Will AI Fix This? (Why Software Keeps Getting Worse) | Shop Talk EP 77

Will AI fix modern software — or just make the same problems faster?

In this episode of Shop Talk, Dave and Glen dig into a question that keeps coming up: if AI can write code, why does software still feel slow, bloated, and unreliable?

From abstraction layers and performance tradeoffs to the reality of debugging versus generating code, this conversation breaks down what’s actually happening under the hood — and why better tools don’t always lead to better software.

Topics include:
• Why modern apps feel slower despite faster hardware
• The hidden cost of abstraction layers
• What AI is good at (and where it falls short)
• Debugging vs writing code
• Why software complexity keeps growing

If you’ve ever wondered why your computer feels slower than it should — or whether AI is really the solution — this episode connects the dots.

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Shop Talk is where we answer your questions and go deeper into the ideas behind the videos.

#ShopTalk #Software #AI #Programming #Tech

00:00 – Intro
01:21 – QOTW: Can AI fix this?
01:32 – Can you share prompts you add to LLMs to improve performance?
05:24 – I’ll never use Windows again but if I could port only one app I’d take Task Manager.
05:50 – What software would you say achieves performance in the way you discuss?
07:03 – How many people work at places like Microsoft or Apple and demand lean running?
08:46 – If sites like Stack Overflow can’t support themselves then where will the AI bots get their data from?
12:28 – What happens when AI starts writing directly in ASM?
14:14 – What are those specialized corners? Apple? Valve?
15:26 – At what point will fast be enough?
16:34 – AI should be used to debbug and optimize not to build…
19:05 – The faster computers get the more time we have to spend waiting
21:07 – Why don’t you train your own AI model on the old efficient code?
21:36 – Why take the time to learn how to optimize when you can just use a library?
22:35 – We may start seeing new laptops with 4GB RAM again.
23:39 – Do you think AI can do a better Task Manager than the one you did?
26:06 – Couldn’t the AI software side be improved if you a global variable to factor in efficiency?
28:10 – With AI making hardware prices skyrocket will we better optimize the software to run on cheaper hardware?
28:51 – How can I give 2 or 3 likes? One is simply not enough! Great talk!
29:08 – How dare youtube hide this for one whole hour? Great video tho.
29:51 – Why does a simple app these days some how manage to bloat so far?
30:59 – They are slow, because they always have to download stuff before displaying them…
31:37 – Is there any text book that teaches how to avoid bloat programming?
32:20 – Help me troubleshoot Windows leaking handles problems?…
33:07 – What was the old joke? Windows NT makes a ‘486 run like an 8088.?
33:33 – When I Programm in C instead of C++ it is funny how you do things more direct and efficient.
34:50 – derh… is the easy folder app install/remove thing in Mac truly that simple under the hood?
35:57 – Unfortunately, increasing ENTROPY is what is infecting the software engineering,…
37:01 – Hot Take : The internet made software worse.
38:54 – Do you think there is any going back to the excellent and not just acceptable days?
40:10 – At what point does the extra effort of software optimization provide diminishing returns compared to just throwing more hardware at the problem?
40:54 – So, what was the different way to send the binary json?
41:10 – And whatever happened to tab order?
43:01 – Where the hell do you come up with these metaphors? Retired Microsoft Engineer my ass!
44:44 – At least once a year could you just lose a fake tooth during the monologue and keep going as nothing happened?
45:02 – When you worked at Microsoft, did you ever get a sucker on your door?
45:16 – How many software engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
46:55 – How fast is fast enough?
47:39 – Extensive Outtakes!…
53:04 – The Friendly Coder…

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