I reflected recently on the changers in programming since my first experiences around 1977.
Everything back then was text based. You typed everything line-by-line. I started with BASIC and assembler. And also RPG on an IBM minicomputer. Went to C and C++ and then picked up Java in the early 90s.
Then I discovered integrated development environments (IDE), such as eclipse for Java. Then the IDE for C#. At that point, I was thinking, “this isn’t programming. There’s so much built in that you don’t even have to type.”
I try to forget the horrible experience of Ladder Diagram on a PLC.
(Oh, I should note that I was never a professional programmer. Fortunately, I had other roles.)
Lately, automation suppliers have been adding CoPilot to their programming interfaces.
Why this reflection on migration? I’ve been reading mass media and social media angst about the end of programmers with things like Vibe Coding and Claude Code.
Programming automation has been a constant for decades. They all served to make programmers better and faster and better able to tackle tougher problems.
Even with AI, someone must have the ideas of what needs to be developed, do the thinking about approaching the problem, and make the decisions for the best application.
We’re only going to see better applications solving harder problems. Those who lose their jobs will be those who cannot adapt.
New people? They will just think it’s the only way.
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