I'm not going to waste time give you the introduction. If you don't know who Jimmy is, I suggest you check my post history.
So, the lad striked again. You might remember the app he tried to vibe code. The other day he tried to have me put it in the server I have set up when I tried to explain it wouldn't do what he thought he would.
Copilot basically gave him a one page HTML that saved data in cache and it was major thousand line slop that I could barely make sense of. Today he insisted I set it up once more. Today he asked again. I warned him that I was already doing my own version. He got pissed and said he had already told about it to the bosses and this was HIS idea and HE was doing this one. I shrugged. The way I saw it, if he actually managed to do a better job, more power to him, we would've earn it, and some humbling wouldn't hurt me either. I'd still finish my own version, though I didn't told him that. I actually finished the first working version today though it needs some polishing and admin interfaces (I can still set permissions directly on the database). I'd still give him a fair chance.
"OK, how did you set up the database then"
"Never mind that, it's working. Just do it"
"Dude, I need to know what you used to make sure the server is supporting it"
(obviously, he has no clue, he can't even read the code...at this level of slop neither can I)
"Uh...it's...uh...it's in...PHP"
"Database? Dude...is it like...SQL?"
"Yeah, that's it"
(me, knowing he has no clue how to set up an SQL database, and assuming it was working at home) "You sure...maybe it's SQLite? In a single file?"
"Yeah, that's it"
I shrugged and said sure, I'll do it. He hands me over a USB pen. At this point, I don't even care. I'll just throw the code in ChatGPT to have a clue on what it does. So I sit in my computer and open the USB pen. Of course, it's a HTML file again (probably some JS there) and the thing is so huge even ChatGPT can't make sense of it. This, I expected.
This is what I didn't expect...
In the middle of the files there's a saved webpage. The name of the webpage? https://dev-server.spirinolas.com/ (not the real name, obviously). This lazy POS found my Laravel version open in the browser of the computer (not my work laptop, that is always locked) and tried to save it to steal my code. Of course, nothing of value was there. But the fact he actually tried it...I saw red.
I called him and confronted him. First he denied it. When I confronted him with the facts he got pissed and started gaslighting me.
"That file was already on the computer, I know nothing about it"
"It was already saved on the computer? Who saved it then"
"I have no idea. It was already there. When I got here it was wide open"
It's a browser with a webpage...top secret indeed. The actual code is in VSCode and isn't even stored on my work laptop. I use SSH to access it on my home server.
"Then explain to me how it was on your USB pen?"
As he got stuck against the wall and couldn't gaslight me anymore he lost his cool. He said I left it open because I know nothing about security and I'm a fucking idiot. The moment he insulted me I stopped the conversation immediately. I told him he had no right to insult me and we were DONE. I removed the USB and gave it back to him and told him to figure it out, I was not helping him.
Now I'm actually considering talking with the bosses about this. I know they like him but this was serious. He was trying to steal my work and pass it as his own though he's too stupid to realize how out of his depth he is.
Document as much as you can to prove what he has already tried. Explain to them what a security issue it would be to allow any of his LLM code to be rushed into use, and maybe the official hierarchy needs to be laid out somewhere so that there are consequences for him if he tries something like this again. He is your junior in experience and in time with the company. He should not have a say in what code is used in production systems when he’s this incompetent.
He’s playing with fire, and your company will suffer the consequences of letting him continue.
Yeah definitely this. This guy is a stick of lit dynamite. You need to document everything he's ever said or done and drop it all in a fat stack on the bosses' desks. Do it before he has a chance to let GPT write a similar stack about you.
You let this guy cook, and best case, you're getting a severe grilling from the bosses later about why didn't you stop him from being a dumbass if you knew his dumbassery was about to take out your entire business.
He has no access to anything critical. And he never will unless the bosses tell me to. Until then, I AM stopping him. If they tell me to give him access he will break stuff but then it's not my problem. But somehow I think they're not as stupid as forcing me to give him access. They might like him but I think they know better than to mess with my directions regarding IT.
I mean, keep your work explicitly separate, don’t let him touch your stuff and don’t help him with his, and wait for him to blow himself up.
After a bit they’ll come running to you to find out what happened. Just reload the back up and advise them he should not be on the server. He’ll talk them into getting back on the server and then he’ll break it again, and from there you can write your own ticket.
Guys like that I just can’t with anymore. “I know so much more than you” Sure thing, Dude. Now all I got for them is
They won't suffer consequences because he is not even competent enough to break anything I work on. Short of actually physically breaking it. I have everything quite secure. My own development code only runs on my home server and all the commits are documented on github. My work laptop is always locked and, even if it wasn't, he wouldn't even know where to look in a Laravel project. The stuff in production runs on site in machines only I have access. They could make me give it to them, but then it would be off my hands. Even with credentials he wouldn't be able to navigate a headless Debian server.
The most he can do is annoying me. This isn't so much on what he did, but what he had the intention of doing. I'm tempted to make a complain to the bosses but, as you all know, sometimes the ones who complain get labeled as the trouble makers. This is my dilemma since I know he is well liked by the leadership. And while they respect my capabilities he might've already convinced them he's on the same level. By complaining I'm taking a chance.
If the bosses don't like you complaining about something as critical as a dumbass vibecoding garbage and being completely hostile about it, then those bosses don't deserve your support, either.
I’ve been through this situation before, multiple times. He can do a lot more than annoy you, especially when you’re letting shit like this slide and assuming he isn’t badmouthing you to those same people who like him.
But you do you.
Of course he's badmouthing me. But what can I do about it? If I go down to his level he'll beat me out of experience and sheer talent.
Maybe you are right, and leaving a paper trail with complaints can be helpful, especially in a larger entity. But in a smaller place, with these kind of games, the one who blinks first looses. So...I don't know what to do.
Just own your space and let him own his. When he comes for help, you can kind of rubber-duck it with him but thats it.
“Man, I dunno, but good luck. Sounds cool.” And - out.