Roberto Vitillo's...
Understanding Distributed Systems 1.1
Coordination is expensive as it reduces the availability and performance of distributed applications...
over a year ago
Coordination is expensive as it reduces the availability and performance of distributed applications (PACELC theorem). I have extended…
Working Theorys
How to Go Direct
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
8 months ago
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
Nothing Human
The Tyranny of the Marginal User
why consumer software gets worse, not better, over time
a year ago
why consumer software gets worse, not better, over time
David Perell
Annual Review 2020
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the...
over a year ago
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the quarantine alone, I moved into my childhood home and spent five months with family. While America saw the worst unemployment spike in recent history, my business grew because the...
Rest of World -...
A little-understood role in a global VC could also be one of the most influential
Ana Jiménez, 500 Global’s chief of staff for Latin America, on building a relationship of trust and...
a year ago
Ana Jiménez, 500 Global’s chief of staff for Latin America, on building a relationship of trust and strategic vision with her organization’s leader.
tomcritchlow.com
Becoming Creative
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few...
a year ago
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few links that I deeply love about starting, finishing and promoting creative acts…
Unpacked
Zoom's AI policy backlash & customer data in model training
Listen now (27 mins) | Zoom came under fire recently for silently changing their terms of service in...
a year ago
Listen now (27 mins) | Zoom came under fire recently for silently changing their terms of service in a way that allows use of customer data (read your video and audio recordings) for training Zoom features. In this episode, we unpack the timeline of events that followed, Zoom's...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The inevitable showdown between Twitter and Twitter apps
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve...
over a year ago
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve similar functions for the user. Famous…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Selling pickaxes during a gold rush
There is a saying in the startup world that “you can mine for gold or you can sell pickaxes.” This...
over a year ago
There is a saying in the startup world that “you can mine for gold or you can sell pickaxes.” This is of course an allusion to the…
Tech + Economics +...
AI does not produce reliable information. As Donald Trump's lawyer has fucked around and found out.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial...
a year ago
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial intelligence program to generate bogus legal citations in his
motion for early termination of his supervised release.
Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Build Something, Dammit! (#56)
Power vs. abundance; Chinese espionage; U.S. manufacturing woes; the growth of good jobs; Milei's...
4 days ago
Power vs. abundance; Chinese espionage; U.S. manufacturing woes; the growth of good jobs; Milei's successes
Noahpinion
The Middle East is getting older
Why I'm optimistic about the waning of conflict in the region.
a year ago
Why I'm optimistic about the waning of conflict in the region.
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
Essays - Benedict...
AI and the automation of work
ChatGPT and generative AI will change how we work, but how different is
this to all the other...
a year ago
ChatGPT and generative AI will change how we work, but how different is
this to all the other waves of automation of the last 200 years? What does
it mean for employment? Disruption? Coal consumption?
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 -...
Download this: The world’s favorite apps
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms,...
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms, and more.
Unpacked
Reddit's IPO Filing & India's AI Regulation | EP 7
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics...
9 months ago
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics in the podcast episode - Spotify | Apple Podcasts. The podcast follows the same core principles as the writing (primarily analysis driven with occasional opinions sprinkled in)....
Nothing Human
Against Positive-Sum Thinking
why conflict is necessary
a year ago
why conflict is necessary
Rest of World -...
Mexican TikTokers have code words to report on narco-violence without getting banned
Creators use euphemisms and emojis to get around what they say are arbitrary moderation...
2 months ago
Creators use euphemisms and emojis to get around what they say are arbitrary moderation restrictions.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Selling to enterprises
For some reason when you are selling information technology, big companies are referred to as...
over a year ago
For some reason when you are selling information technology, big companies are referred to as “enterprises.” I’m guessing the word was…
Rest of World -...
The biggest data protection fight you’ve never heard of
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
11 months ago
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
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.
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.
Noahpinion
Grading the economic schools of thought
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
a year ago
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The computing deployment phase
Technological revolutions happen in two main phases: the installation phase and the deployment...
over a year ago
Technological revolutions happen in two main phases: the installation phase and the deployment phase. Here’s a chart (from this excellent…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Capabilities and sensibilities
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the...
over a year ago
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As [Edwin] Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his [polarized headlight] system was fatally…
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally...
over a year ago
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally hampered by the fact that there was no…
haseeb qureshi
Why Decentralization Isn’t as Important as You Think
If you’ve spent any time at all on crypto Twitter, you’re familiar with the web3 narrative. It goes...
over a year ago
If you’ve spent any time at all on crypto Twitter, you’re familiar with the web3 narrative. It goes like this: in the beginning, the web was “truly decentralized.” Against all odds, the World Wide Web won against the corporatist designs of companies like Microsoft, and cyberspace...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality...
11 months ago
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality training data. Then use this data to fine tune a much cheaper model you can run at scale. Also seems like there’s plenty of opportunity to build consulting/service businesses around...
Noahpinion
Why did the U.S. miss the battery revolution?
We were early to the party on every other technological revolution, but we missed this one.
5 months ago
We were early to the party on every other technological revolution, but we missed this one.
Blog posts of...
The simplest and most important dashboard for early stage startups.
This blogpost is part of a small series of posts that cover the basics of startup metrics. My...
over a year ago
This blogpost is part of a small series of posts that cover the basics of startup metrics. My personal goal is to help early stage...
Stephen Diehl
FPTs: Pure Fungibility on the Blockchain
over a year ago
tomcritchlow.com
LinkedIn is not a social or professional network, it's a learning network
The world of work is changing.
9 months ago
The world of work is changing.
Noahpinion
Real estate is China's economic Achilles heel
It's the country's biggest engine of growth an employment, financial asset, and source of government...
a year ago
It's the country's biggest engine of growth an employment, financial asset, and source of government revenue.
Essays - Benedict...
Unbundling AI
ChatGPT and LLMs can do anything, so what can you do with them? How do you
know? Do we move to...
a year ago
ChatGPT and LLMs can do anything, so what can you do with them? How do you
know? Do we move to chat bots as a magical general-purpose interface, or do
we unbundle them back into single-purpose software?
Noahpinion
An Age of Austerity is probably on the way
It's not the 2010s anymore.
a year ago
It's not the 2010s anymore.
Stephen Diehl
The Intellectual Incoherence of Cryptoassets
over a year ago
Noahpinion
How Paul Krugman changed the public face of economics
He's a great economist, but he also changed how we talk about the subject.
3 weeks ago
He's a great economist, but he also changed how we talk about the subject.
Noahpinion
Why is China producing so many export goods, anyway?
Six theories.
7 months ago
Rest of World -...
The entrepreneur navigating fintech’s ups and downs for 15 years
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
10 months ago
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
Platformer
Reddit goes dark
As it moves to shut down third-party apps, the site’s self-governing ethos comes back to haunt it
a year ago
As it moves to shut down third-party apps, the site’s self-governing ethos comes back to haunt it
Platformer
Apple prepares for a platform shift
Will the Reality Pro be the metaverse’s iPhone moment?
a year ago
Will the Reality Pro be the metaverse’s iPhone moment?
Platformer
The synthetic social network is coming
Between ChatGPT’s surprisingly human voice and Meta’s AI characters, our feeds may be about to...
a year ago
Between ChatGPT’s surprisingly human voice and Meta’s AI characters, our feeds may be about to change forever
Rest of World -...
How an economic crisis shifted Sri Lanka’s e-commerce industry
Rakhil Fernando of Daraz talks about how the company had to shift its focus from lifestyle products...
a year ago
Rakhil Fernando of Daraz talks about how the company had to shift its focus from lifestyle products to essentials.
Steve Blank
Founders Need to Be Ruthless When Chasing Deals
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a...
8 months ago
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a potential customer is, “We’re excited. When can you come back and show us a prototype?” This can be the beginning of a profitable customer relationship or a disappointing sinkhole of...
AVC
Read Write Own
Chris Dixon, who leads the A16Z crypto fund, and has been an entrepreneur, VC, and friend of mine...
12 months ago
Chris Dixon, who leads the A16Z crypto fund, and has been an entrepreneur, VC, and friend of mine for over twenty years, has written a book called Read Write Own that is available for pre-order now and will start shipping at the end of the month. Chris gave me a copy right before...
David Perell
The Paradoxes of Modern Life
The Paradox of Reading: The books you read will profoundly change you even though you’ll forget the...
over a year ago
The Paradox of Reading: The books you read will profoundly change you even though you’ll forget the vast majority of what you read. The Paradox of Writing: Great writing looks effortless. But because the ideas are so clear, casual readers don’t appreciate how much time it took to...
Rest of World -...
African universities are failing to prepare tech graduates for jobs in AI
Dozens of new AI training startups are filling the gap, offering online courses, hackathons, and job...
8 months ago
Dozens of new AI training startups are filling the gap, offering online courses, hackathons, and job placement help.
Rest of World -...
Scale AI’s Remotasks platform is dropping whole countries without explanation
Workers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan were booted off the AI-training service earlier this month.
9 months ago
Workers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan were booted off the AI-training service earlier this month.
Varun's Notes
Please Build More Silly Things
Hacking on fun things with curious co-conspirators is a superpower
a year ago
Hacking on fun things with curious co-conspirators is a superpower
Blog posts of...
AngelList is the NASDAQ of our generation.
It’s fair to say that Angellist is the most exciting (web/mobile) tech startup in 2013. Even before...
over a year ago
It’s fair to say that Angellist is the most exciting (web/mobile) tech startup in 2013. Even before they launched syndicates, earl...
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…
Unpacked
Klarna, Buy Now Pay Later & first mover advantage
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on...
a year ago
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on retailer relationships but faces competition from incumbent giants
Rest of World -...
The Ghanaian founder challenging Google
Paul Azunre welcomes Big Tech making AI tools in African languages: “It is good to have some...
9 months ago
Paul Azunre welcomes Big Tech making AI tools in African languages: “It is good to have some competition.”
Data Boutique
Web Scraping Legal Context
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
a year ago
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
Rest of World -...
Filipinos are embracing electric three-wheelers faster than officials can regulate them
Unregistered three-wheelers big enough for whole families are a popular antidote to the country's...
3 months ago
Unregistered three-wheelers big enough for whole families are a popular antidote to the country's terrible gridlock.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Subprime Intelligence
Please scroll to the bottom for news on my next big project, Better Offline, coming this...
10 months ago
Please scroll to the bottom for news on my next big project, Better Offline, coming this Wednesday!
Last week, Sam Altman debuted OpenAI's "Sora," a text-to-video AI model that turns strings of text into full-blown videos, much like how OpenAI's DALL-E turns text into
Noahpinion
A Nobel for the big big questions
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
2 months ago
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Plans are nothing, but planning is indispensable
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people will read it, and 2) you’ll end up…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Athletic Greens used to be a sketchy looking affiliate offer in 2011. Ranked #1 on Clickbank...
a year ago
#1 💡 Athletic Greens used to be a sketchy looking affiliate offer in 2011. Ranked #1 on Clickbank and was promoted by every direct response marketer. Always inspiring to see humble beginnings like this and a good reminder that most businesses are not sexy from day 1.
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...
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
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Thomas Jefferson on Patents
If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the...
over a year ago
If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Three levels of enthusiasm for technology
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But...
over a year ago
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But they embrace technology with varying levels…
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.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The People Deliberately Killing Facebook
Over the last decade, few platforms have declined quite as rapidly and visibly as Facebook and...
7 months ago
Over the last decade, few platforms have declined quite as rapidly and visibly as Facebook and Instagram. What used to be apps for catching up with your friends and family are now algorithmic nightmares that constantly interrupt you with suggested content and advertisements that...
SatPost by Trung...
YouTube: The Learning Machine
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of...
8 months ago
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of sports footage on the platform helps to explain why.
Noahpinion
A three-state solution is the only viable future for Israel and the Palestinians
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
a year ago
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
Noahpinion
The new industrial policy, explained
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
a year ago
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "VR / AR strategy"
We are vulnerable on mobile to Google and Apple because they make major mobile platforms. We would...
a year ago
We are vulnerable on mobile to Google and Apple because they make major mobile platforms. We would like a stronger strategic position in the next wave of computing.
Rest of World -...
Pese a prohibición, apps de préstamos depredadores proliferan en la tienda de Google Play
Google dice que se toma el problema muy en serio, pero más de una docena de apps continúa disponible...
11 months ago
Google dice que se toma el problema muy en serio, pero más de una docena de apps continúa disponible en la tienda.
Stephen Diehl
The Non-Innovation of Cryptocurrency
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How Aristotle Created the Computer
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world....
over a year ago
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world. Originally published by The Atlantic…
Platformer
The people who want to end Section 230 may have botched their case
But even a ruling against the plaintiffs in Gonzalez vs. Google could hurt internet freedoms,...
a year ago
But even a ruling against the plaintiffs in Gonzalez vs. Google could hurt internet freedoms, observers say
SatPost by Trung...
Coca-Cola: "A cure for all nervous affections"
How cocaine, the "patent medicine" industry and mass advertising created the world's most iconic...
a year ago
How cocaine, the "patent medicine" industry and mass advertising created the world's most iconic beverage.
Platformer
The states sue Meta over child safety
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
a year ago
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
Rest of World -...
Meta is training its AI with public Instagram posts. Artists in Latin America can’t opt out
Latin America lacks robust data protection laws that would allow Meta users in the region to...
5 months ago
Latin America lacks robust data protection laws that would allow Meta users in the region to prohibit the company from using their content.
Blog posts of...
Managing Remote Teams - A Crash Course
Hey folks, I haven’t been blogging for quite some time, so everything is a bit rusty for me, but i...
over a year ago
Hey folks, I haven’t been blogging for quite some time, so everything is a bit rusty for me, but i thought this article might be u...
Rest of World -...
India’s plan to export its wildly successful digital payments system
After starting cross-border payments with Singapore, India is now setting up more international...
a year ago
After starting cross-border payments with Singapore, India is now setting up more international partnerships.
Nothing Human
Marl Meetups
it is a truth universally acknowledged: a man with a mailing list must organize a meetup
a year ago
it is a truth universally acknowledged: a man with a mailing list must organize a meetup
Stephen Diehl
SBF is Crypto Personified
over a year ago
essay – snarfed.org
Socket activation
I’ve spent some time over the last few weeks reading about the various *nix init systems: venerable...
over a year ago
I’ve spent some time over the last few weeks reading about the various *nix init systems: venerable SysV, interim replacement Upstart, controversial monolith systemd, Apple’s proprietary launchd, and niche variants like runit and Epoch. Lots of history, lots of flame wars. One...
AVC
What Will Happen In 2024
As we enter 2024, the capital markets have found their footing and are moving higher. The Fed has...
a year ago
As we enter 2024, the capital markets have found their footing and are moving higher. The Fed has taken interest rates as far as they want at this time and inflation has come down. It seems that a “soft landing” is likely. That is good news for the innovation economy because...
Rest of World -...
This Indian state wants to be a tech hub. But the government keeps shutting down the internet
Manipur’s startup community is struggling to survive, with tech professionals moving to Bengaluru or...
2 months ago
Manipur’s startup community is struggling to survive, with tech professionals moving to Bengaluru or Hyderabad.
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...
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.
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
Tech + Economics +...
The internet is broken. Here’s how we fix it.
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, an engineer working on the ARPANET project — the
predecessor to the...
a year ago
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, an engineer working on the ARPANET project — the
predecessor to the Internet — sent the first email. The message was nothing
profound; it was a series of random characters that looked more like the
utterance of a toddler on a typewriter than a...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
over a year ago
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.
Rest of World -...
A local ride-hailing service can’t beat Uber and Bolt, so its drivers are beating up their rivals
Shesha was launched as a fair-minded local competitor to Western companies in South Africa. It has...
2 months ago
Shesha was launched as a fair-minded local competitor to Western companies in South Africa. It has acquired an ugly reputation for intimidating drivers and passengers.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some lessons learned
Note: Google was kind enough to invite me to give a short talk at their Zeitgeist conference earlier...
over a year ago
Note: Google was kind enough to invite me to give a short talk at their Zeitgeist conference earlier this week. It was a really interesting…
Aaron's Essays
Why VCs sometimes push companies to burn
Originally posted on the YC blog,...
over a year ago
Originally posted on the YC blog, here: https://blog.ycombinator.com/why-vcs-sometimes-push-companies-to-burn-too-fast/
In Investors and their incentives, I tried to give a broad breakdown of the incentives that drive the major types of startup investors. I want to dig deeper...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for...
11 months ago
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for recommendations. The algorithm has been gamed to death. Just in the past two days I’ve asked GPT for recommendations on 2 high ticket decisions (job board in specific region,...
Rest of World -...
Conservative evangelicals use social media to sway Brazil election
The popularity of evangelical content, which often amplifies criticisms of the ruling party, could...
5 months ago
The popularity of evangelical content, which often amplifies criticisms of the ruling party, could play an important role during October’s municipal elections.
Rest of World -...
The apps were designed for home security. They’re being used to watch and harass domestic workers
Tiger Global-backed MyGate and Google-backed NoBrokerHood are digitizing social biases.
a year ago
Tiger Global-backed MyGate and Google-backed NoBrokerHood are digitizing social biases.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some tips for interacting with the press
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years about the best ways for entrepreneurs to interact...
over a year ago
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years about the best ways for entrepreneurs to interact with the press (by press I mean blogs as…
Stephen Diehl
Cooking Classes with Datatype Generic Programming
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Jumia Food delivery workers’ final payments are still missing
Jumia says it paid its logistics partners. Logistics partners say they paid all the workers. The...
7 months ago
Jumia says it paid its logistics partners. Logistics partners say they paid all the workers. The workers say they haven’t been paid.
Rest of World -...
Virtual tomb-sweeping keeps a Chinese tradition alive
As Chinese migrants struggle to return home for traditional tomb-sweeping, virtual platforms are...
3 months ago
As Chinese migrants struggle to return home for traditional tomb-sweeping, virtual platforms are helping them pay respects from afar.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Matt Stoller Explains Monopolies
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s...
4 months ago
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s leading voice on monopoly and antitrust matters, and a thoughtful and prolific writer. You can find Matt on Twitter here, and his newsletter here.
It was a timely conversation. At the
Steve Blank
Profound Beliefs
This post previously appeared in EIX. In the early stages of a startup your hypotheses about all the...
a year ago
This post previously appeared in EIX. In the early stages of a startup your hypotheses about all the parts of your business model are your profound beliefs. Think of profound beliefs as “strong opinions loosely held.” You can’t be an effective founder or in the C-suite of a...
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…
Rest of World -...
How Chinese e-commerce fuels counterfeit fashion in Nigeria
“Fake originals” make their way from sites like AliExpress and DHgate to a market in Lagos.
a year ago
“Fake originals” make their way from sites like AliExpress and DHgate to a market in Lagos.
Noahpinion
Don’t Rock the Vote
Democrats are the party that benefits from low voter turnout. They just don’t know it yet. (Guest...
5 months ago
Democrats are the party that benefits from low voter turnout. They just don’t know it yet. (Guest post by Wally Nowinski)
Noahpinion
Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
A guest post by Brian Potter of Construction Physics.
4 months ago
A guest post by Brian Potter of Construction Physics.
Essays - Benedict...
TV, merchant media and the unbundling of advertising
Amazon’s ad business is bigger than YouTube and more profitable than AWS.
Shein is the biggest...
over a year ago
Amazon’s ad business is bigger than YouTube and more profitable than AWS.
Shein is the biggest fast-fashion retailer in the US, with no stores. US
pay TV subscribers have fallen by a third. Where do ad budgets go, where
does rent go, and how many brands will there be?
Tech + Economics +...
How we turned into assholes
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a...
a year ago
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a cross-generational digital nation of assholes?
We dreamed of a global, decentralized network spreading information,
enabling communication, and connecting humanity. But somewhere...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies"
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is...
over a year ago
"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal…
Steve Blank
Before there was Oppenheimer there was Vannevar Bush
I just saw the movie Oppenheimer. A wonderful movie on multiple levels. But the Atomic Bomb story...
a year ago
I just saw the movie Oppenheimer. A wonderful movie on multiple levels. But the Atomic Bomb story that starts at Los Alamos with Oppenheimer and General Grove misses the fact that from mid-1940 to mid-1942 it was Vannevar Bush (and his number 2, James Conant, the president of...
Rest of World -...
Using automation to fight misinformation, starting with a menstrual health chatbot
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and...
6 months ago
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and professional programmers working on automated social media tools.
Rest of World -...
Overworked and unable to quit: Delivery drivers in Brazil found something worse than gig work
Trapped in a subcontracting nightmare, some delivery drivers are facing grueling hours, low pay, and...
a year ago
Trapped in a subcontracting nightmare, some delivery drivers are facing grueling hours, low pay, and no control over their work.
Noahpinion
The U.S. would be insane to go it alone on trade and manufacturing
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
9 months ago
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
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...
Rest of World -...
Ethiopians are struggling to keep up with the new “EV or nothing” policy
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the...
5 months ago
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the country has only around 50 charging stations.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Anatomy of a bad search result
In a post last week, Paul Kedrosky noted his frustration when looking for a new dishwasher using...
over a year ago
In a post last week, Paul Kedrosky noted his frustration when looking for a new dishwasher using Google. I thought it might be interesting…
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.
Articles - Alex...
The forecasting fallacy
Marketers are prone to a prediction. You’ll find them in the annual tirade
of trend decks. In the...
over a year ago
Marketers are prone to a prediction. You’ll find them in the annual tirade
of trend decks. In the PowerPoint projections of self-proclaimed prophets.
In the feeds of forecasters and futurists. To understand the extent of our
forecasting fascination, I analysed the websites...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Trusting platforms
In response to my post yesterday about how an internet of people has enabled a new wave of web-based...
over a year ago
In response to my post yesterday about how an internet of people has enabled a new wave of web-based marketplaces, Nick Mango commented…
42!
I got booted from one of my own company’s Slack channels...
So, last week I got removed from one of my company’s Slack channels… and it was probably the best...
a year ago
So, last week I got removed from one of my company’s Slack channels… and it was probably the best thing that could have happened for me, and my company.
You see, like most companies, we have ‘global’ chat channels that everyone participates in, plus each team has distinct...
Rest of World -...
Foreign tech workers hit hard by South Africa’s new immigration laws
Lured by rich job opportunities in South Africa's tech scene, thousands of migrants from across the...
a year ago
Lured by rich job opportunities in South Africa's tech scene, thousands of migrants from across the continent flooded into the country. Now, those jobs are out of reach.
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.
Entrepreneur's Edge
Revenue is easy, profit is harder
The fundamentals needed to run a business in the next economic cycle.
a year ago
The fundamentals needed to run a business in the next economic cycle.
Rest of World -...
Uber’s largest vehicle financing partner is an African startup with global ambitions
From India to the U.K., UAE, and Thailand, Nigeria-founded Moove is chasing profitability.
9 months ago
From India to the U.K., UAE, and Thailand, Nigeria-founded Moove is chasing profitability.
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
Noahpinion
What just happened in San Francisco politics?
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
9 months ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
Working Theorys
3 Hours or Nothing
Musing #14 | The merits of being binary with your time
8 months ago
Musing #14 | The merits of being binary with your time
Rest of World -...
Writers and publishers in Singapore reject a government plan to train AI on their work
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their...
8 months ago
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their published works, part of a growing global resistance.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Underhyping your startup
I recently tweeted: New early-stage start up trend: get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential...
over a year ago
I recently tweeted: New early-stage start up trend: get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential competitors. Chris Sacca agreed: @cdixon…
Rest of World -...
Two trophies, one meme
How the World Cup and the Golden Globes united Argentina through a single viral image.
a year ago
How the World Cup and the Golden Globes united Argentina through a single viral image.
Noahpinion
China at the peak
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
a year ago
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
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
Roberto Vitillo's...
Spark best practices
Spark execution model Spark's simplicity makes it all too easy to ignore its execution model, and...
over a year ago
Spark execution model Spark's simplicity makes it all too easy to ignore its execution model, and still manage to write jobs that eventually…
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,...
Paul Graham: Essays
You Weren't Meant to Have a Boss
over a year ago
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…
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)
Rest of World -...
The workers at the frontlines of the AI revolution
The global labor force of outsourced and contract workers are early adopters of generative AI — and...
a year ago
The global labor force of outsourced and contract workers are early adopters of generative AI — and the most at risk.
Noahpinion
2023 is when the empires strike back
Cold War 2 won't be decided by the opening moves.
a year ago
Cold War 2 won't be decided by the opening moves.
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…
Rest of World -...
A step counter, but for your prayers
At least 20 apps exist to help Muslims track their dhikrs, a form of Islamic worship in which people...
3 months ago
At least 20 apps exist to help Muslims track their dhikrs, a form of Islamic worship in which people repeat prayers and holy phrases.
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.
AVC
My Year-End Playlist
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and...
a year ago
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and got into. Most of these songs are under the radar which is my favorite kind of music. So I hope you find something new that you like in here.
SatPost by Trung...
How does Michelin Guide's business work?
The Michelin tire business does $30B+ a year in revenue. The brand's iconic food review guide is...
4 months ago
The Michelin tire business does $30B+ a year in revenue. The brand's iconic food review guide is 0.1% of sales. An incredible marketing deal.
Unpacked
Regulating AI: The case for a mechanisms-based approach
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on,...
a year ago
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on, and avoids unintended consequences of brute force approaches
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inside-out vs. outside-in: the adoption of new technologies
There are broadly two adoption paths for new computing technologies: inside-out and outside-in....
over a year ago
There are broadly two adoption paths for new computing technologies: inside-out and outside-in. Inside-out technologies are pioneered by…
Blog posts of...
My Addressbook? Keep it. Telephone numbers are a disgrace to our generation.
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I...
over a year ago
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I understand the fact that Star...
Noahpinion
Interview: Jean Twenge, psychologist
In which we talk all about generational differences, Millennial angst, and the effects of social...
a year ago
In which we talk all about generational differences, Millennial angst, and the effects of social media and cell phones
Noahpinion
Can unions and industrial policy coexist?
They had better learn how to, and quickly.
a year ago
They had better learn how to, and quickly.
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.
Rest of World -...
Fake Russian influencers are going viral on Chinese social media
They are bolstered by growing pro-Russia, nationalist sentiment on the Chinese internet.
a year ago
They are bolstered by growing pro-Russia, nationalist sentiment on the Chinese internet.
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...
Tech + Economics +...
A reminder.
We are living through the first year of pretending the pandemic never
happened and that everything...
a year ago
We are living through the first year of pretending the pandemic never
happened and that everything is back to normal. Nobody has had a chance to
heal, and this holiday season is going to break a whole lot of people.
Be kind.
Articles - Alex...
The pitfalls of purpose
Purpose is polarising. There are those who promote it as a paragon of
positioning and a...
over a year ago
Purpose is polarising. There are those who promote it as a paragon of
positioning and a silver-bullet strategy for success. Then there are those
who refute purpose’s power and dispute its capacity to connect with
consumers. It is clearly a debate that divides. For every...
Rest of World -...
South Korean streamers struggle with Twitch’s sudden exit
The streaming giant attributed its departure to high network fees.
10 months ago
The streaming giant attributed its departure to high network fees.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Notes on raising seed financing
Last night I taught a class via Skillshare (disclosure: Founder Collective is an investor) about how...
over a year ago
Last night I taught a class via Skillshare (disclosure: Founder Collective is an investor) about how to raise a seed round. After a long…
Noahpinion
Five possible reasons China's productivity slowed down
A repost, with some updates.
6 days ago
A repost, with some updates.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#47)
Germany's mistakes; U.S. political parties; the VC winter; austerity; science and politics; TikTok...
4 months ago
Germany's mistakes; U.S. political parties; the VC winter; austerity; science and politics; TikTok propaganda; desalination
Noahpinion
A better way to build a downtown
It's time to learn a Japanese word: "zakkyo".
2 months ago
It's time to learn a Japanese word: "zakkyo".
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Future of Reading Depends on the Future of Learning Difficult to Learn Things"
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a...
over a year ago
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a prosthetic brace on a healthy limb will…
David Perell
Annual Review 2022
This year was an emotional odyssey. At times, it was tormenting, at others intoxicating. Here, I...
a year ago
This year was an emotional odyssey. At times, it was tormenting, at others intoxicating. Here, I share my joys and struggles, my dreams and regrets. 2022 completely changed my life.
The post Annual Review 2022 appeared first on David Perell.
Steve Blank
The Three Pillars of World-class Corporate Innovation
My good friend Alexander Osterwalder, the inventor of the business model canvas (one of foundations...
over a year ago
My good friend Alexander Osterwalder, the inventor of the business model canvas (one of foundations of the Lean Methodology) has written a playbook (along with his associate partner Tendayi Viki,) From Innovation Theater to Growth Engine to explain how to build and implement...
David Perell
The Stupid Test
Whenever you're trying to solve a problem, ask yourself: "What answer am I missing because it seems...
over a year ago
Whenever you're trying to solve a problem, ask yourself: "What answer am I missing because it seems too stupid?"
The post The Stupid Test appeared first on David Perell.
Internal Tech Emails
Microsoft's gaming strategy
we are exactly like Polaroid. We are core gaming which isn't growing its TAM (analogous to film...
a year ago
we are exactly like Polaroid. We are core gaming which isn't growing its TAM (analogous to film photographers) while mobile gaming MAU is growing WW at a significant rate (like digital photography was growing).
Rest of World -...
Riders in the smog
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off...
10 months ago
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off the charts.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s Next in Computing?
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles....
over a year ago
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles. There has been a lot of handwringing…
SatPost by Trung...
David Tran and Sriracha's $1B+ Journey
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce...
a month ago
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce brand.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The economic logic behind tech and talent acquisitions
There’s been a lot of speculation lately about why big companies spend millions of dollars acquiring...
over a year ago
There’s been a lot of speculation lately about why big companies spend millions of dollars acquiring startups for their technology or talent…
Noahpinion
What are the checks and balances on the power of Elon Musk?
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
a week ago
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
Working Theorys
The Co-Sign That Changes Everything
Ascendancy in any domain is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. You...
3 months ago
Ascendancy in any domain is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. You alternate between the two, taking leaps from one step to the next, aiming for that mythical high point (before either crashing down or fading away under the same community’s judgment or,...
Tech + Economics +...
“Walking meetings” are not going to bring people back to the office.
Joy Adan, senior thought leadership manager at Reward Gateway, an
Australian human resource...
a year ago
Joy Adan, senior thought leadership manager at Reward Gateway, an
Australian human resource consulting company, said that connecting with
co-workers and building those relationships were a critical part of
work and should not be trivialised.
“Coffee badging...
Noahpinion
The end of the "vibecession"?
Maybe people are being irrationally pessimistic. Or maybe it's just all about real wages.
a year ago
Maybe people are being irrationally pessimistic. Or maybe it's just all about real wages.
Rest of World -...
Ultra-cheap meals from China’s delivery giant are hugely popular. Drivers are bearing the costs
Meituan’s group order program boomed amid China’s post-Covid-19 thrift economy, but delivery drivers...
7 months ago
Meituan’s group order program boomed amid China’s post-Covid-19 thrift economy, but delivery drivers say they’re working longer for less pay.
Paul Graham: Essays
A Student's Guide to Startups
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Singapore urbanism
Thoughts from a visit to the solarpunk city.
a year ago
Thoughts from a visit to the solarpunk city.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 One of the most interesting learnings after doing lead gen for 100+ b2b companies: the more...
9 months ago
#1 💡 One of the most interesting learnings after doing lead gen for 100+ b2b companies: the more directly your offer is related to one the core b2b “desires”, the easier the sales process. Many offers are only indirectly related to them. A better design might increases...
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…
Rest of World -...
The Northeast Indian YouTubers challenging cultural stereotypes through mukbang
Tribes in Northeast India have long been isolated from the rest of the country. Creators are using...
5 months ago
Tribes in Northeast India have long been isolated from the rest of the country. Creators are using YouTube to challenge the cliches that isolate them.
AVC
What Happened In 2022
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending...
over a year ago
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending and one looking forward to the year ahead. This is the first of these two posts. The second one will run tomorrow. What happened in 2022 is the bottom fell out of the capital...
Tech + Economics +...
What are the conservatives going to do - talk to each other?
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from...
a year ago
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from sharing their viewpoints and beliefs is
intrinsically linked to the presence of a progressive adversary who will
respond to them. It's not the platform that matters, nor the freedom...
Tom Blomfield
Getting Shit Done
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as...
over a year ago
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as they scaled up their companies. Unanimously, hiring and retaining people who “get shit done” seemed to be their biggest problem. I’ve been thinking about this for the last few...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Blogging to learn
People blog for all sorts of reasons. For me, it is mostly about learning. This wasn’t my original...
over a year ago
People blog for all sorts of reasons. For me, it is mostly about learning. This wasn’t my original intention – it evolved over time. Now I…
David Perell
Ambitious People Need Each Other
Ambitious people don’t just need peers. They need mentors. They need people who will encourage them...
a year ago
Ambitious people don’t just need peers. They need mentors. They need people who will encourage them to pursue hard and meaningful projects.
The post Ambitious People Need Each Other appeared first on David Perell.
Tom Blomfield
How to raise investment
Update: I am no longer personally angel investing - I’m focussed on other things at the moment....
over a year ago
Update: I am no longer personally angel investing - I’m focussed on other things at the moment. Please don’t ask me to invest in your company! 🙂
I started angel-investing in 2021, and a large proportion of the companies I put money into asked for help raising an investment...
Rest of World -...
Traditional sellers in Vietnam still aren’t sold on e-commerce
As online shopping booms, local merchants are struggling to adapt, despite government help.
2 months ago
As online shopping booms, local merchants are struggling to adapt, despite government help.
Rest of World -...
The entrepreneur trying to make thrifting truly eco-friendly with AI
Nofal Khan is the co-founder and CEO of Swag Kicks, one of Pakistan’s largest online thrift...
7 months ago
Nofal Khan is the co-founder and CEO of Swag Kicks, one of Pakistan’s largest online thrift platforms.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
New York City needs a tech startup blog
At first it seemed like Silicon Alley Insider would be this, but they seem to have moved away from...
over a year ago
At first it seemed like Silicon Alley Insider would be this, but they seem to have moved away from covering NYC startups. The New York Times…
Nothing Human
Prayer over a new smartphone
Hello, phone. For many years, starting today, you will be my most loyal companion and my most...
a year ago
Hello, phone. For many years, starting today, you will be my most loyal companion and my most treasured possession. I will feel your weight in my pocket every moment of every day, a presence as constant as my breath. The muscles and bones of my hand, arm, and shoulder will deform...
Rest of World -...
Apple and Foxconn lobbied India to relax its labor laws. Unions are fighting back
The business-friendly change extends factory shifts from nine to 12 hours, and allows women to work...
a year ago
The business-friendly change extends factory shifts from nine to 12 hours, and allows women to work overnight.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Facebook is about to try to dominate display ads the way Google dominates text ads
It is customary to divide online advertising into two categories: direct response and brand...
over a year ago
It is customary to divide online advertising into two categories: direct response and brand advertising. I prefer instead to divide it…
Nothing Human
Meditations on Machinic Desire
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of...
2 months ago
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of the most insight-dense paragraphs I’ve ever encountered:
Working Theorys
Before the Crowd Shows Up
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
9 months ago
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
essay – snarfed.org
Sleep is so weird
Ian Dyball Our bodies are designed such that we need to lose consciousness, entirely, for a full...
11 months ago
Ian Dyball Our bodies are designed such that we need to lose consciousness, entirely, for a full third of every day. This is evidently necessary for some kind of regular brain maintenance, maybe forming long term memories, who knows what else. If we don’t sleep, we quickly become...
Internal Tech Emails
When Apple considered buying Bing
Can I imagine that Apple can build a search engine to compete. Yes but it’s probably not the best...
9 months ago
Can I imagine that Apple can build a search engine to compete. Yes but it’s probably not the best way to differentiate our products.
Steve Blank
Lean LaunchPad @Stanford 2024 – 8 Teams In, 8 Companies Out
This post previously appeared in Poets and Quants. We just finished the 14th annual Lean LaunchPad...
6 months ago
This post previously appeared in Poets and Quants. We just finished the 14th annual Lean LaunchPad class at Stanford. The class had gotten so popular that in 2021 we started teaching it in both the winter and spring sessions. During the quarter the eight teams spoke to 919...
Paul Graham: Essays
Six Principles for Making New Things
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Do you want to sell sugar water or do you want to change the world?
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and change the world?” –...
over a year ago
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and change the world?” – Steve Jobs I sometimes wish that instead…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
eBay vs Amazon: decentralized vs centralized e-commerce
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay...
over a year ago
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay employee. But all the opinions expressed below…
Rest of World -...
Movie stars, matchmakers, and aunties: How WhatsApp became an unstoppable cultural force
The world’s most popular messaging platform is synonymous with the internet for millions of people.
3 weeks ago
The world’s most popular messaging platform is synonymous with the internet for millions of people.
Steve Blank
Playing With Fire – ChatGPT
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of...
a year ago
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. John F. Kennedy Humans have mastered lots of things that have transformed our lives, created our civilizations, and might ultimately...
Blog posts of...
Everyone is doing 1on1s wrong. I think.
Our calendars are packed with meetings. We communicate mostly in 1on1on1on1 trains. Nobody is happy....
a year ago
Our calendars are packed with meetings. We communicate mostly in 1on1on1on1 trains. Nobody is happy. Nothing gets done. Can we fix this?
Working Theorys
The Lost Sense
OR: The Marginalization of "Touch" in a Digital World
4 months ago
OR: The Marginalization of "Touch" in a Digital World
Platformer
How Google taught AI to doubt itself
Can you stop chatbots from making stuff up using search?
a year ago
Can you stop chatbots from making stuff up using search?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of investor signaling in venture pricing
Suppose there is a pre-profitable company that is raising venture financing. Simple, classical...
over a year ago
Suppose there is a pre-profitable company that is raising venture financing. Simple, classical economic models would predict that although…
essay – snarfed.org
Content negotiation considered harmful
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers...
a year ago
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers return, different content types based on the request’s Accept header. Sounds great, right? Well, no. Content negotiation is the classic example of an idea that sounds good in theory, but...
Rest of World -...
This Chinese startup believes it can take augmented reality glasses mainstream
Peng Jin, co-founder and head of commercialization at AR glasses startup Nreal, discusses how his...
a year ago
Peng Jin, co-founder and head of commercialization at AR glasses startup Nreal, discusses how his product will revolutionize the display experience.
Rest of World -...
Amazon and Walmart didn’t defeat India’s mom-and-pop stores. But rapid delivery might
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana...
a month ago
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana stores out of business by 2030.
42!
Embracing AI
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used...
a year ago
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used ChatGPT to make the life of my support team easier.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The “thin edge of the wedge” strategy
Establishing relationships with new users is the hardest part of growing a startup. For consumer...
over a year ago
Establishing relationships with new users is the hardest part of growing a startup. For consumer products establishing relationships can…
Noahpinion
What the Solow Model can teach us about China
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
a year ago
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
Essays - Benedict...
Do App Store Rules Matter?
After a decade of arguing, regulators will change Apple’s App Store rules.
How much money is...
over a year ago
After a decade of arguing, regulators will change Apple’s App Store rules.
How much money is involved, what might happen next and, most importantly,
who cares? This is a big deal for Spotify, but does it matter to anyone
else?
Rest of World -...
OpenAI is making a risky bet on live translation
The company has a stunning demo — but can the product live up to the hype?
7 months ago
The company has a stunning demo — but can the product live up to the hype?
Noahpinion
Give us your ideas on how to deal with Chinese chips!
A policy competition from the Federation of American Scientists, Chris Miller, ChinaTalk, and me
6 months ago
A policy competition from the Federation of American Scientists, Chris Miller, ChinaTalk, and me
SatPost by Trung...
From Beatlemania to Taylor-mania
How the meteoric rise of The Beatles helps to explain Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour, on pace to be the...
a year ago
How the meteoric rise of The Beatles helps to explain Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour, on pace to be the first tour ever to gross $1B.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Software Has Eaten The Media
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better...
10 months ago
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better Offline), I believe that both public and private markets have become decoupled from the concept of "good business," ruled instead by a hunger for the eternal
Aaron's Essays
Things that aren't progress
A few months ago, I wrote about things that look like work, but aren't. As I paid more attention to...
over a year ago
A few months ago, I wrote about things that look like work, but aren't. As I paid more attention to founders doing these things, I started thinking about why they were happening. I realized that the behaviors were largely a function of bad goal setting.
When founders choose bad...
David Perell
The Paradox of Abundance
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a...
over a year ago
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a small number of people. Abundance is a paradox. Environments of abundance are bad for the median consumer but extremely good for a small number of conscious ones. Average consumers...
Business Brainstorms
Copilot for cooperations, futility of SOPs, $0->$100m->$0 in 5 years, and adjusting to market...
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 “Is there a Superhuman for Salesforce? Because this...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
A massive misallocation of online advertising dollars
In an earlier blog post, I talked about how sites that generate purchasing intent (mainly “content”...
over a year ago
In an earlier blog post, I talked about how sites that generate purchasing intent (mainly “content” sites) are being under-allocated…
Rest of World -...
China’s AI boom depends on an army of exploited student interns
As part of China’s digital underclass, vocational school students work as data annotators – for low...
a year ago
As part of China’s digital underclass, vocational school students work as data annotators – for low pay and little future prospects.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Oculus
I've seen a handful of technology demos in my life that made me feel like I was glimpsing into the...
over a year ago
I've seen a handful of technology demos in my life that made me feel like I was glimpsing into the future. The best ones were: the Apple II…
tomcritchlow.com
The roadmap is not the territory
Most of my consulting work connects to “marketing strategy” in some way - clients come wanting to...
a year ago
Most of my consulting work connects to “marketing strategy” in some way - clients come wanting to talk about growing their business. But the funny thing about growth and marketing is that each component is like a thread that, once pulled, unravels the whole spool.
Rest of World -...
Doctor-influencers are going viral in China, provoking authorities
Fueled by the pandemic, medical professionals have cashed in on Douyin, dispensing advice and...
a year ago
Fueled by the pandemic, medical professionals have cashed in on Douyin, dispensing advice and endorsements.
Working Theorys
What I Talk About When I Talk About Reading
Optimize your life for good conversations.
8 months ago
Optimize your life for good conversations.
SatPost by Trung...
Travelogue: Central & Eastern Europe
17 thoughts from a trip to Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Dubrovnik
4 months ago
17 thoughts from a trip to Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Dubrovnik
Devmoh
Why did Meta open-source Llama 2?
Meta seems to be all in on open-source AI. They released Llama 2, which features some impressive...
a year ago
Meta seems to be all in on open-source AI. They released Llama 2, which features some impressive benchmarks compared to other open source language models. Why does Meta keep releasing open-source models? What is their incentive? To attract and retain top AI talent.
Platformer
Another Facebook content moderation company quits the business
Amid worker unrest and a lawsuit, Sama says it's done. Will others follow?
a year ago
Amid worker unrest and a lawsuit, Sama says it's done. Will others follow?
Platformer
TikTok nears the endgame
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost....
a year ago
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost. PLUS: How Twitter keeps competitors off its For You page
Rest of World -...
A tale of two feeds
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the...
a year ago
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the problem.
Platformer
The surgeon general's warning is a wake-up call for social networks
A growing body of evidence suggests that social products pose significant risks to teenagers
a year ago
A growing body of evidence suggests that social products pose significant risks to teenagers
Platformer
How the Brazil riots change Facebook's Trump equation
After a new string of riots against democracy, let's game out whether Meta should restore the former...
a year ago
After a new string of riots against democracy, let's game out whether Meta should restore the former president's account
Nadia Asparouhova
Does meditation experience improve success with the jhanas?
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described...
6 months ago
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described as an “advanced meditation practice,” a phrase that suggests that one must be a skilled meditator to access them: just as only a skilled outdoorsman would embark upon an...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"Bitcoin is the currency the internet deserves and needs"
George Gilder discusses the importance of Bitcoin in a very interesting interview: To have a...
over a year ago
George Gilder discusses the importance of Bitcoin in a very interesting interview: To have a civilization you need more than just bits and…
Rest of World -...
Why China still runs on Windows
And what it means for Microsoft.
7 months ago
And what it means for Microsoft.
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…
Internal Tech Emails
Facebook and Google "at Defcon 2"
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with...
6 months ago
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with Google
Roberto Vitillo's...
Back of the envelope estimation hacks
There are two types of engineers, the ones that can quickly do estimates and the ones that can't....
over a year ago
There are two types of engineers, the ones that can quickly do estimates and the ones that can't. Are these people just smarter, or is there…
Rest of World -...
Indian politicians are bringing the dead on the campaign trail, with help from AI
Digital rights activists have questioned the ethics of using “soft fakes” to resurrect the past and...
8 months ago
Digital rights activists have questioned the ethics of using “soft fakes” to resurrect the past and manage the future.
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s dictatorship abducted babies in the 1970s. An AI project imagines them today
“Our search is real, but these images aren’t.”
a year ago
“Our search is real, but these images aren’t.”
Rest of World -...
Chinese streaming platforms and chill?
In Southeast Asia, Netflix has competition from Baidu's iQiyi and Tencent's WeTV
a year ago
In Southeast Asia, Netflix has competition from Baidu's iQiyi and Tencent's WeTV
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 “When I've worked for organizations without QA teams, I introduce the concept of "sniff...
a year ago
#1 💡 “When I've worked for organizations without QA teams, I introduce the concept of "sniff tests". This is a short (typically 1 hour) test session where anybody in the company / department is encouraged to come and bash on the new feature. The feature is supposed to be...
Paul Graham: Essays
Could VC be a Casualty of the Recession?
over a year ago
Essays - Benedict...
Rocket ships and tractors
For some companies, revenue is a feature.
over a year ago
For some companies, revenue is a feature.
Working Theorys
The Taste Discount
Everything is easier when tastes align.
8 months ago
Everything is easier when tastes align.
Paul Graham: Essays
Why to Start a Startup in a Bad Economy
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Where does libertarianism go from here?
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
a year ago
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
Tech + Economics +...
Bitcoin ETFs will make greater fools of us all.
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan...
11 months ago
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator
on Wednesday approved the first U.S.-listed exchange traded funds
(ETFs) to track bitcoin, its Chair Gary Gensler said, in a...
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.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
11 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
tomcritchlow.com
The Magic of Small Databases
summary
Publishing documents to the web is a well-served use case but publishing small indexes,...
a year ago
summary
Publishing documents to the web is a well-served use case but publishing small indexes, databases and collections to the web is still an incredibly frustrating and under-served use case. Here I outline why I think it matters and a variety of approaches to solving it.
Internal Tech Emails
Google and AI | Elon Musk on Tesla comp
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex,...
10 months ago
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex, Amazon, Apple, or even a startup.
Paul Graham: Essays
A Unified Theory of VC Suckage
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Vibes vs. data
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
a year ago
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What carries you up will also bring you down
In Rules of Thumb, Alan Weber quotes legendary venture capitalist John Doerr discussing the original...
over a year ago
In Rules of Thumb, Alan Weber quotes legendary venture capitalist John Doerr discussing the original business plans for companies he…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden...
11 months ago
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden nugget I took away from it is that stress is 100% a framing issue. You only feel stressed when you think you can't handle it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a full calendar, juggling...
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.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Raw Thought (from...
Fix the machine, not the person
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"We leverage the billions of dollars spent on the consumer mobile phone business"
NYTimes has an excellent profile of Planet Labs, a startup that makes low-cost satellites: These...
over a year ago
NYTimes has an excellent profile of Planet Labs, a startup that makes low-cost satellites: These satellites are powered by batteries…
Stephen Diehl
Dive into GHC: Targeting Core
over a year ago
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Descent of Elon Musk
Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you pretty damn close. As the second richest man alive, ...
9 months ago
Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you pretty damn close. As the second richest man alive, Elon Musk should be rolling electric coal down Rodeo Drive in a cybertruck, smugly aware of the fact that, despite what the haters say, he's kind of
SatPost by Trung...
LinkedIn's Social Pivot
How the 1B+ user professional network went from a cringe-inducing activity feed to a useful and less...
3 months ago
How the 1B+ user professional network went from a cringe-inducing activity feed to a useful and less cringey social feed.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Silicon Valley's False Prophet
The tech industry has craved a messiah since the death of Steve Jobs, but in OpenAI CEO Sam Altman...
6 months ago
The tech industry has craved a messiah since the death of Steve Jobs, but in OpenAI CEO Sam Altman they’ve discovered more of a false prophet — a seedy grifter that uses his remarkable ability to impress and manipulate Silicon Valley’s elite to mask a total
Rest of World -...
The hidden cost of cyberwarfare
Digital Peace Now is working to raise awareness of the damage done by cyberattacks.
a year ago
Digital Peace Now is working to raise awareness of the damage done by cyberattacks.
Nothing Human
Metrics, Cowardice, and Mistrust
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
a year ago
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
Noahpinion
How will you save small midwestern towns without mass immigration?
What really happens when a "flood of migrants" gets "dumped" on a small heartland town.
3 months ago
What really happens when a "flood of migrants" gets "dumped" on a small heartland town.
SatPost by Trung...
The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Pixar
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles...
4 months ago
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles (stale IP, original flops) and why "Inside Out 2" could trigger a renaissance.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Steve Blank
Startups that Have Employees In Offices Grow 3½ Times Faster
This article previously appeared in EIX – Entreprenuers and Innovators Exchange. Data shows that...
a year ago
This article previously appeared in EIX – Entreprenuers and Innovators Exchange. Data shows that pre-seed and seed startups with employees showing up in a physical office have 3½ times higher revenue growth than those that are solely remote. Let the discussion begin. During the...
AVC
NFT Art CDMX
We spent this past weekend in Mexico City at Bright Moment’s NFT Art CDMX. Bright Moments is the...
over a year ago
We spent this past weekend in Mexico City at Bright Moment’s NFT Art CDMX. Bright Moments is the premier NFT art “gallery” in the world. I use that term in parentheses because Bright Moments is much more than a gallery but that word is well understood. USV is a member of the...
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Facebook ads work
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources...
a year ago
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources Facebook Doesn’t Make as Much Money as It Could—On Purpose How to Save Millions With Marketability Testing Facebook Bid Strategies
The post Notes on how Facebook ads work appeared...
David Perell
Rob Henderson: An Internet Academic
Rob Henderson is one of my favorite up-and-coming writers. I like him because he’s one of those...
over a year ago
Rob Henderson is one of my favorite up-and-coming writers. I like him because he’s one of those people who doesn’t fit into a category. He’s a Ph.D. candidate in psychology, but I met him in a book club about technological stagnation. He’s spent years in the academy, first at...
David Perell
Thoughts on Montreal
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks...
over a year ago
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks around town and casual conversations with friends: Culture: My favorite thing about Montreal is its commitment to culture. French is the dominant language, which is partially why it...
Rest of World -...
What’s trending on Spotify in Africa?
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy talks about the most surprising user behavior on the music streaming app.
7 months ago
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy talks about the most surprising user behavior on the music streaming app.
Full Width 
Shortcuts 
Sign Up 
Log In 
Articles 
Reading List 