Why Hobby Programming Communities Reject LLMs: The Craft Is the Point

Born Against, or why hobby programming communities are against LLM usage

A chess engine development thread sparks a reflection on why niche communities like OSDev, EmuDev, and the demoscene are hostile to LLM usage. The author argues that in these circles, the hard-won mastery of a difficult field is the product itself, not just running code. LLMs, seen as force multipliers for experts, become a form of cheating when they replace the learning process. Early LLM engagement often failed due to shallow understanding and community backlash, reinforcing gatekeeping and slow progress as core values.