> I specifically said that kneading dough was bad friction.

Ha, quite right, that's what happens when you get the bad friction of spreading an exchange out an hour or two... ;)

I think I understand what you're saying, but I don't think it's what TFA was calling friction, and I don't think it should be called friction at all. I think you're just talking about investing in building skills if they will be beneficial in the long run, and I don't think anyone will argue with that. But calling that "friction" is confusing.

And that's why your original comment that "AI chat is too devoid of friction" or later saying "too little friction is terrible too" still makes no sense to me. You should never add friction, or complain that something's friction is too low. AI chat is a tool like a dough hook. It gives you the answers you need faster than driving to a library or trawling through Google links. Adding friction to ChatGPT makes as much sense as saying you should use a card catalog rather than a library terminal to find a book's shelf. There's enough friction in life already. Don't add more.

Even kneading dough can be good friction. If you’re making one loaf of bread at home it can be a very nice part of the process. If you’re baking hundreds of loaves in a commercial bakery of course it’s neither practical nor desirable.