I am doing my best to stop using AI but heck I really am self-indulging. please help!

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[โ€“] DutchJ@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The main issue here is that googling becomes less and less attractive due to the emergence of copycat AI generated articles. Oftentimes, you have to wade through several identical copies of an original tutorial with ads crammed every other line before you find an actual resource.

What I find to work reasonably well:

  • IF I use AI, I instruct it to never change files or run console command, but instead explain to me what to do and why
  • If not straightforward advice, I will check with official documentation pages and correct if needed

This way, AI acts as glorified Google that can read your local context. For me it works quite well and I learn a lot. Nonetheless I find myself often wondering if I am doing the right thing.

[โ€“] wewbull@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago

I'd suggest actually disabling your write, edit, and bash tools if that's what you want. If you just instruct it you're risking it ignoring you.