ChatGPT : Champ of Python Programming

[PatrickPowers]

I had ChatGPT write me a Python program that would rotate an exploded hyperdie, a hypercube with pips like a die. It took about six hours. I don't know Python so it would have taken me maybe 600 hours to do it on my own, which I never would have done. I was greatly impressed at the colossal reduction in the frustrations of computer programming. And no human can ever hope to match its quickness at these tasks.

On the other hand once ChatGPT got off track it stayed off track. It makes a mistake because it doesn't understand something. Its flailing attempts to patch up something it doesn't understand often makes things worse. The beginning of such a syndrome is random so I learned to save a copy before all but absolutely trivial steps. During these breakdowns ChatGPT would repeatedly state "I understand perfectly!", "I've got it now!" and so forth. I learned to ignore such stuff. If it makes a mistake, backtrack to the working copy and try again. If I'd known that progress would have been even faster.

I was reminded of the epoch-making Go match with Lee Sidol. Though thoroughly beaten by AI, Lee did win one game when the program had a similar meltdown. It got off track and spiraled down, down, down, ending up making moves even a beginner would avoid. Then there's the unctuous praise ChatGPT unendingly bestows on the user, declaring me "awesome" and a "badass". I'm told you can ask it to stop saying such things. Oh, and be especially careful about letting it "clean up your code."

Nevertheless AI was a huge net gain. It knows linear algebra and geometry better than I do. I expect it would be even stronger at a routine application like a computer game. I'm going to have Chat generate a pair of hyperdice and have them bounce around using simulated physics. Then I can shoot craps in four dimensions. (I've already figured out how to change the rules minimally to get almost the same odds and point lengths.)

Programming is good because I can check the attempt immediately. I didn't have such luck with mathematical proofs. To please me ChatGPT gave me a "proof". I didn't understand the jargon at all so it seemed plausible. I later found out it was nonsensical word salad.

[Hugh]

Ha! I’ve been having a similar experience with ChatGPT as well. It’s brilliant sometimes and can find amazing connections, possibilities, codes, explanations and diagrams but other times it can’t spell properly or even create a simple orientation diagram. I’ve been paying for the Plus subscription for about a year now and find it has been fun. I wish the Deep Research allowed more responses but to get that I’d have to pay for the Pro subscription which is way too much for me.

I love how it has been getting better and quicker at understanding things. I follow a lot of people on X who use it and other A.I. programs to create amazing art. Others have shown amazing Python, p5js and other animations and creations.

There are periodic upgrades like for example the latest memory upgrade which allows it to access more or all of your previous chats to help it understand you better. I find I don’t have to re-explain everything again like I used to. It remembers most of the previous progress made.

I’m still working with it to explain a possible VRI/4D connection and hope that with future upgrades and abilities it will eventually help me show the possibility of it much more clearly. Some of the GPT’s (found on ChatGPT in the “Explore GPT” section) like Grimoire and CodeGPT seem to have extra abilities for Python code generation which are great to try out.

I have found Grok 3 (free on X) to have different strengths and capabilities than ChatGPT, it’s also fun and advancing quickly.

Imagine the A.I. capabilities we’ll have access to in a few years from now?