Much like how a source forge renders the README.md as html on the "front page" of a repo, if the READMENOT exists and the README.md doesn't, the forge can have a nice warning message on the front page instead. "This is AI slop, you don't need to read this. click to continue...."
Good idea, superfluous execution. README = "start here". If you want humans not to bother reading further, just put that at the top of the README, which then becomes "start and stop here".
While I totally agree with the idea, isn't that sort of what the agents.md (https://agents.md/) file is intended do also do? That is, unless i'm misunderstanding things, today we already have a file that serves the purpose that the author (rightfully) wrote about, right?
AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md are intended to instruct LLM agents about what to do with the project. The file the author proposes is intended to instruct humans that the project is slop, not meant to be read by humans.
Now that's a better name for the file - agreed!!!
Of course, there is a separate effort for a slightly differently named file: humans.txt: https://humanstxt.org/
Of course, the purpose of that file is different than this. ;-)
EDIT: Meant to end my comment that still having a HUMANS.md is still a good name and very much worth it!
aae | 11 days ago
Much like how a source forge renders the README.md as html on the "front page" of a repo, if the READMENOT exists and the README.md doesn't, the forge can have a nice warning message on the front page instead. "This is AI slop, you don't need to read this. click to continue...."
anagnost | 11 days ago
Good idea, superfluous execution. README = "start here". If you want humans not to bother reading further, just put that at the top of the README, which then becomes "start and stop here".
freddyb | 11 days ago
Good luck finding anyone actually using it. Maybe something like humans.txt (https://humanstxt.org/) is the better route? :(
mxuribe | 11 days ago
While I totally agree with the idea, isn't that sort of what the agents.md (https://agents.md/) file is intended do also do? That is, unless i'm misunderstanding things, today we already have a file that serves the purpose that the author (rightfully) wrote about, right?
hoistbypetard | 11 days ago
AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md are intended to instruct LLM agents about what to do with the project. The file the author proposes is intended to instruct humans that the project is slop, not meant to be read by humans.
To clarify the difference, consider the lobste.rs AGENTS.md file.
mxuribe | 11 days ago
Ah, ok, I see what you mean. Then, yeah, the added file the author proposes is indeed needed :-) Thanks for the clarity!
hoistbypetard | 11 days ago
If I were proposing the standard, I'd call it
HUMANS.mdbecause I like that symmetry.mxuribe | 11 days ago
Now that's a better name for the file - agreed!!!
Of course, there is a separate effort for a slightly differently named file: humans.txt: https://humanstxt.org/ Of course, the purpose of that file is different than this. ;-)
EDIT: Meant to end my comment that still having a HUMANS.md is still a good name and very much worth it!