I like this. Both for the astute problem identification and the self-empowered solution.

Usually I try to avoid cheats but I use them it in situations where I either get badly addicted or where I notice that I'm losing a lot of time with repetitive grinding

The AI Assistant in JetBrains is the best I've encountered. In Pycharm, specifically.

I've tried using my OpenAI subscription directly to use GPT4, but copy-pasting between the browser and the lack of context (that GPT has of my code) is limiting.

I've tried Copilot, but it just produces large amounts of junk code, and it gets irritating.

JetBrain's AI Assistant is built into the IDE I use, it melds well with all the pre-existing coding assistance it offers, the conversation interface is useful and can answer questions on specific parts of code (I habitually highlight whatever I'm interested in and ask it about that), and it's good when I ask it to write tests.

I need to try it out. I have been using a mixture of the Copilot plugin for autocomplete and then a third party package that uses an API key for OpenAI. I enjoy the third party package because I can just use 3.5/4 directly with my own system prompt instead of the garbage interface for Copilot or ChatGPT directly.

Edit: Just tried it out again, honestly pretty disappointing. It works and good they released it, Github has been ignoring the Jetbrains experience. Their implementation has bloated UI and I don't like the way they handle prewritten prompts.

I really like this implementation. https://github.com/didalgolab/chatgpt-intellij-plugin

TIL that there's also Copilot plugins for Jetbrain IDEs

I don't think it gets much love. I'm using it, and ... well I guess I get to stay inside my IDE, but other than that it just gets in the way.

Then again, I haven't given it much of a fare shake perhaps. I do find AI Assistant is a lot more compelling.

You also get them for Vim, Emacs, <insert editor here> just about.

No you cannot. Copilot plugins are currently only supported for NeoVim, VS Code, and JetBrains IDEs. Emacs is not on the list.

I must be imagining copilot.el, then.

Jinx!

I read The Road under similar circumstances (though the commute was more like ~30+ minutes on a stifling and oppressively densely packed underground train) - I felt numerous times that my vision, or my perception, or my perception of my vision, went from greyscale to vibrantly full colour when I looked away from my kindle to get ready to alight the train, and even in the grimy setting with the exhausted dejection of the commuters stuck where they didn't want to be, everything and everyone looked so optimistic and joyful and it all felt so, so happy to be in, compared to where I had been moments before.

Thank you for giving me the solution to this problem!

I always wanted devdocs to work (long train journeys especially would suddenly be more fun) but after this happened a couple of times and I couldn't figure it out or stop it I gave up.

Namaria's Law:

"Software expands to occupy all hardware available. If you throw more hardware at the problem, you get bloated software."

Games Workshop did a pretty good one this year - which I enjoyed and think you might enjoy because what's funny is the absurdity of it, not that it makes a fool of anyone: https://youtu.be/uWgKkN4c1QI

There is No Antimemetics Division. You'll love it.

Nobody ever actually reads TAOCP*. Beyond that, you'd have to ask him.

Anything 'useful', or industry/professional related, are particular, specific things that he can get for himself, as and when necessary.

Anything 'meaningful', well, you'd have to figure that one out yourself - what would your son find to be meaningful? Certainly you don't think fun, or relaxation, or what he wants, holds any meaning for him. And certainly not reward. So you definitely don't think he should get the message that hard work actually pays off beyond being given more work to do, and tools that make him focus on work, because you think the only meaning of his life is to work, and that he shouldn't have fun except on your terms and when and how you allow.

He already has the objects he needs for professional development - a laptop. I'm sure he can figure out how to dual boot on it if he wants to dev on linux. Maybe the most meaningful thing you could do is let him make decisions - he'll never learn how to if you keep trying to control him just a little bit more.

*This is a(n obvious) generalism. I am aware some of us actually do go and read TAOCP - I have read some of it myself. I will profess that, on balance of probabilities, TAOCP will be a heavy and pointless shelf-weight if bought for OPs son.

This is absolutely fantastic, and above all the other choices here that I agree are wonderful, this is absolutely one of the most absorbing and interesting books you could spend your time in and realise "oh, there isn't another book I could put in this next to as being of the same type".

Since I'm getting out and working on something similar right now - is there anything(s) you'd recommend in particular for the reading part of learning?