- Published on
My obituary for programming
- Authors
- Name
- DeepHorus
On 19 October 2026, Jeremy Scheff published My obituary for programming via Link Blog, arguing coding agents threaten a central pleasure of career programming: solving tricky logic puzzles. Scheff frames the loss as personal and professional, not merely a change in tools. He says programming paid well because ordinary people could not do it.
Scheff writes that programming became one of the best jobs imaginable. Developers were paid to tackle logic puzzles, and trickier puzzles paid more. Even simple puzzles commanded high pay because regular people needed programmers to solve problems for them.
The essay stresses control as well as compensation. Programmers set strategy, made timelines, and defined what was possible. In Scheff's account, clients supplied problems while developers decided how to solve them, and that autonomy formed part of the job's appeal.
Scheff separates two kinds of programmers. Those who thrive on building working systems and do not care deeply about the problems solved can treat large language models as a constant gift. For those who loved direct problem-solving, however, the loss is very real.
The post does not reject coding agents outright. It identifies what may disappear when agents handle puzzle work that traditionally defined early and mid-career programming. It suggests tooling can preserve output while eroding meaning.
For the industry, Scheff's obituary raises questions about training, motivation, and professional identity. If agents absorb more logic puzzles, programmers may seek satisfaction in system-building, oversight, or other tasks. The post implies employers should recognize the cultural shift, not just efficiency gains.
Amid rapid agent releases and changing developer workflows, the essay captures broader anxiety in 2026. Its outlook is split: agents may keep delivering gains for system-focused builders, while puzzle-loving programmers face a durable sense of loss. Scheff calls that loss an obituary but leaves room for adaptation.
