SMRTR ProgrammingMar 1, 2026lobste.rs

The Eternal Promise: A History of Attempts to Eliminate Programmers

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The software industry has repeatedly promised to eliminate programmers through automation, from COBOL in 1959 to 4GLs in the 1980s to today's AI coding assistants. Each wave follows the same pattern: tools simplify basic tasks but create demand for more sophisticated software, ultimately requiring more skilled developers rather than fewer.

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