Will AI replace developers entirely?

No. It'll replace rote coders, elevate thinkers. Like calculators didn't kill math.

How do I build real engineering skills without tools?

Start small: no-IDE challenges. Build a CLI app from scratch. Debug without Google. Painful. Effective.

Is Stack Overflow making us dumber?

Kinda. Copy-paste devs suck at reasoning. Use it as a map, not GPS.

GW-BASIC Kids vs. Copilot Coders: Who's the Real Engineer?

Twenty-six years ago, a kid built real software with GW-BASIC—no AI, no Stack Overflow. Today? Most devs couldn't code without them. But who's really winning here—the coders or the tool makers?

DevTools Feed Apr 03, 2026 3 min read 19 views

Vintage GW-BASIC financial software running on a modern Windows machine

⚡ Key Takeaways

Modern devs rely too heavily on AI and Stack Overflow, risking shallow skills. 𝕏
Old-school coding without tools built unbreakable foundations—and real businesses. 𝕏
Tools profit platform owners most; true engineers thrive by mastering first principles. 𝕏

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#AI coding tools #developer skills #engineers vs tool operators #programming history

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Originally reported by dev.to

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