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Open-source Zig book

(www.zigbook.net)
692 points rudedogg | 5 comments | 16 Nov 25 19:44 UTC | HN request time: 0.015s | source
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jasonjmcghee ◴[16 Nov 25 20:16 UTC] No.45948044[source]▶
So despite this...

> The Zigbook intentionally contains no AI-generated content—it is hand-written, carefully curated, and continuously updated to reflect the latest language features and best practices.

I just don't buy it. I'm 99% sure this is written by an LLM.

Can the author... Convince me otherwise?

> This journey begins with simplicity—the kind you encounter on the first day. By the end, you will discover a different kind of simplicity: the kind you earn by climbing through complexity and emerging with complete understanding on the other side.

> Welcome to the Zigbook. Your transformation starts now.

...

> You will know where every byte lives in memory, when the compiler executes your code, and what machine instructions your abstractions compile to. No hidden allocations. No mystery overhead. No surprises.

...

> This is not about memorizing syntax. This is about earning mastery.

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1. the-anarchist ◴[16 Nov 25 20:58 UTC] No.45948344[source]▶
Doesn't mean that the author might not use AI to optimise legibility. You can write stuff yourself and use an LLM to enhance the reading flow. Especially for non-native speakers it is immensely helpful to do so. Doesn't mean that the content is "AI-generated". The essence is still written by a human.
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2. lukan ◴[16 Nov 25 21:35 UTC] No.45948624[source]▶
But then you cannot write that

"The Zigbook intentionally contains no AI-generated content—it is hand-written"

3. tredre3 ◴[16 Nov 25 21:35 UTC] No.45948630[source]▶
> Doesn't mean that the author might not use AI to optimise legibility.

I agree that there is a difference between entirely LLM-generated, and LLM-reworded. But the statement is unequivocal to me:

> The Zigbook intentionally contains no AI-generated content—it is hand-written

If an LLM was used in any fashion, then this statement is simply a lie.

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4. mrob ◴[17 Nov 25 07:26 UTC] No.45951528[source]▶
>If an LLM was used in any fashion, then this statement is simply a lie.

While I don't believe the article was created this way, it's possible to use an LLM purely as a classifier. E.g. prompt along the lines of "Does this paragraph contain any errors? Answer only yes or no." and generate only a single set of token probabilities, without any autoregression. Flag any paragraphs with sufficient probability of "yes" for human review.

5. blt ◴[17 Nov 25 10:43 UTC] No.45952441[source]▶
Clarity in writing comes mostly from the logical structure of ideas presented. Writing can have grammar/style errors but still be clear. If the structure is bad after translation, then it was bad before translation too.