> But that doesn't mean I spend all my time doing things I can do without thinking
But you do, or at least give the appearance of it:
> Also, though, what counts as "big" has changed for me. What I can hack together in an afternoon now might have taken me a week ten or fifteen years ago. So I can explore alternatives with less risk, in a way.
I'm pretty sure that's the core of the idea. What you're doing in an afternoon looks just like being able to code without thinking to someone who would still take a week on it.
But you do, or at least give the appearance of it:
> Also, though, what counts as "big" has changed for me. What I can hack together in an afternoon now might have taken me a week ten or fifteen years ago. So I can explore alternatives with less risk, in a way.
I'm pretty sure that's the core of the idea. What you're doing in an afternoon looks just like being able to code without thinking to someone who would still take a week on it.