Rest of World -...
In Nigeria, government and local VCs are helping startups weather the tech downturn
Sensing an existential threat to the country's tech scene, the government and local VCs are filling...
a year ago
Sensing an existential threat to the country's tech scene, the government and local VCs are filling the expanding funding gap.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Improbable: enabling the development of large-scale simulated worlds
Over the past decade, computing resources that were previously available only to large...
over a year ago
Over the past decade, computing resources that were previously available only to large organizations became available to almost anyone…
Noahpinion
Argentina's macroeconomic situation is even worse up close
A guest post by Karl T. Muth
a year ago
A guest post by Karl T. Muth
Ed Zitron's Where's...
In Response To Google
Google has chosen to send a response to my article to Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable....
8 months ago
Google has chosen to send a response to my article to Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable. Here is my response.
(1) On the March 2019 core update claim in the piece: This is baseless speculation. The March 2019 core update was designed to improve the quality of our search
Rest of World -...
Chinese factory owners are becoming TikTok comedians to find new business partners
Factory influencers are producing actually funny videos on TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat to increase...
5 months ago
Factory influencers are producing actually funny videos on TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat to increase B2B sales
Rest of World -...
Chinese internet trolls are adopting American racism to taunt Black users
Users are harassing Black creators with profile pictures of white police officers.
a year ago
Users are harassing Black creators with profile pictures of white police officers.
Internal Tech Emails
Barry Diller: Facebook is trying to "steal" Tinder's cofounder
Their attempts to hire Sean away from us potentially indicate they believe something like Tinder...
over a year ago
Their attempts to hire Sean away from us potentially indicate they believe something like Tinder could be replicated by them. I’d like to avoid that, though I don’t know that FB itself makes it that much more likely to succeed than anyone else.
Noahpinion
Why do economists get paid more than sociologists?
An economic explanation.
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Hong Kong politicians are making a splash on Chinese social media – and finding mainland fans.
Users have responded enthusiastically to their selfies, food pics, and Father’s Day updates.
a year ago
Users have responded enthusiastically to their selfies, food pics, and Father’s Day updates.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s not evil: ranking content fairly *and* letting public content get indexed
Please see update at bottom Most websites spend massive amounts of time and money to get any of...
over a year ago
Please see update at bottom Most websites spend massive amounts of time and money to get any of their pages index and ranked by Google’s…
Rest of World -...
India’s electric cab companies can’t find enough cars to put on the road
There are only a handful of electric taxi manufacturers in India today, slowing the country’s EV...
2 months ago
There are only a handful of electric taxi manufacturers in India today, slowing the country’s EV revolution.
Working Theorys
Define the Game | Theory No. 14
I grew up playing tennis with my sister at the public courts near home. For a long time, I just...
a year ago
I grew up playing tennis with my sister at the public courts near home. For a long time, I just cherished the joy of playing and watching the careers of the "big 3" unfold. But recently I’ve started to appreciate something more about tennis: the clarity of the meta-game around...
Rest of World -...
Uber’s big plan for India: buses
Uber Shuttle, a shared bus ride service, is available in two Indian cities. The company plans to...
a month ago
Uber Shuttle, a shared bus ride service, is available in two Indian cities. The company plans to launch in three more cities soon.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Testing and operating distributed systems
I am excited to announce that the first edition of my book about distributed systems is finally...
over a year ago
I am excited to announce that the first edition of my book about distributed systems is finally complete! First things first, I have…
Noahpinion
You're not going to like what comes after Pax Americana
Welcome to the jungle.
a year ago
Varun's Notes
Generative AI Builds Bridges Between Creative Mediums
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
over a year ago
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
Noahpinion
The New 1970s
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
a year ago
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
Platformer
Why TikTok's future has never been so cloudy
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying...
over a year ago
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying scandal
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s dating app for people who want to stop dating and get hitched already
What started out as a matchmaking WhatsApp group has turned into a popular dating app with over 2.1...
a year ago
What started out as a matchmaking WhatsApp group has turned into a popular dating app with over 2.1 million recorded matches and 44 marriages.
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s “TikTok nun” is bringing Catholicism to the masses
Sister Cattaneo has gained 200,000 followers through cumbia dances, influencer collabs, and...
3 months ago
Sister Cattaneo has gained 200,000 followers through cumbia dances, influencer collabs, and preaching
SatPost by Trung...
Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson and Art Over Commerce
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
a month ago
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
Rest of World -...
What do platforms actually want out of elections?
Nobody seems to know.
a year ago
Working Theorys
How to Be Like Derek Guy
If you spend any time on Twitter, you know the handle @dieworkwear by heart. And you know it’s the...
6 months ago
If you spend any time on Twitter, you know the handle @dieworkwear by heart. And you know it’s the handle of Derek Guy, menswear expert extraordinaire. (I’m still unsure if that’s his real name, but I haven’t bothered to look it up because at this point I trust him implicitly.) I...
Platformer
What I learned in year three of Platformer
Has the Substack revolution come and gone? PLUS: What's changing in year four
a year ago
Has the Substack revolution come and gone? PLUS: What's changing in year four
Rest of World -...
Chinese smartphone maker Transsion’s strategy to win hearts and wallets in small-town India
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights...
9 months ago
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights on India.
Internal Tech Emails
Apple exec on App Store complaints
In the end it all really comes down to whether we will ever open up the iPhone for developers to...
a year ago
In the end it all really comes down to whether we will ever open up the iPhone for developers to distribute apps on their own, bypassing our store.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
I wrote a book: Read Write Own
I wrote a book: Read Write Own I believe blockchains and the software movement around them –...
a year ago
I wrote a book: Read Write Own I believe blockchains and the software movement around them – typically called crypto or web3 – provide the…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
It’s hard to believe today, but 10 years ago Wikipedia was widely considered a doomed experiment…
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and...
over a year ago
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and controversies, but for the most part it…
Rest of World -...
South Indian temples are embracing digital donations with QR codes
Hindu temples are now accepting cashless payments for offerings, VIP tickets for festivals, and...
3 months ago
Hindu temples are now accepting cashless payments for offerings, VIP tickets for festivals, and special prayer ceremonies.
SatPost by Trung...
Blumhouse: The Hollywood Horror Hit Machine
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
a year ago
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
Noahpinion
Economic losses for our allies are not wins for the U.S.
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
11 months ago
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The return of podcasting
Kevin Roose recently wrote about the renaissance of podcasting: Sometime around 2009 or 2010, the...
over a year ago
Kevin Roose recently wrote about the renaissance of podcasting: Sometime around 2009 or 2010, the podcast scene seemed to wither. The…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Vanity milestones
Eric Ries uses the phrase “vanity metrics” to refer to metrics that founders cite to demonstrate...
over a year ago
Eric Ries uses the phrase “vanity metrics” to refer to metrics that founders cite to demonstrate progress but that are actually false…
Noahpinion
Is immigration raising rents in America?
No, but in a few big cities it might be.
a year ago
No, but in a few big cities it might be.
Tech + Economics +...
The fuckery.
I start each day with the intention of writing positively about tech and AI
and startups and vc...
a year ago
I start each day with the intention of writing positively about tech and AI
and startups and vc and then I open my laptop and…there it is. There’s the
fuckery.
SatPost by Trung...
"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
10 months ago
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
Working Theorys
In Defense of 'Tarpit Ideas'
In the startup world, there’s a term called “tarpit ideas.” These ideas look enticing at first. They...
6 months ago
In the startup world, there’s a term called “tarpit ideas.” These ideas look enticing at first. They have universal surface appeal, but they end up being huge drains on time and resources, and ultimately, they fail. The common trope is that young, first-time founders pursue...
Aaron's Essays
Distributed Capital
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in...
over a year ago
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in unproven markets should be that no one wants the risk. There was a time when that was true, but it isn’t anymore.[1] For a founder, the issue is different: venture capital is...
AVC
Leading From The Heart
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member,...
a year ago
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member, board chair, investor, and advisor. And one thing I have learned from this front-row seat is that leading from the heart is very powerful. A leader can be the most brilliant product...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Are people more willing to pay for digital goods on mobile devices?
Mary Meeker’s [ ](images/screen-shot-2009-12-27-at-11-51-18-am.png) The assertion seems to be that...
over a year ago
Mary Meeker’s [ ](images/screen-shot-2009-12-27-at-11-51-18-am.png) The assertion seems to be that there is something special about the…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
CrowdStruck
Soundtrack: EL-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster (feat. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Cedric Bixler-Zavala)
When I...
5 months ago
Soundtrack: EL-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster (feat. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Cedric Bixler-Zavala)
When I first began writing this newsletter, I didn't really have a goal, or a "theme," or anything that could neatly characterize what I was going to write about other than that I was
Paul Graham: Essays
Why Twitter is a Big Deal
over a year ago
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a...
8 months ago
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a symptom of a fundamental issue, not an unchangeable feature of the system. The one things missing from the growth model described here is prompts. In Brian Fogg’s model: B = MAP,...
Working Theorys
Product vs. Production | Theory No. 9
HQ Trivia, TikTok Trivia, & the not-so-subtle art of creating compelling live media.
a year ago
HQ Trivia, TikTok Trivia, & the not-so-subtle art of creating compelling live media.
Working Theorys
Trophy Jobs | Theory No. 12
We’ve all heard of the trophy wife or husband — a partner that’s valued heavily as a status symbol,...
a year ago
We’ve all heard of the trophy wife or husband — a partner that’s valued heavily as a status symbol, for superficial qualities over substance. Similarly, I’ve started to think about the idea of the trophy job — a job that people covet for its status more than its substance.
essay – snarfed.org
COVID was bad for the climate
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled...
over a year ago
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled travel plans, cut down overall consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions fell drastically. It’s great for the environment! Let’s keep it up! With apologies to H. L. Mencken, I...
SatPost by Trung...
Francis Ford Coppola: The Entrepreneur
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
3 months ago
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
SatPost by Trung...
11 types of cross-industry innovation
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
a year ago
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How do you prepare for the system design interview?
I get asked this question a lot. I lost track of people I know that spend all their time brushing up...
over a year ago
I get asked this question a lot. I lost track of people I know that spend all their time brushing up on algorithmic puzzles and barely…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#33)
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why...
9 months ago
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why people hate inflation, and interesting ideas about market power
Ed Zitron's Where's...
How Does OpenAI Survive?
Throughout the last year I’ve written in detail about the rot in tech — the spuriousness of...
5 months ago
Throughout the last year I’ve written in detail about the rot in tech — the spuriousness of charlatans looking to accumulate money and power, the desperation of the most powerful executives to maintain control and rapacious growth, and the speciousness of the latest hype cycle —...
Rest of World -...
South Africa’s competition watchdog takes aim at Google
The group is pushing Google to do more local business promotion, but experts say this could put the...
a year ago
The group is pushing Google to do more local business promotion, but experts say this could put the country’s digital economy at risk.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
Disconnecting Distraction
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Keybase: bringing public-key cryptography to mainstream users
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company...
over a year ago
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company that is trying to make the internet…
Rest of World -...
Shein and MercadoLibre are fighting over vendors in Brazil’s largest garment market
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses,...
9 months ago
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses, e-commerce platforms began pulling out all the stops to lure vendors.
Platformer
Google goes to court
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
a year ago
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
tomcritchlow.com
Building a New Project in Public
Nate Kadlac runs Approachable Design an online course to teach the basics of visual aesthetic and...
a year ago
Nate Kadlac runs Approachable Design an online course to teach the basics of visual aesthetic and design.
David Perell
I Hate Writing (and So Will You)
When I hate writing, it’s because I love it so much. An experienced writer is somebody who knows...
a year ago
When I hate writing, it’s because I love it so much. An experienced writer is somebody who knows when the hatred is temporary.
The post I Hate Writing (and So Will You) appeared first on David Perell.
AVC
The Rebrand
I’d guess that upwards of half of USV’s portfolio companies have changed the name of their company...
a year ago
I’d guess that upwards of half of USV’s portfolio companies have changed the name of their company during their lifetime. It is not hard to understand why. Founders start out with an idea and not much more. By the time they have built a product, built a team, and found product...
Rest of World -...
Building a food delivery app in the internet shutdown capital of the world
Jammu and Kashmir’s Gatoes was founded in 2020 in the middle of a months-long government-imposed...
4 months ago
Jammu and Kashmir’s Gatoes was founded in 2020 in the middle of a months-long government-imposed internet restriction. It is now expanding in north India.
Working Theorys
Membership clubs & desktop apps are back.
And more things I talked about over coffee & dinner this week.
7 months ago
And more things I talked about over coffee & dinner this week.
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s OnlyFans stars are becoming coaches for a new generation of performers
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to...
6 months ago
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to withdraw money from the platform.
Platformer
A visit to TikTok's transparency center
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
a year ago
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
Noahpinion
A DemTech Economic Agenda: Ten Steps Towards Collective Resilience
A guest post by by Liza Tobin, Warren Wilson, Brady Helwig, and Connor Martin of the Special...
a year ago
A guest post by by Liza Tobin, Warren Wilson, Brady Helwig, and Connor Martin of the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP)
Aaron's Essays
Pro rata is a bad term
For a long time, I was a strong believer in investor pro ratas. As a founder, I understood the trade...
over a year ago
For a long time, I was a strong believer in investor pro ratas. As a founder, I understood the trade and was comfortable with it. As a partner at YC, I thought it made enough sense that I helped design an entire programmatic pro rata system that covered every investment YC made....
Noahpinion
Yes, we still have to work
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
5 months ago
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
Nadia Asparouhova
How to do the jhanas
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to...
6 months ago
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to calm, to dissolution of reality – culminating in cessation, or loss of consciousness. They are induced via sustained concentration, without any external stimuli or substances. This...
Platformer
Why Platformer is leaving Substack
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
11 months ago
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
Rest of World -...
The Mexican senator building a plan for artificial intelligence
Alejandra Lagunes leads Mexico’s National Artificial Intelligence Alliance.
a year ago
Alejandra Lagunes leads Mexico’s National Artificial Intelligence Alliance.
Devmoh
3 key tips for maximum impact, and the myth of the "lazy" Big Tech Engineer
On forums with startup-heavy presences, it’s a common occurrence to sing about the downfall of FAANG...
a year ago
On forums with startup-heavy presences, it’s a common occurrence to sing about the downfall of FAANG and the uselessness of Big Tech for an engineer’s career. This specific tweet went viral recently and I wanted to do a little deep dive on the underlying implications of it:
Noahpinion
Manufacturing is a war now
And the democracies are losing.
a month ago
And the democracies are losing.
AVC
The Buy And Hold Mindset
When markets are in turmoil, like they have been for most of this year, I like to have a...
over a year ago
When markets are in turmoil, like they have been for most of this year, I like to have a buy-and-hold mindset when it comes to making new investments. It is hard to know when you’ve reached the bottom and can start buying again, but if you think about a ten or twenty-year hold,...
Rest of World -...
The company that thinks it can succeed where Lime failed
Russia’s Whoosh launched in Brazil last year, and plans to expand across the country by 2026.
4 months ago
Russia’s Whoosh launched in Brazil last year, and plans to expand across the country by 2026.
Working Theorys
When founders outgrow their startups
On the rise of personal power and the new founders' dilemma.
4 months ago
On the rise of personal power and the new founders' dilemma.
Rest of World -...
Why Kenya has the potential to be Africa’s EV powerhouse
Jit Bhattacharya discusses the challenges and opportunities of building an EV company in Kenya.
6 months ago
Jit Bhattacharya discusses the challenges and opportunities of building an EV company in Kenya.
Rest of World -...
The vehicle experience center tackling EV misconceptions in Nigeria
EV adoption in Nigeria is almost nonexistent, but a local startup is helping solve that problem.
a year ago
EV adoption in Nigeria is almost nonexistent, but a local startup is helping solve that problem.
Essays - Benedict...
Remaking the app store
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it,...
11 months ago
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it, and no-one is happy with the result. In the next
few years there’ll be a lot of shouting and some giant fines, but in the
end, nothing much will change.
Rest of World -...
AI moderation is no match for hate speech in Ethiopian languages
New research raises concerns that moderation tools can't detect violent threats in Tigray and...
a year ago
New research raises concerns that moderation tools can't detect violent threats in Tigray and elsewhere.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The rise of enterprise marketing
Building an enterprise software company used to be largely about sales, because enterprise software...
over a year ago
Building an enterprise software company used to be largely about sales, because enterprise software was sourced and purchased by high-level…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience...
6 months ago
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience this seems like a service a ton of companies desperately need. Automated checks are awesome, but they can never spot all the weird edge cases that a human can.
Data Boutique
From Zero to a Fully Automated Web Data Pipeline
Step by step guide
a year ago
Working Theorys
24 Working Theorys for 2024
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators,...
a year ago
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators, and lifestyle
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it...
9 months ago
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it reliably. There are also tons of people who would like to work in such a role but they are hard to find as there is no generally accepted job title. Seems like a huge opportunity if...
SatPost by Trung...
Getting Out on a High Note
Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin and Quentin Tarantino show the psychological power of walking away at...
a year ago
Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin and Quentin Tarantino show the psychological power of walking away at the top.
Folklore.org:...
Eulogy for Brian
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
a year ago
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
Noahpinion
The Democrats' new sunny vibes
Suddenly, the country has an opportunity to leave the madness of the 2010s behind.
4 months ago
Suddenly, the country has an opportunity to leave the madness of the 2010s behind.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze for AI startups
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need...
over a year ago
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need to make: A good founder is capable of…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Steve Jobs single-handedly restructured the mobile industry
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the...
over a year ago
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the history of business: he single-handedly…
Rest of World -...
Chinese EV sellers found a loophole to export cars around the world
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
11 months ago
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
Rest of World -...
The CEO helping thousands of women in Latin America launch successful online businesses
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
11 months ago
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
Noahpinion
Decoupling is just going to happen
Chinese policy and geopolitical risk are doing a lot of the work here.
a year ago
Chinese policy and geopolitical risk are doing a lot of the work here.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg on Messenger
To get people to ditch WhatsApp and switch to Messenger, it will never be sufficient to be 10%...
over a year ago
To get people to ditch WhatsApp and switch to Messenger, it will never be sufficient to be 10% better than them or add fun gimmicks on any existing attribute or feature. We will have to offer some new fundamental use case that becomes important to people’s daily lives.
Noahpinion
America doesn't really have a working class
Why class politics is unlikely to succeed where identity politics failed.
a month ago
Why class politics is unlikely to succeed where identity politics failed.
XO Capital - Field...
493.5% ROI - Exiting Sheet.Best
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy...
10 months ago
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy their first saas company. If this one is successful and we can add some value, we'll do another one! Jump in our discord to stay informed!
Articles - Alex...
What’s the big idea?
To make a big impact, we need a big idea. In brand communications, coveting
the ‘big idea’ is...
over a year ago
To make a big impact, we need a big idea. In brand communications, coveting
the ‘big idea’ is commonplace. We look for them. Long for them. Laud them
and lionise them. And yet, despite its ubiquitous use, the ‘big idea’
remains incredibly ill-defined. This article is an...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting...
12 months ago
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting the kind of people you want to attract? If you focus on metrics alone, you will quickly find yourself with pretty numbers but little value. For example, you can easily
Ed Zitron's Where's...
We're Watching Facebook Die
In the first quarter of 2024, Meta made $36.45 billion dollars - $12.37 billion dollars of which was...
7 months ago
In the first quarter of 2024, Meta made $36.45 billion dollars - $12.37 billion dollars of which was pure profit. Though the company no longer reports daily active users, it now uses another metric: “family daily active people.” This number refers to “registered and logged-in
Platformer
Can 'radioactive data' save the internet from AI's influence?
Artificial intelligence is about to create some serious propaganda problems, a new paper argues. One...
a year ago
Artificial intelligence is about to create some serious propaganda problems, a new paper argues. One solution: to nuke the web
Tech + Economics +...
A requiem for Tumblr.
Automattic's recent announcement that Tumblr is being put into maintenance
mode feels like the end...
a year ago
Automattic's recent announcement that Tumblr is being put into maintenance
mode feels like the end of a personal era. Tumblr wasn't just another
social network; it was a cultural phenomenon, a haven for the eclectic and
the expressive, where the internet's fringes found a...
Rest of World -...
Venezuelan migrants helped build Colombia’s tech scene. Now the country is kicking them out
New rules make getting a visa more difficult, even as Colombia struggles to find enough tech...
a year ago
New rules make getting a visa more difficult, even as Colombia struggles to find enough tech workers.
AVC
What Will Happen In 2023
I want to focus this post on the macro environment for tech, startups, web3, and climate because...
over a year ago
I want to focus this post on the macro environment for tech, startups, web3, and climate because that is where my head is at right now. I believe that sometime in the first half of 2023, the central banks around the world will start backing off the tightening that they have been...
Rest of World -...
Sing your way to learning a new language
Unlike apps like Duolingo, Beelinguapp focuses on storytelling and song to engage its over 5 million...
a year ago
Unlike apps like Duolingo, Beelinguapp focuses on storytelling and song to engage its over 5 million users.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Three types of acquisitions
There are three types of technology acquisitions: - Talent. When the acquirer just wants the team...
over a year ago
There are three types of technology acquisitions: - Talent. When the acquirer just wants the team (generally just engineers and sometimes…
Rest of World -...
Illegal gold mining influencers are tearing up the Amazon
Creators share tips on YouTube and TikTok to bring new miners into the fold and turn criminal...
a year ago
Creators share tips on YouTube and TikTok to bring new miners into the fold and turn criminal behavior into money-making content.
Noahpinion
Is U.S. industrial policy learning from its mistakes?
I hope so, because mistakes are being made.
11 months ago
I hope so, because mistakes are being made.
Rest of World -...
Mexico is using an AI-powered app to prevent suicides
MeMind has connected 10,000 at-risk people with mental health treatment, contributing to a 9% drop...
3 weeks ago
MeMind has connected 10,000 at-risk people with mental health treatment, contributing to a 9% drop in suicides.
Rest of World -...
Why African tech companies are ditching Google for a small Indian competitor
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the...
8 months ago
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the attention of African startup founders.
Rest of World -...
After dating app murders spike in Colombia, Match Group offers to help the police
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local...
10 months ago
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local authorities in Colombia to curb attacks against foreigners.
Tech + Economics +...
The Hyperloop was always a scam
Paris Marx:
The tech industry’s move into transportation was not only a failure; it
was...
a year ago
Paris Marx:
The tech industry’s move into transportation was not only a failure; it
was an active campaign to deny the public access to better transit and
trains because the billionaires of Silicon Valley don’t personally want
to get around that way. The...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Does a VC’s brand matter?
Suppose you are in the enviable position of choosing between offers from multiple VC firms. How...
over a year ago
Suppose you are in the enviable position of choosing between offers from multiple VC firms. How much should you weigh the brand of the VCs…
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
tomcritchlow.com
Working With Founders Who Have Conviction and Taste
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have...
8 months ago
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have powerpoints. It’s easy to flip a few quick slides into a chunk of cash and cackle off into the mountains.
Tom Blomfield
Startup Series Part 1: Interviewing Engineers
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and...
over a year ago
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and philosophies. This is a positive thing for the ecosystem - just as new software tools mean it’s simpler and cheaper to start a company, these methodologies allow first-time entrepreneurs...
Rest of World -...
Clickworkers are turning against each other
Brazil’s online gig workers, who power features like social media moderation and AI training, are...
a year ago
Brazil’s online gig workers, who power features like social media moderation and AI training, are increasingly wary of newcomers.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
I hate work.
The piercing sound of my alarm shatters the stillness of my room at the
ungodly hour of 5 AM, and...
a year ago
The piercing sound of my alarm shatters the stillness of my room at the
ungodly hour of 5 AM, and I reluctantly drag myself out of bed. It’s the
same daily grind, a routine I’ve been stuck in for years, first as a sound
engineer, then as a tech exec, and now as an indie...
Dustin Curtis
How to host a static website with HTTPS on AWS, using S3 and CloudFront
Amazon’s AWS is an inexpensive and limitlessly scalable platform that can be ideal for hosting fast,...
over a year ago
Amazon’s AWS is an inexpensive and limitlessly scalable platform that can be ideal for hosting fast, secure, and reliable static websites. I host several sites using the method described below, and it costs me pennies per month. The only problem is that getting things set...
42!
Trusting third parties with our information
Photo by Sergiu Nista on Unsplash
We’ve noticed a disturbing trend here at our startup in the past...
a year ago
Photo by Sergiu Nista on Unsplash
We’ve noticed a disturbing trend here at our startup in the past 12 months or so. We’ve been growing and adding new team members, and almost without fail, almost all our new starters are getting hit with a scam email within a few days of...
Working Theorys
Notes on 'Founder Mode'
Most founders are in “founder mode” — and most of them fail.
4 months ago
Most founders are in “founder mode” — and most of them fail.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Equity value
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because...
over a year ago
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because sooner or later, one will. This is a useful…
Platformer
How Google's Bard AI could shake up search
Dependence on search traffic has already kickstarted a race to the bottom for publishers. Will...
a year ago
Dependence on search traffic has already kickstarted a race to the bottom for publishers. Will Google's new AI tools accelerate it?
Noahpinion
Why some franchises go downhill while others stay great
A little break from our typical economics fare.
6 months ago
A little break from our typical economics fare.
Articles - Alex...
Thinking rationally about emotion
In advertising, using emotion is entirely logical. Creative agencies have
made this case...
4 months ago
In advertising, using emotion is entirely logical. Creative agencies have
made this case consistently. But in 2013 Les Binet and Peter Field bought
some much-needed data to the discussion. In their seminal report, The Long
and The Short of It, the duo analysed 30 years of...
Rest of World -...
South Africans are using a power outage notification app to sell weed, find odd jobs
With blackouts devastating the country’s economy, EskomSePush’s AskMyStreet feature has become a...
a year ago
With blackouts devastating the country’s economy, EskomSePush’s AskMyStreet feature has become a rare bright spot for gig workers.
Rest of World -...
The end of anonymity on Chinese social media
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
a year ago
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
Platformer
Four questions platforms should answer before launching AI features
PLUS: Musk gets his view count back up
a year ago
PLUS: Musk gets his view count back up
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of predictability for platform developers
A platform is a technology or product upon which many other technologies or products are built. Some...
over a year ago
A platform is a technology or product upon which many other technologies or products are built. Some platforms are controlled by a single…
haseeb qureshi
Launching the Introduction to Cryptocurrency
Today I’m launching Introduction to Cryptocurrency, an online course teaching the basics of...
over a year ago
Today I’m launching Introduction to Cryptocurrency, an online course teaching the basics of programming cryptocurrencies. The first two modules are already released, and the remainder of the course will be coming out over the next few months.
Introduction to Cryptocurrency is a...
Rest of World -...
Building an app that uses AI to interpret dreams
Pandemic isolation inspired Coco Chen to work on the spiritual health platform Dreamore.
a year ago
Pandemic isolation inspired Coco Chen to work on the spiritual health platform Dreamore.
AVC
Empire AI
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk...
11 months ago
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk about areas of shared philanthropic interest. Tom told me that academic institutions do not have access to the kind of AI/ML infrastructure that the top tech companies have and he...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
It’s not that seed investors are smarter – it’s that entrepreneurs are
Paul Kedrosky recently speculated that there might be seed fund “crash” looming. Liz Gannes followed...
over a year ago
Paul Kedrosky recently speculated that there might be seed fund “crash” looming. Liz Gannes followed up by suggesting seed investors are a…
Business Brainstorms
Squeeze page builders, better Bible App, why you're stuck, 1X vs. 2x Founders, talk to people!
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “There is a desperate need for new software devs in the...
Folklore.org:...
Round Rects Are Everywhere!
Steve inspires Bill by pointing out something about the real world
a year ago
Steve inspires Bill by pointing out something about the real world
Noahpinion
Why China's economy ran off the rails
A short, simplistic, but fairly reasonable story.
a year ago
A short, simplistic, but fairly reasonable story.
Rest of World -...
India wants to make influencers register with the government
Under the proposed bill, anyone from local content creators to Taylor Swift could be classified as a...
4 months ago
Under the proposed bill, anyone from local content creators to Taylor Swift could be classified as a “digital news broadcaster.”
AVC
AIVC
I was approached by a company this week that has trained a large language model on all of the blog...
a year ago
I was approached by a company this week that has trained a large language model on all of the blog posts I have written here at AVC. There are 9059 of them for those that are counting. They wanted to offer me a chat bot called “ask Fred.” I told them no thanks. Let me […]
Platformer
The unbearable slowness of Meta's Oversight Board
A 234-day wait to get a ruling in a case about incitement to violence suggests that something...
a year ago
A 234-day wait to get a ruling in a case about incitement to violence suggests that something important is broken
Rest of World -...
Rest of World’s 2024 reading guide
Global tech leaders share 12 books to add to your must-read pile.
7 months ago
Global tech leaders share 12 books to add to your must-read pile.
Rest of World -...
What global investors need to know about funding Pakistani startups
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
6 months ago
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Big timing
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking”...
over a year ago
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking” acting disrespectfully toward people who…
Rest of World -...
Why Silicon Valley’s biggest AI developers are hiring poets
Training data companies are grabbing writers of fiction, drama, poetry, and also general humanities...
a year ago
Training data companies are grabbing writers of fiction, drama, poetry, and also general humanities experts to improve AI creative writing.
SatPost by Trung...
The speed of information
Putting social media coverage of Israel-Palestine into historical context.
a year ago
Putting social media coverage of Israel-Palestine into historical context.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "speed and strategy"
One way to make sure we can move quickly is for everyone to understand our strategy behind the major...
a year ago
One way to make sure we can move quickly is for everyone to understand our strategy behind the major product areas we're working on. I've tried to summarize some of the key ones here.
Tech + Economics +...
Curation is the last best hope of intelligent discourse.
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability....
11 months ago
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability. With tools like ChatGPT, anyone can conjure up
rewritten Wikipedia articles, essays, code, poetry, and more with just a
few prompts. This "democratisation" of content creation...
SatPost by Trung...
How Olympic Air Pistols Took Over The Timeline
PLUS: WTF happened to Nike?
5 months ago
PLUS: WTF happened to Nike?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product"
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product. And as you evolve that…
Noahpinion
Secrets of Japanese urbanism (part 2)
A review of "Emergent Tokyo", by Jorge Almazan and Studiolab
9 months ago
A review of "Emergent Tokyo", by Jorge Almazan and Studiolab
Essays - Benedict...
A month of the Vision Pro
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass...
9 months ago
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass market. And if it gets there, how much will it
matter?
Rest of World -...
TikTok creators are being arrested for violating religious laws in Nigeria
Digital rights advocates say social media companies like TikTok have a responsibility to protect...
a year ago
Digital rights advocates say social media companies like TikTok have a responsibility to protect their users in these situations.
Aaron's Essays
Asymmetries in Fundraising
Too often, founders approach fundraising as if they are supplicants to the investors. They...
over a year ago
Too often, founders approach fundraising as if they are supplicants to the investors. They understand that fundraising features many asymmetries, but the founders mostly see the asymmetries that are tilted towards the investors. Here’s the thing - in today’s market, the...
SatPost by Trung...
Jim Simons and the Making of Renaissance Technologies
The philosophy and lessons behind "a moneymaking machine like no other" (with a cumulative trading...
7 months ago
The philosophy and lessons behind "a moneymaking machine like no other" (with a cumulative trading profit of $100B +).
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"It all blossomed out of this tiny little seed"
Steve Jobs in 1985: I felt it the first time when I visited a school. It was third and fourth...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1985: I felt it the first time when I visited a school. It was third and fourth graders, and they had a whole classroom full…
Data Boutique
Should Websites Open Access to Data?
Looking at web data from the website perspective
a year ago
Looking at web data from the website perspective
Noahpinion
Europe's fate is in Germany's hands now
That's a scary thought, but not for the reason it used to be.
5 months ago
That's a scary thought, but not for the reason it used to be.
Essays - Benedict...
Ads, privacy and confusion
Privacy is coming to the internet and cookies are going away. This is long
overdue - but we don’t...
over a year ago
Privacy is coming to the internet and cookies are going away. This is long
overdue - but we don’t know what happens next, we don’t have much consensus
on what online privacy actually means, and most of what’s on the table
conflicts fundamentally with competition.
Noahpinion
The Big Tariffs are here
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
7 months ago
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
Blog posts of...
The Founder’s Lie About Comfort Zones
There is a lot of talk going on about the endurance and struggle that startup founders go through....
over a year ago
There is a lot of talk going on about the endurance and struggle that startup founders go through. How long the hours are, we all...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The ideal startup career path
For most people I know who join or start companies, the primary goal is not to get rich – it is to...
over a year ago
For most people I know who join or start companies, the primary goal is not to get rich – it is to work on something they love, with people…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t shop your term sheet
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination,...
over a year ago
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination, but if you’re a first time entrepreneur…
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works
Making Web Data Purchases Easy
a year ago
Making Web Data Purchases Easy
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Be an Angel Investor
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Let's evaluate Kamala Harris' entire economic policy program!
Fun!!
3 months ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Capitalism just like Adam Smith pictured it
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and...
over a year ago
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and English professors. To them, the entire…
Platformer
How Sundar Pichai is thinking about AI
Three takeaways about Google's approach to this moment, after an interview with Google's CEO
a year ago
Three takeaways about Google's approach to this moment, after an interview with Google's CEO
Data Boutique
Web Data Is A Commodity And Needs A Marketplace To Grow
The Advantages Of Central Markets
a year ago
The Advantages Of Central Markets
Aaron's Essays
A framework for choosing what to do
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure...
over a year ago
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure they knew what I should do. But...I didn't and most of their suggestions didn’t excite me.
As I thought through my possible paths, I realized that I didn't have a useful framework...
Internal Tech Emails
Inside Apple's Marcom meeting
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running...
11 months ago
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running our company is a shocking response.
Rest of World -...
TikTok users are chasing easy money by reposting viral videos from China
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend...
a year ago
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend with pricey training.
Rest of World -...
How Prime Video failed so spectacularly in Africa
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a...
9 months ago
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a lack of local content, and mediocre publicity.
Essays - Benedict...
Vision Pro
What has Apple built, what is it for, what does it mean for Meta, and why
does it cost $3,500?...
a year ago
What has Apple built, what is it for, what does it mean for Meta, and why
does it cost $3,500? Check back in 2025.
Business Brainstorms
Daily briefing AI, Hello Fresh but better, building in a cave, postcard lead gen, controllable input...
Hey, In this issue: idea for an AI-powered Gmail extension to streamline your digital life, private...
a year ago
Hey, In this issue: idea for an AI-powered Gmail extension to streamline your digital life, private prep cooks as a service, startup concepts inspired by Y Combinator data, prompt for SEO optimized articles. Plus, founder insights on the power of focus and advertising channels....
Varun's Notes
Don't Major in Computer Science
Or put less provocatively: college students should probably explore more than they currently do
over a year ago
Or put less provocatively: college students should probably explore more than they currently do
Noahpinion
Car wars
A flood of cheap Chinese imports is upsetting the global industrial order.
a year ago
A flood of cheap Chinese imports is upsetting the global industrial order.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Nerdy economics edition (#54)
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity...
4 weeks ago
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity growth; Demand-side inflation; Health care monopsony and innovation
Working Theorys
Rise of the Silicon Valley Small Business | Theory No. 7
In 2023, we’ll see more Silicon Valley startups that operate like small businesses. And some of them...
a year ago
In 2023, we’ll see more Silicon Valley startups that operate like small businesses. And some of them will have big outcomes. Perhaps even billion-dollar ones. I call this phenomenon the Silicon Valley small business (an SV-SB for short).
Entrepreneur's Edge
Your Name is an Ad Creative that is Everywhere, All at Once
Learn how to leverage cognitive science to create an instant brand advantage.
a year ago
Learn how to leverage cognitive science to create an instant brand advantage.
Steve Blank
Even the Smartest VCs Sometimes Get it Wrong – Bill Gurley and Regulated Markets
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at...
a year ago
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at the All-In Summit that was really two talks in one. The first part was railing against the consequences of regulatory capture on innovation and a second part, about the...
Rest of World -...
Sierra Leone’s first lady hopes going viral on TikTok will secure Saturday’s elections
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife,...
a year ago
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife, Fatima, is dancing to a crowd of over 200,000 on TikTok to drum up votes.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Present to Investors
over a year ago
Nothing Human
Reflections on Politics at Thanksgiving Dinner
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
a month ago
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
Entrepreneur's Edge
Organizational Design: Balancing Technology and Operations
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
a year ago
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
Rest of World -...
Fake news verification tools fail the test during elections in India
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify...
7 months ago
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify misinformation. There were long delays and inconsistencies in responses even for content that can easily be identified as AI-generated and fake.
Noahpinion
Biden is right that we need to raise taxes
But his plan needs a lot of work.
8 months ago
But his plan needs a lot of work.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Resiliency patterns of distributed systems
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems : Resiliency Patterns. The...
over a year ago
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems : Resiliency Patterns. The chapter is all about failures and their…
Rest of World -...
How to launch a Chinese smartphone in Mexico
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
11 months ago
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The Internet Economy
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook,...
over a year ago
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft — have moved far…
42!
How to conduct a good demo of your SaaS
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Frequently, when we finish a demo session of our HR app,...
over a year ago
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Frequently, when we finish a demo session of our HR app, customers will tell us “Wow, that was a great demo!” when signing off. I never really thought about it, other than the fact that I usually had a good time showing them around, and that...
Stephen Diehl
Bitcoin: The Postmodern Ponzi
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Why America fell behind in drones, and how to catch up agaon
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
5 months ago
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
Rest of World -...
Google turns to AI in the race to dub YouTube
YouTube’s new automatic dubbing system is competing with with human firms to help creators scale the...
a year ago
YouTube’s new automatic dubbing system is competing with with human firms to help creators scale the language barrier.
Rest of World -...
The industry behind the industry behind AI
It’s outsourcing all the way down.
a year ago
It’s outsourcing all the way down.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s strategic for Google?
Google seems to be releasing or acquiring new products almost daily. It’s one thing for a couple of...
over a year ago
Google seems to be releasing or acquiring new products almost daily. It’s one thing for a couple of programmers to hack together a side…
Stephen Diehl
The Explicit Choice by the SEC Not to Regulate Crypto
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Security through diversity
Someone asked me the other day whether I thought the United States was vulnerable to a large scale...
over a year ago
Someone asked me the other day whether I thought the United States was vulnerable to a large scale “cyber” attack. While I have no doubt…
Noahpinion
The Democrats are a strong party, the Republicans are a weak party
It's Boss Tweed vs. Boss Tweet.
2 months ago
It's Boss Tweed vs. Boss Tweet.
Noahpinion
Hispanics as the new Irish
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
a year ago
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
Business Brainstorms
Feedback panel SaaS, gift ideas, selling futures, industrial grade calendaring, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “An idea for an AI tool I'd love to use — I upload chat...
Blog posts of...
How I think about Code Management
You might have the worst codebase in the world. It was written by people who had no standards or...
over a year ago
You might have the worst codebase in the world. It was written by people who had no standards or didn’t care about code quality. H...
Internal Tech Emails
"I don't want to create a paper trail"
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can...
a year ago
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can be sued later? Not sure about this.. thanks Eric
Steve Blank
Be Where Your Business Is
This post previously appeared on the readwrite blog. A CEO running a B-to-B startup in needs to...
a year ago
This post previously appeared on the readwrite blog. A CEO running a B-to-B startup in needs to live in the city where their business is – or else they’ll never scale. I was having breakfast with Erin, an ex-student, just off a red-eye flight from New York. She’s built a...
Essays - Benedict...
The VR winter continues
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices...
5 months ago
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices aren’t good enough or cheap enough and the user base
is flat. But no matter how good the devices get, how many people will care?
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Bill Gates
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being...
a year ago
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being quite threatening and rude about it.
Business Brainstorms
API for simple manual online tasks, pickleball for surfing, freelancer laptop stickers, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “I want an AI companion that I can share my goals with...
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Adobe's CEO
One of us must change our policy. Please let me know who.
a year ago
One of us must change our policy. Please let me know who.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Graphs
It has become customary to use “graph” to refer to the underlying data structures at social networks...
over a year ago
It has become customary to use “graph” to refer to the underlying data structures at social networks like Facebook. (Computer scientists…
Tech + Economics +...
We’re in our 30’s. We’re not The Girls or The Boys.
A busy morning café. A group of women in their 30s are laughing over
lattes. One of them exclaims,...
a year ago
A busy morning café. A group of women in their 30s are laughing over
lattes. One of them exclaims, "We girls need to do this more often!" Across
town, a group of men clink their glasses in a pub, one of them chuckling,
"It's always a good time with the boys." Adults...
Working Theorys
Angel Investing | Theory No. 28
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
11 months ago
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
Noahpinion
Industrial policy doesn't have to succeed right away
Progressive approaches need to fail before they can change.
a year ago
Progressive approaches need to fail before they can change.
tomcritchlow.com
Clients Have a Surprising Amount of Detail
There’s a wonderful blog post called “Reality has a surprising amount of detail” which talks about...
a year ago
There’s a wonderful blog post called “Reality has a surprising amount of detail” which talks about how interesting the world is and how much depth there is to every concept. Here’s a quote about boiling water:
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
'The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.' Teilhard de Chardin...
7 months ago
'The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.' Teilhard de Chardin 💡Broken Hips This feels like one of these problems that most people have accepted as inevitable but that will be solved soon and we will look back and think how crazy we allowed this...
Stephen Diehl
Countering the Crypto Lobbyists
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
Six Principles for Making New Things
over a year ago
Platformer
Ten strategies for replacing Twitter from people who used to work there
Announcing 'Extremely Hardcore,' Zoë Schiffer’s book on Musk’s Twitter takeover
a year ago
Announcing 'Extremely Hardcore,' Zoë Schiffer’s book on Musk’s Twitter takeover
Noahpinion
Indian immigration is great for America
This isn't ambiguous.
a week ago
AVC
Software That You Can’t Shut Down
The term “censorship resistant” is used a lot in the decentralized computing/web3/crypto space to...
a year ago
The term “censorship resistant” is used a lot in the decentralized computing/web3/crypto space to talk about a core feature of these systems. I don’t love the term censorship resistant because it is a wonky term. Software that is encoded in smart contracts (and other ways) on...
David Perell
People Don’t Actually Read
People don’t read as much as they say they do. This trend is accelerating too. I’m in a friend group...
over a year ago
People don’t read as much as they say they do. This trend is accelerating too. I’m in a friend group of intellectually curious people, and just about everybody says they’re reading fewer books than they used to. But at the risk of sounding like your 5th grade English teacher,...
Stephen Diehl
Congressional Letter Campaign
over a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
Sam Bankman-Fried is a feature, not a bug.
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the...
a year ago
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the seductive trap of Effective Altruism (EA), a doctrine
born to the rationalist cradle, promising to solve the world's woes through
a calculator. Into this world stepped Sam...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The real strategy behind tiered data plans
Over the past year, Comcast and other broadband providers have been forcing tiered data plans on...
over a year ago
Over the past year, Comcast and other broadband providers have been forcing tiered data plans on customers. The New York Times recently…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Instrumenting the offline world
In the last decade there have been major advances in storing, analyzing, and acting upon extremely...
over a year ago
In the last decade there have been major advances in storing, analyzing, and acting upon extremely large data sets. Data sets that were…
Noahpinion
How we could return to the productivity growth of the 1990s
A guest post by Preston Mui.
9 months ago
A guest post by Preston Mui.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The decline of the mobile web
People are spending more time on mobile vs desktop: And more of their mobile time using apps, not...
over a year ago
People are spending more time on mobile vs desktop: And more of their mobile time using apps, not the web: This is a worrisome trend for…
Noahpinion
What drove Asian and Hispanic voters to the right in 2024
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
a month ago
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
Rest of World -...
The ByteDance streaming app that’s quietly going global
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
a year ago
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
AVC
Open Office Hours at NYC Tech Week
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and...
a year ago
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and connect with each other. A particularly great part of tech week is VC Open Office Hours. There are over 100 VC investors signed up to participate next week. Here is how it works: 1/...
Working Theorys
Agency in the Age of AI | Theory No. 10
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest...
a year ago
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest online discourse.
Blog posts of...
Managing people 🤯
I believe almost all first-time founders burn out their first employees – maybe this article helps...
over a year ago
I believe almost all first-time founders burn out their first employees – maybe this article helps you avoiding this
Noahpinion
Interview: Sarah C. Paine
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
11 months ago
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of institutional redundancy
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system...
over a year ago
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system down. Even in organizations that have…
Rest of World -...
Uber hates this app that tells drivers whether it’s worth picking you up
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
a year ago
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
Articles - Alex...
The errors of efficiency
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by...
over a year ago
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by it. Enamoured and enthralled by it. We want our
teams to be lean. Our processes to be agile. And our output to be
optimised. Instead of focussing on making our work bigger, we...
Paul Graham: Essays
A Student's Guide to Startups
over a year ago
Steve Blank
Is a Venture Studio Right for You?
This post previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Three types of organizations –...
a year ago
This post previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Three types of organizations – Incubators, Accelerators and Venture Studios – have emerged to reduce the risk of early-stage startup failure by helping teams find product/market fit and raise initial capital. Venture...
Rest of World -...
New data shows the number of new mobile internet users is stalling
What happened to the “next billion” internet users? They’re already online.
a month ago
What happened to the “next billion” internet users? They’re already online.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Google’s social strategy
It is widely believed that Facebook presents a significant competitive threat to Google. Google...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that Facebook presents a significant competitive threat to Google. Google itself seems to believe this – Larry Page…
Working Theorys
Accountability as a Service
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
7 months ago
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
Rest of World -...
China’s bite-sized soap operas are peddling cheap plots for big profits
Sex scenes, revenge, and cliffhangers are jam-packed into minutes-long smartphone dramas.
a year ago
Sex scenes, revenge, and cliffhangers are jam-packed into minutes-long smartphone dramas.
Stephen Diehl
The Twilight of the Securities Act
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Six companies making it easier for Africans to send money globally
Africa is the most expensive region to send money, but these companies are making it faster,...
a year ago
Africa is the most expensive region to send money, but these companies are making it faster, cheaper, and easier.
Rest of World -...
Nigeria will become a net exporter of tech talent: Nigerian Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani
The tech entrepreneur-turned-bureaucrat spoke to Rest of World about his year in government, his...
3 months ago
The tech entrepreneur-turned-bureaucrat spoke to Rest of World about his year in government, his administration’s priorities for advancing AI in Nigeria, and the difficult task of choosing between allies.
Rest of World -...
How Spotify helped turn Afrobeats into a global phenomenon
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
11 months ago
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Future of Web Startups
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Clickwork in Brazil: A mom balancing endless gigs with childcare
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job...
a year ago
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job consisting of hundreds of quick, repetitive tasks.
Rest of World -...
The U.S. shouldn’t make its semiconductor policy all about China
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
a year ago
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
Varun's Notes
The Future of No Code is Low Code
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
over a year ago
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
XO Capital - Field...
v2
XO V1 concluded with 10 acquisitions and 1 "fund".
The V1 "conclusion" is really a line in the sand...
9 months ago
XO V1 concluded with 10 acquisitions and 1 "fund".
The V1 "conclusion" is really a line in the sand but it feels right as we continue to offload assets to focus on larger deals using outside capital. This will transition us into v2 which we'
Working Theorys
Taste is Eating Silicon Valley.
Just as software ate the world and dramatically transformed industries in the last era, taste is now...
3 months ago
Just as software ate the world and dramatically transformed industries in the last era, taste is now eating software—and with it, Silicon Valley.
Internal Tech Emails
"[Steve Ballmer] thinks we ought to admit that Windows 98 will be a yawner"
Since the press gave Billg & Steveb a hard time this week at the press retreat, Steveb is panic’d...
over a year ago
Since the press gave Billg & Steveb a hard time this week at the press retreat, Steveb is panic’d that we are setting expectations too high on Windows 98. He thinks we ought to come out and admit that Windows 98 will be a yawner.
Business Brainstorms
Hard startups, importance of founder-led sales, Netflix for written content
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “I wish I could pay per newspaper article, with only...
Aaron's Essays
Fundraising isn't predictable
I recently had a conversation with a founder who'd just finished a number of unsatisfying...
over a year ago
I recently had a conversation with a founder who'd just finished a number of unsatisfying conversations with investors. The founder's company was growing well, had crossed $1mm ARR, but still couldn't raise money. According to conventional wisdom, that should have been enough to...
Rest of World -...
The deepfake election nightmare hasn’t happened. Singapore still wants to ban them
Following South Korea’s lead, Singapore intends to ban deepfakes ahead of upcoming elections,...
4 months ago
Following South Korea’s lead, Singapore intends to ban deepfakes ahead of upcoming elections, despite concerns of curbing freedom of speech.
XO Capital - Field...
We 10x-ed screenshotapi.net and sold it
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter...
4 months ago
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter sweet. Screenshot was our first ever acquisition. We 10x-ed it, and it is really the reason XO exists today. If this first acquisition hadn't gone well, I think I would
Working Theorys
How to Go Direct
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
8 months ago
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
How Hermès Sells "Time"
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship,...
10 months ago
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship, heritage and long-term thinking.
Noahpinion
In defense of science fiction
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
a year ago
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Revenue vs margin
Three years ago, Fred Wilson wrote a great blog post called When Talking About Business Models,...
over a year ago
Three years ago, Fred Wilson wrote a great blog post called When Talking About Business Models, Remember that Profits Equal Revenues Minus…
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash and AI Art
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
a year ago
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Leader election best practices
Sometimes a single process in a system needs to have special powers, like being the only one that...
over a year ago
Sometimes a single process in a system needs to have special powers, like being the only one that can access a shared resource or assign…
Noahpinion
Why has U.S. manufacturing productivity stagnated for over a decade?
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
6 months ago
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#50)
Permitting reform; industrial policy progress; China stimulus/bailouts; men and politics; wokeness;...
3 months ago
Permitting reform; industrial policy progress; China stimulus/bailouts; men and politics; wokeness; tariffs; a bad union demand
Internal Tech Emails
Travis Kalanick on self-driving | SBF and the Bahamas
Basically got to keep bezos, cook, musk, zuck, page on our minds
over a year ago
Basically got to keep bezos, cook, musk, zuck, page on our minds
Rest of World -...
How an African streaming service dethroned Netflix
Showmax sits at the top of the market with a vast library of local content, partnerships with...
10 months ago
Showmax sits at the top of the market with a vast library of local content, partnerships with Comcast and HBO, and exclusive access to the biggest soccer leagues in the world.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Software patents should be abolished
The alleged societal benefit of patent law is that it creates a financial incentive to innovate....
over a year ago
The alleged societal benefit of patent law is that it creates a financial incentive to innovate. The societal drawback is that it reduces…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t be creative about the wrong things
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be...
over a year ago
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be creative/innovative. Generally these should…
42!
Finding and fixing slow queries
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to...
over a year ago
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to monitor my HR startup in real time. I love collecting data points around subscriptions, user activity, and most importantly, server uptime and performance. Especially now that we are...
Rest of World -...
How China took over the world’s online shopping carts
Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop are going global with big ambitions.
a year ago
Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop are going global with big ambitions.
Working Theorys
The Rise of the Software Creator
In the age of AI, software creators, like content creators, will emerge as the industry’s...
7 months ago
In the age of AI, software creators, like content creators, will emerge as the industry’s non-professional creative class.
Rest of World -...
Meta’s long-standing problem with “shaheed”
An overdue ruling from the Oversight Board.
9 months ago
An overdue ruling from the Oversight Board.
SatPost by Trung...
OpenAI, Humane and Apple's Shadow
The future of consumer AI hardware is coming into focus. Who will win?
a year ago
The future of consumer AI hardware is coming into focus. Who will win?
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Convince Investors
over a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
WeWork files for bankruptcy amid office market downturn.
On Monday, Mr Neumann issued a statement saying the impending
bankruptcy was “disappointing”....
a year ago
On Monday, Mr Neumann issued a statement saying the impending
bankruptcy was “disappointing”. “It has been challenging for me to
watch from the sidelines since 2019 as WeWork has failed to take
advantage of a product that is more relevant today than ever before,”
...
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 2 (Term Rewriting)
over a year ago
David Perell
Punctuation is Music
If you want to improve your writing, match your punctuation to the mood. Punctuation is to writing...
over a year ago
If you want to improve your writing, match your punctuation to the mood. Punctuation is to writing as music is to movies. In The Joker, the renowned composer Hildur Guðnadóttir used the cello in the opening scenes to create empathy with the protagonist. But then, as The Joker’s...
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