I was discussing the hiring of a developer last week, and the topic of the 10x developer came up. Admittedly I brought it up, because I love talking about it.
So this week I wanted to talk about this rockstar superhero that graces the programming landscape and ask the question if they are still relevant with the advent of the AI Co-pilot.
It also gave me a chance to reflect on my journey into the world of programming. Enjoy :)
My journey into the world of programming
As a young teenager, I would catch a 30-minute bus ride into my local town at the weekends. I was only interested in visiting 1 shop, (well, 2 if you count the Wimpy), and that was my local computer shop.
I didn't need to go in, I would just walk to the window and stare through at the massive CRT monitor. ( I say massive, the screen itself was only a 17-inch display, which is peanuts these days, but the actual box for such a beast in those days was just monolithic. ) I would stand and stare at Doom.
Running smoothly on a 640x480 pixel window, on a top-of-the-range 486 DX2 66Mhz PC, and I can say wholeheartedly that it blew my flipping mind.
It was in these moments of my childhood that I realized I wanted to be a developer.
Not that I knew what that meant at the time, nor did I know that the switch was flipped inside. But that's when I first saw what computers could do.
This business machine, designed to show static images of spreadsheets and numbers had been re-purposed to show a first-person perspective of a vigilante hero, running smoothly at 30 frames per second, shotgunning and slaying demons. Every 12 year olds dream really.
I wasn't alone in these fanboy moments. Certainly rarely alone staring in through the window. The name 'Doom' is probably one of the most well-known computer games in history. Particularly before our current computer literate age with the parental eye roll discussions of fortnight and Pokemon Go etc.
I even remember the moment on a Friend's episode when Chandler got a new laptop and name-dropped Doom, I felt bizarrely proud at that moment as if it was a nod to the initiated...
However, unlike many of the people staring at Doom through that window, I didn't just want to play it, I wanted to make it!
(As a side note, playing it wasn't even a remote possibility. I didn't own a PC then, nor was it likely any time soon. They cost a hefty buck and my weekend jobs as a kitchen hand weren't going to afford that beast any time that century.).
So my journey toward programming began.
The early 90's Deep Dive
I did the 'back then' version of a deep dive of the lead programmer of Doom, John Carmack. The archetype rockstar / 10x developer.
Bare in mind this was pre-'The Internet' as we know it, and very much pre-Google, so my deep dive involved buying computer magazines that had articles written on Doom and trying to learn BASIC.
The computer magazines with Doom were fortunately in good supply, but rarely lacked much in the way of detail. BASIC programming books, not so much.
I saw many pictures of John Carmack looking as the archetype programmer does - a malnourished slim face with massive glasses, standing by a huge CRT monitor and a red Ferrari parked behind him.
Why was John Carmack different?
Having the vision and technical skills to change the computer landscape the way John Carmack did is not something many programmers can do.
It involves a deep and intimate understanding of hardware and software, and a mind capable of true abstract and outside-of-the-box thinking (Well, actually it was completely inside the box given how they thought about the hardware they were coding ;)). This is no 9-5 developer, this is someone who lives and breathes for it.
Although, It's important to say that whilst John Carmack was exceptional and a 10x programmer I'm sure. He didn't work alone, the whole team of ID Software was remarkable.
I read a fantastic book by Fabian Sanglard on how Doom was invented.
Fabian (who I follow and who is to my mind a 10x'er) described in exquisite detail the steps taken by the team in order to create Doom.
It is an incredible read, and well worth the time investment.
Fabian is clearly an expert programmer who lives and breathes for the code, and is a good author too. Check him out :)
So what actually is a 10x developer then?
Let's talk more about this semi-mythical creature who have ninja-level skills of development meaning they are 10x (if not more) effective than their fellow co-workers.
Just to flag up, not all of these people will be famous or will have created Doom or Windows or what have you, and 'there is no I in TEAM' - so they will need to be able to work well with others too. :)
You'll not find a concise or single defining characteristic, but in general, they are thought to possess the following heaps of the obvious: skilled, productive, and creative.
If you look up a definition you will find :
Have a deep and broad knowledge of various programming languages, tools, frameworks, and best practices.
They can quickly and efficiently solve complex problems, often with elegant and innovative solutions.
They can work independently or collaboratively, and communicate effectively with other developers, clients, and stakeholders.
They are passionate about their craft and constantly learn new skills and technologies.
They have a positive impact on the quality, performance, and usability of the software products they work on.
I read an article by Reed Hastings, the Netflix CEO when he talked about hiring such programmers for Netflix when they got started.
(Rockstar and 10x are sometimes used interchangeably, they both mean the same thing)
He talks about the rockstar developer:
'When companies have a fixed amount of money for a project, and a salary needs to come out of that, sometimes you've got to make a choice between 10-20 developers, or 1 rock star. The best programmer doesn’t add 10 times the value. He or she adds more like a 100 times.'
(That's a pretty mega difference in salary) but clearly, Netflix clearly think it is worth it.
Who are the 10x Programmers?
I'm sure the 10x are well-known in their respective fields as a result of their reputations.
I have met a few in my career in the tech world.
Usually in the first few sentences, you get a feeling that they live and breathe from the joy of coding.
There are some that would say that the rockstar programmer is a mythical creature, that it's a harmful stereotype and a marketing gimmick.
I don't agree with that, and though I would hate to promote any kind of negative or harmful stereotype, there are exceptional people out there.
A lot of them.
Taking a slightly uneasy sports analogy, if you like playing basketball, you may think you're pretty good - but you can't ignore the fact there is an entire association of people who play it and are absolutely incredible at it and would smash you at it.
And then even within the NBA, there are some mega stars - who are head and shoulders
So why should programming be any different?
So the big question is: Are Rockstars still relevant in an AI / CO-pilot development world?
For now, yes.
Developers continue to play a crucial role in the world of technology, even as AI and automation advance.
Here are some reasons why human developers remain relevant:
Creativity and Problem-Solving: Developers bring creativity and critical thinking to the table. They design solutions, create new features, and solve complex problems that require human intuition and understanding.
Customization and Adaptability: While AI can automate repetitive tasks, developers customize and adapt software to specific needs. They build applications tailored to unique requirements, which AI alone cannot achieve.
AI Development: Ironically, developers are also involved in creating AI systems! They build and train machine learning models, fine-tune algorithms, and optimize AI applications.
Ethical Considerations: Developers play a vital role in ensuring ethical AI. They define rules, biases, and constraints to prevent harmful outcomes. Responsible AI development requires human judgment.
Maintenance and Debugging: AI systems need continuous monitoring, maintenance, and debugging. Developers are essential for keeping software running smoothly and fixing issues.
Collaboration with AI: Developers work alongside AI tools. They use libraries, frameworks, and APIs to enhance their productivity. AI assists developers but doesn’t replace them entirely.
While AI can automate certain tasks, clearly developers remain indispensable for innovation, customization, and maintenance of systems.
Could AI ever think about repurposing a machine to play a game like DOOM like John Carmack did? Now, no it couldn't.
However, what does the future hold!?
There was this historic moment of the AI vs Human GO match, described by some as the "Holy shit" moment in AI.
In case you don't know what Go (囲碁) is, it's an ancient board game, played by two players. Its origins trace back over 4,500 years in China, making it one of the oldest continuously played board games in existence. Which is pretty cool.
The fun thing about GO for machine learning is the complexity. It has more possible moves than there are atoms in the observable universe, which is a good way of putting a machine-learning process to the test :)
In the historic Go match between Lee Sedol, a top human player, and AlphaGo, an artificially intelligent computing system developed by Google researchers, there was a move that left everyone baffled. Let’s delve into this mysterious move:
The Move
In the second game, AlphaGo made a move that flummoxed humans. Commentators, reporters, and even Lee Sedol himself were puzzled.
One commentator, a skilled Go player, called it “a very strange move,” while another thought it was a mistake.
Fan Hui, a three-time European Go champion who had previously lost to AlphaGo, described it as “not a human move” but also “so beautiful.” The Significance
This move demonstrated the power of modern artificial intelligence. AlphaGo not only played at an unprecedented level but also redefined the game.
AlphaGo’s ability to make unexpected moves challenged human intuition and traditional Go strategies.
It changed the course of play, leading AlphaGo to victory in the second and third games.
David Silver, the lead researcher behind AlphaGo, explained that the move was beyond human comprehension.
AlphaGo’s neural networks had learned from millions of human moves but also played thousands of games against itself, discovering novel strategies.
The move showcased the mysterious capabilities of AI.
In summary, AlphaGo’s unexpected move highlighted the enigmatic power of AI, bridging the gap between human intuition and machine learning.
So is this the future of our AI Coding?
This is a unique situation because that's a very specific task that the AI was trained for, but it may be a glimpse of what is to come for coding in the future.
For the moment though, developers can rest easy.
Although if you are a coder and don't know Python yet, I would pick up an ebook or two :)
Have a brilliant weekend! :)
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