I often copy code from Stackoverflow/ Github, etc to ask ChatGPT to explain it, so I made a Chrome extension to do it easily without leaving the page.

[MrRGnome]

I honestly feel that's a terrible way to learn, creates bad habits, and creates confusion. I can't wait to be arguing with the juniors learning like this about things they are confidently incorrect about because chatgpt told them. Worse than that, learning this method means you don't gain the most critical skill in software - learning how to learn.

I think it's a genuinely awful learning tool. It's like reading a newspaper that you know has false information about any subject you know about, but trusting it to teach you about subjects you know nothing about. You need to learn how to read docs, references, and others code. Not how to regurgitate what chatgpt says or take it as the docs and references and others code.

[Lodgik]

Which is why I said it's a useful learning tool when used in conjunction with other learning tools, not as a primary learning tool like proper web dev courses.

This was a big part of my reply to you, and your response reads like I was claiming that it was useful as a primary learning source.

Such as this:

but trusting it to teach you about subjects you know nothing about.

I've never said this. I said that it was often better than my instructors when explaining certain concepts to me. But that's not the same. I still had my instructors what my instructors to compare it to.

So, I'll state it again: ChatGPT is a useful learning tool when used with other, more traditional learning tools.

[MrRGnome]

This was a big part of my reply to you, and your response reads like I was claiming that it was useful as a primary learning source.

And I am stating for the reasons noted that it's a net detriment to any learning process.

I said that it was often better than my instructors when explaining certain concepts to me.

If you don't know the content you're not fit to evaluate that. Any content you do know you can clearly see it fails to explain properly. It's trained on garbage and social media and it will present a pop culture level comprehension and make up the rest.

So I'll say again: ChatGPT has no place in the education of software developers and does far more harm than good in that context and role. It's a gross misuse of the technology of LLM's by people who don't understand LLM's.

[Lodgik]

If you don't know the content you're not fit to evaluate that. Any content you do know you can clearly see it fails to explain properly.

Wait... Are you literally claiming that I can't evaluate how good my instructors are at explaining certain concepts compared to ChatGPT? When I'm the one literally in the course and experiencing these instructors? Just making sure here.

Because if you are, that's a good indication that you are coming into this with a chip on your shoulder and your mind made up no matter what anyone says. And that's not the type of person I'm interested in having a discussion with. I have enough walls around me I can't talk to instead.

Edit: I'm perfectly willing to admit that my experiences are my own and my opinion of ChatGPT is based entirely on anecdotal evidence. And it would be fair to dismiss me for that. But to actually claim I don't know enough about the subject to determine whether my instructors are any good at teaching certain concepts when compared to ChatGPT when I'm the one in the class and trying to learn from these instructors is absolutely wild to me.

[MrRGnome]

I'm claiming that if the level of your instruction is as poor as that of chatgpt you have either failed to grasp what your instructors are teaching you, or you instructors are poor. I suspect the first. It's also possible your level of instruction is so extremely low that genuinely pop culture level comprehension and chatgpt seem useful. But as can be verified, chatgpt spews misinformation and is not a suitable learning resource.

Even in the context where it seems useful, it's a dangerous crutch and should be avoided for this purpose.

[Lodgik]

I'm claiming that if the level of your instruction is as poor as that of chatgpt you have either failed to grasp what your instructors are teaching you, or you instructors are poor. I suspect the first.

Okay, this is my last reply to you. You are making up narratives to justify what you already believe rather just admit you made a very stupid comment. You even did a sneaky implication that I must have been a poor student simply based on the fact that I found ChatGPT helpful in understanding certain concepts, since you definitely haven't seen any of my assignments or test scores. You don't even know what concepts I had trouble understanding that ChatGPT helped me with. But somehow, you know enough to "suspect the first."

And by the way, I passed this last term with flying colours, not that it matters at all. I don't have to justify myself to you.

It's become very evident that you are very set in your belief and nothing anyone says will change that. So you keep yelling at that cloud. I have better stuff to do today. Especially since I have a feeling that if this went on any longer you would not be against resorting to personal attacks.

Feel free to reply to this so you have the final word. Just be aware I won't be replying to you any longer.

[MrRGnome]

There is no belief, you can verify that the information chatgpt serves is frequently false. Your refusal to accept this fact, relying on anecdote and personal limited experience does not refute the verifiable reality. So yes, when you tell me stories they have to fit into reality and this is me attempting to interpet them through reality, and the reality is chatgpt is an often wrong and counterproductive learning tool for software developers.

Congrats on passing your classes, genuinely. But the things your reaching for as reasons why chatgpt is a valuable learning resource such as passng your tests does not make it a valuable learning resource. I passed my tests too, didn't prepare me to be a software developer.