Born Against, or why hobby programming communities are against LLM usage
blog.fogus.me
August 5, 2026
2 min read
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52/100
Summary
Hobby programming communities are expressing increasing hostility toward the use of large language models (LLMs) in development. This sentiment is evident in various niche groups, including OSDev, LangDev, TxtDev, EmuDev, RLDev, and the demoscene.
Key Takeaways
- Hobby programming communities are increasingly hostile toward LLM development, viewing it as undermining the hard-fought knowledge and mastery of their fields.
- There is a perception that using LLMs is a form of cheating, as these communities value the learning process over simply producing functional code.
- Respect in traditional niche development circles is earned through years of engagement and deep domain knowledge, rather than through the use of LLMs.
- LLMs are seen as potential force multipliers for experts but are criticized for detracting from the craftsmanship and learning experience in these communities.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Some hobbyists find LLMs helpful for tackling tedious tasks, allowing them to focus on more creative aspects of their projects.
- Developers who entered the field for financial gain are excited about how LLMs streamline their workflow, making results faster and easier.
Concerns
- LLMs are creating code that’s harder to review, leading to subtler bugs and diminishing the joy of the programming process.
- The rise of LLMs has resulted in a decline of meaningful community engagement, with many hobbyists feeling overwhelmed by low-quality contributions.
