Nadia Asparouhova
The New American University
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president,...
over a year ago
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president, earlier this year, and I so enjoyed his thoughts on knowledge production that I immediately wondered how his philosophy would translate to ASU as an organization. Turns out,...
Rest of World -...
Las compañías de autos eléctricos quieren el litio de Argentina. Poco queda para sus ciudadanos.
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de...
8 months ago
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de generadores. El proyecto se frenó. Mientras tanto, las exportaciones de litio crecen.
Paul Graham: Essays
Why to Not Not Start a Startup
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
If you aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough
My most useful career experience was about eight years ago when I was trying to break into the world...
over a year ago
My most useful career experience was about eight years ago when I was trying to break into the world of VC-backed startups. I applied to…
Tech + Economics +...
The worst part of tech layoffs? The corporate bullshit.
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO,...
11 months ago
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, told employees in a letter published on a
corporate blog, that the company will also “scale back the number of
contracts we have within our alternate workforce over the...
SatPost by Trung...
Psychology of Apple Packaging
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
11 months ago
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed company that lets you buy glasses over WhatsApp
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
a year ago
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
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.
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.
Rest of World -...
YouTube is the final place to watch unbiased news in India. Can it last?
As Modi’s government clamps down on the free press, top journalists are forging their own channels...
a year ago
As Modi’s government clamps down on the free press, top journalists are forging their own channels to report unbiased news — for now.
SatPost by Trung...
Birkenstock IPO: Is it worth $10B?
And 4 other questions about the 249-year cult German footwear brand.
a year ago
And 4 other questions about the 249-year cult German footwear brand.
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...
Rest of World -...
What India can tell us about Netflix’s future
Disney, Ambani, and the Netflix niche.
8 months ago
Disney, Ambani, and the Netflix niche.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to conduct a system design interview
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview....
over a year ago
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview. You can find a lot on the Internet on how…
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…
XO Capital - Field...
Our First Community Call
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO...
10 months ago
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO community, courses,
Motivations for picking a startup idea
Decision making differences between short holds and longer holds.
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.
8 months ago
From India to the U.K., UAE, and Thailand, Nigeria-founded Moove is chasing profitability.
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.
Rest of World -...
This renewable energy startup helps companies decarbonize across the Pacific
Bor Hung Chong from Nefin Group discusses green energy solutions beyond solar panels.
a year ago
Bor Hung Chong from Nefin Group discusses green energy solutions beyond solar panels.
David Perell
Lifting Alone
Gyms were once communal places. Nobody wore headphones. People helped each other out and talked...
over a year ago
Gyms were once communal places. Nobody wore headphones. People helped each other out and talked between sets. Today, things have changed. Everybody is plugged into their own virtual reality world where they craft their desired mood and intensity level, which definitely gives...
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...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Innovation Fallacy
3 months ago
haseeb qureshi
Ethereum is now unforkable, thanks to DeFi
By Haseeb Qureshi and Leland Lee
After the DAO hack of 2016, the Ethereum community was faced with...
over a year ago
By Haseeb Qureshi and Leland Lee
After the DAO hack of 2016, the Ethereum community was faced with an existential quandary: should the community roll back the chain to revert the DAO hack, or let the hacker get away? Those who said yes forked away to what is now called Ethereum....
Noahpinion
What's up with those revised job numbers?
Government data revisions can be scary, but they actually aren't that hard to understand.
4 months ago
Government data revisions can be scary, but they actually aren't that hard to understand.
Blog posts of...
#fyi: How founders can avoid drive-by-management
Suggestions by founders, managers, or anyone with authority in a startup, might often be...
over a year ago
Suggestions by founders, managers, or anyone with authority in a startup, might often be misunderstood as directions or decisions...
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
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Monopoly Money
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something...
4 months ago
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something incredible happened.
On Monday, a Federal Judge delivered a crushing ruling in the multi-year-long antitrust case filed against Google by the Department of Justice. In 300-pages of...
Noahpinion
Americans hate inflation more than they hate unemployment
Lesson #2 from Trump's victory.
a month ago
Lesson #2 from Trump's victory.
Working Theorys
24 Working Theorys for 2024
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators,...
11 months ago
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators, and lifestyle
XO Capital - Field...
Acquisition #12 - Onsched
We've been a little quiet over here as we start rolling out XO 2.0, using outside capital instead of...
4 months ago
We've been a little quiet over here as we start rolling out XO 2.0, using outside capital instead of our own cash to acquire larger businesses. It's taken a bit of time from deal #11 to #12. We didn't buy anything for 9
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
Platformer
Can Snap snap back?
At its annual summit, the company gets bullish on AI — but feels haunted by the ghost of its past...
a year ago
At its annual summit, the company gets bullish on AI — but feels haunted by the ghost of its past ambitions
Noahpinion
Heat pumps, heat pumps, heat pumps!!
A simple but incredibly useful machine is quietly transforming our buildings.
a year ago
A simple but incredibly useful machine is quietly transforming our buildings.
Noahpinion
The blue cities must be fixed
If you want to govern the nation, you should first be able to govern San Francisco, New York, and...
a month ago
If you want to govern the nation, you should first be able to govern San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
David Perell
Chrisman Frank and Ana Lorena Fabrega: How Childhood Education Will Change
This week, I have two guests. Both are affiliated with Synthesis, a new kind of online school where...
over a year ago
This week, I have two guests. Both are affiliated with Synthesis, a new kind of online school where kids learn through games and simulations. One is Chrisman Frank, the CEO of Synthesis. The other is Ana Lorena Fabrega, who is their Chief Evangelist. Here’s the backstory: A few...
Rest of World -...
Tears of a get-rich-quick guru
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur...
a year ago
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur fantasy.
SatPost by Trung...
I want Apple's Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro has a very appealing use case: "the workplace of your dreams".
a year ago
The Apple Vision Pro has a very appealing use case: "the workplace of your dreams".
Aaron's Essays
When to Shut Down Your Company
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A number of recent conversations I've had with founders made me realize that the framework below remains useful. As the market continues through its downswing, more founders will face...
Stephen Diehl
Fintech and Practical Utopianism
over a year ago
Data Boutique
Network Effects: When Value Comes from Others Joining in
... and Data Boutique Partnership Program launch
a year ago
... and Data Boutique Partnership Program launch
The Thinking Cap
Your Platform Is as Strong as Its Identity Layer
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
over a year ago
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
Noahpinion
What just happened in San Francisco politics?
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
9 months ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some ideas for native bitcoin apps
Fred Wilson calls applications built using Bitcoin that couldn't have existed prior to Bitcoin...
over a year ago
Fred Wilson calls applications built using Bitcoin that couldn't have existed prior to Bitcoin "native Bitcoin apps". Most of the…
Steve Blank
Leaving Government for the Private Sector – Part 2
Laura Thomas is a former CIA operations officer. Reading how she moved in 2021 from CIA ops to a...
a year ago
Laura Thomas is a former CIA operations officer. Reading how she moved in 2021 from CIA ops to a quantum technology company offered insightful career transition advice for those leaving her agency. Most of her lessons were applicable to any government employee venturing out to...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s the right amount of seed money to raise?
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor....
over a year ago
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor. “Accretive milestone” is a fancy way of saying…
Rest of World -...
Mexico’s growing e-commerce infrastructure is built on top of its smallest shops
Amazon and MercadoLibre get all the credit, but it’s really a patchwork of mom-and-pop shops that...
a year ago
Amazon and MercadoLibre get all the credit, but it’s really a patchwork of mom-and-pop shops that keep Mexico’s e-commerce running.
Tom Blomfield
Monzo growth
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and...
over a year ago
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and I haven’t been able to give a satisfactory answer in a sufficiently short space of time. I thought I’d write out my thoughts in a longer piece so I can feel less bad about giving...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Computers that can make commitments
Blockchains are computers that can make commitments. Traditional computers are ultimately controlled...
over a year ago
Blockchains are computers that can make commitments. Traditional computers are ultimately controlled by people, either directly in the case…
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,...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🔀 The Law of Line Extension
3 months ago
🔀 The Law of Line Extension
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...
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs on iPod and DRM
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot...
a month ago
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot use iPod. Is this going to be an issue?
Articles - Alex...
How to ride a recession
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years...
over a year ago
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years later and the UK’s economic picture is not much
prettier. This article argues that whilst recessions are a threat to some
businesses, they are an opportunity for others. It argues...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Forces that affect whether a large company will buy your product (according to Marc Andreessen)
From Marc Andreessen’s “Moby Dick Theory of Big Companies“: You can count on there being a whole...
over a year ago
From Marc Andreessen’s “Moby Dick Theory of Big Companies“: You can count on there being a whole host of impinging forces that will affect…
Noahpinion
Six ideas for Poland
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
3 months ago
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
Rest of World -...
Bringing the Philippines’ beloved mom-and-pop stores into the 21st century
Local startups are working to digitize sari-sari shops, or convenience stores, which are a large...
5 months ago
Local startups are working to digitize sari-sari shops, or convenience stores, which are a large part of the Philippine retail industry.
Noahpinion
No, you are not on Indigenous land
Pieces of territory belong to institutions, not to racial groups.
3 weeks ago
Pieces of territory belong to institutions, not to racial groups.
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 -...
African startups need more than just funds from their investors
Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer at FSD Africa Investments, talks about the risks and...
a year ago
Anne-Marie Chidzero, chief investment officer at FSD Africa Investments, talks about the risks and opportunities in backing Africa’s early-stage startups.
Blog posts of...
Why Lean Startup sucks for startups.
If you go to Lean Startup events you will find first time founders, consultants, accelerator...
over a year ago
If you go to Lean Startup events you will find first time founders, consultants, accelerator managers, r&d people, enterprise intr...
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…
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why does it matter that Twitter is supplanting RSS?
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing....
over a year ago
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing. Andrew Weissman had a very reasonable…
AVC
The Freedom To Innovate
Back in 2014, USV got subpoenaed by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) over...
a year ago
Back in 2014, USV got subpoenaed by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) over our web3 investing activities. We hired a law firm, answered the subpoena, and that ultimately landed me in public testimony in front of the DFS staff. In my testimony, I explained...
Internal Tech Emails
Elon Musk's texts
I read the article. It is weak sauce and still makes me sound like a liar. It is filled with...
over a year ago
I read the article. It is weak sauce and still makes me sound like a liar. It is filled with equivocation and in no way indicates the strong interest you conveyed in person.
Platformer
The secret list of Twitter VIPs getting boosted over everyone else
Congratulations to Ben Shapiro, AOC, and ... LeBron?
a year ago
Congratulations to Ben Shapiro, AOC, and ... LeBron?
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…
Rest of World -...
Worldcoin may not be legal in Colombia, but that’s not stopping it
Scan eyeballs first, ask questions later.
4 months ago
Scan eyeballs first, ask questions later.
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.
Internal Tech Emails
iMessage for Android
I am concerned the iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove and obstacle to iPhone families...
over a year ago
I am concerned the iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove and obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones.
Rest of World -...
Five globally successful Chinese companies you’ve never heard of
TikTok and Shein are household names, but ShareIt and Yalla aren't far behind.
a year ago
TikTok and Shein are household names, but ShareIt and Yalla aren't far behind.
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
There are two kinds of people in the world
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early...
over a year ago
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early employee, or investing or advising or helping…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The enterprise: buyers versus users
Why does most enterprise technology feel like it is a decade behind consumer technology? For the...
over a year ago
Why does most enterprise technology feel like it is a decade behind consumer technology? For the same reason our health care system is…
Aaron's Essays
Asking questions
Small children are great at asking questions. Their questions are simple, direct, and utterly...
over a year ago
Small children are great at asking questions. Their questions are simple, direct, and utterly without ego. If you spend time with 2-5 year olds, you’ll find yourself answering a near infinite series of progressively more challenging questions. This is one of the main paths by...
David Perell
How Philosophers Think
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to...
over a year ago
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to understand ideas by making them fight with each other. Their style of analysis is effective because it’s so bloody. One friend calls his style “violent thinking.” He talks about thinking...
Steve Blank
Why The Pentagon Can’t Count: It’s Time to Reinvent the Audit
This article previously appeared in War on the Rocks. In the past, headlines about the Pentagon...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in War on the Rocks. In the past, headlines about the Pentagon failing its financial audit again would never have caught my attention. But having been in the middle of this conversation when I served on one of the Defense Department’s advisory...
Throwable
How Twitter Survives (Or Doesn't)
Meta's approach, Twitter's moat and a few different future scenarios
a year ago
Meta's approach, Twitter's moat and a few different future scenarios
Noahpinion
Grading the economic schools of thought
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
a year ago
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
Rest of World -...
Brazil banned X. Right-wing politicians are still using it
Echoing Elon Musk, the politicians claim they are defending free speech.
3 months ago
Echoing Elon Musk, the politicians claim they are defending free speech.
Internal Tech Emails
Samsung vs. iPhone | Elon Musk's schedule
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority",...
over a year ago
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority", all created by the, "passionate, tireless, perfectionist..." The point here is that there is an unintended benefit for Apple, since the external messages by 3rd parties are all...
Roberto Vitillo's...
The second chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems is out
In the second chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems , I explore the core building blocks at...
over a year ago
In the second chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems , I explore the core building blocks at the heart of many distributed systems…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The new economy
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To...
over a year ago
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To Zynga’s Virtual Goods.” I wanted to try to…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Notes on the acquisition process
Ten years ago, startup financing was an insider’s game. Since then, the topic has been widely...
over a year ago
Ten years ago, startup financing was an insider’s game. Since then, the topic has been widely discussed on blogs, to the great benefit of…
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 4
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
10 months ago
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
SatPost by Trung...
Trader Joe's: The Anti-Grocer
The grocer created a cult brand with sales of $16B+ a year by doing the opposite of industry...
a year ago
The grocer created a cult brand with sales of $16B+ a year by doing the opposite of industry best-practices (from wages to product to ads).
Steve Blank
A Simple Map for Innovation at Scale
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy...
over a year ago
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank website. I spent last week at a global Fortune 50 company offsite watching them grapple with disruption. This 100+-year-old company has seven major product divisions, each...
Rest of World -...
How we’re tracking AI incidents around global elections
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in...
8 months ago
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in a regularly updated tracker.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Showing up
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s...
over a year ago
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s more like 90 percent. For example, I…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Nerdy economics edition (#54)
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity...
2 weeks ago
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity growth; Demand-side inflation; Health care monopsony and innovation
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The dawn of trustworthy computing"
Nick Szabo: On the Internet, instead of securely and reliably handing over cash and getting our...
over a year ago
Nick Szabo: On the Internet, instead of securely and reliably handing over cash and getting our goods or services, or at least a ticket, we…
Articles - Alex...
Adland is an island
We spend eight hours a day thinking about the brands we build. Many of us
more. We consider our...
over a year ago
We spend eight hours a day thinking about the brands we build. Many of us
more. We consider our clients’ companies and the categories in which they
compete. We visit the sites in which our products are produced and the
stores in which they are sold. We analyse their adverts...
Platformer
YouTube restores Trump
Meta explained its Trump decision in full. YouTube went another direction
a year ago
Meta explained its Trump decision in full. YouTube went another direction
Rest of World -...
It’s not (just) Ticketmaster’s fault
A Mexican superstar’s concert tour proves no ticketing company’s tech is a match for fans and fraud.
a year ago
A Mexican superstar’s concert tour proves no ticketing company’s tech is a match for fans and fraud.
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.
Inverted Passion
Games are problems people pay to solve
Good definitions are powerful. Lately, while reading The Art of Game Design, it became clear to me...
a year ago
Good definitions are powerful. Lately, while reading The Art of Game Design, it became clear to me that the author’s definition of games makes a lot of sense. He defines games as problems that people pay to solve with either their time or money. Unlike movies or books, games are...
Rest of World -...
The IITs remain undefeated
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
a year ago
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
Rest of World -...
Mexico City has an earthquake alarm system. Millions trust an app more
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s...
a year ago
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s loudspeakers.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#15)
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous...
a year ago
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous knowledge
Unpacked
Apple Watch pulls blood oxygen feature, and how big a deal is the GPT Store really?
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to...
11 months ago
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to pull the blood oxygen feature after losing a patent battle against Massimo. We then pivot to understanding the GPT Store and our analyses / hot takes on how big a deal this really...
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…
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
Tech + Economics +...
Apple’s LLM gap is real. It might not last much longer.
Apple has carved out a prestigious position in the consumer tech market
through sleek designs,...
11 months ago
Apple has carved out a prestigious position in the consumer tech market
through sleek designs, user-friendly interfaces, and a robust ecosystem.
The data is clear - Apple is the market and perception leader in every
category that matters. But developments in Large Language...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Trump aftermath edition (#52)
Bad election narratives; principles for the Democrats; slowing AI progress; rising life expectancy;...
a month ago
Bad election narratives; principles for the Democrats; slowing AI progress; rising life expectancy; phones are bad; solar vs. nuclear
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Machine learning is really good at partially solving just about any problem
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP)...
over a year ago
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP) can very quickly get you, say, 80% of…
Rest of World -...
How Apple’s India gamble paid off
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
5 months ago
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years"
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally...
over a year ago
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally right. * Some people get jaded. "We tried…
Rest of World -...
As Zimbabwe’s economy collapses, traditional healers are selling wealth advice on TikTok
Locally known as sangomas, spiritual guides are gaining fame online, but they face criticism from...
6 months ago
Locally known as sangomas, spiritual guides are gaining fame online, but they face criticism from their peers.
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....
Rest of World -...
How this mental health care app is using ChatGPT to improve its chatbot
Andrea Campos is the founder and CEO of Yana, a mental health care app and chatbot for Spanish and...
6 months ago
Andrea Campos is the founder and CEO of Yana, a mental health care app and chatbot for Spanish and English speakers.
Platformer
What we’re learning from the Reddit blackout
Five lessons, and one open question
a year ago
Five lessons, and one open question
Rest of World -...
Pakistan’s mass transit is failing. BusCaro thinks it has the solution
After the failure of Airlift and Swvl, this startup is stepping in to provide an alternative to...
6 days ago
After the failure of Airlift and Swvl, this startup is stepping in to provide an alternative to Pakistan’s unreliable public transport system.
XO Capital - Field...
Getting Smaller To Get Bigger
💡
We have another fresh round of capital to deploy into 1 business at up to $1.8M purchase price....
2 months ago
💡
We have another fresh round of capital to deploy into 1 business at up to $1.8M purchase price. Must be b2b SaaS, low customer concentration, 80%+ gross margins, 50k+ MRR. If you have a tip, pass it along!
We're underway with xo 2.0. That means,
Working Theorys
One-Round Wonder | Theory No. 23
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
a year ago
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
David Perell
The Jerry Seinfeld Guide to Writing
Writing and editing should be separate activities. When I’m in this creation mode, I shoot for a...
over a year ago
Writing and editing should be separate activities. When I’m in this creation mode, I shoot for a flow state. I keep my fingertips on the keyboard and measure progress by how many words I put on the page. My physical environment helps me be generative too. If I’m sitting down at...
Platformer
Substack says it will remove Nazi publications from the platform
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
11 months ago
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
Articles - Alex...
The age of average
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market...
a year ago
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market research firm to survey the public on what they
wanted in a work of art. Across 11 countries they then set about painting a
piece that reflected the results. Each piece was...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Owning equity in your company should be as common as owning equity in your home
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their...
over a year ago
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their own things above all, and less about…
Rest of World -...
AI is making Philippine call center work more efficient, for better and worse
BPO workers say AI tools are monitoring their calls, assisting them with customers, and scoring...
3 weeks ago
BPO workers say AI tools are monitoring their calls, assisting them with customers, and scoring their performance.
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...
11 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
Steve Blank
Security Clearances at the Speed of Startups
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for...
4 months ago
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for almost a year. And if you can’t pass a security clearance your offer is rescinded. Or you get offered an internship but can’t work on the most interesting part of the project. Sounds...
Rest of World -...
Amazon fends off calls for takedown transparency in message to shareholders
The company does not currently disclose government orders to remove specific products.
a year ago
The company does not currently disclose government orders to remove specific products.
Aaron's Essays
I and We
Starting a company is, in large part, an act of ego. When that business is a startup, the ego...
over a year ago
Starting a company is, in large part, an act of ego. When that business is a startup, the ego component is even larger. This is a good thing.
Ego is what gives the founder the confidence to create something new. Ego powers the belief that the new thing the founder creates will...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
Why has U.S. manufacturing productivity stagnated for over a decade?
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
5 months ago
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The thin edge of the wedge for virtual reality
Pius Uzamere argues that virtual reality will succeed first in business applications instead of...
over a year ago
Pius Uzamere argues that virtual reality will succeed first in business applications instead of gaming: The most interesting virtual reality…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#32)
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area...
8 months ago
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area "progressives", and cancer detection
Internal Tech Emails
Jeff Bezos on acquiring Ring
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
over a year ago
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
Working Theorys
When founders outgrow their startups
On the rise of personal power and the new founders' dilemma.
3 months ago
On the rise of personal power and the new founders' dilemma.
Rest of World -...
How Indians are watching Succession after HBO ditched Disney
With HBO walking away from Disney+ Hotstar, shows like Succession, The Last of Us, and Game of...
a year ago
With HBO walking away from Disney+ Hotstar, shows like Succession, The Last of Us, and Game of Thrones can no longer be streamed in the country.
Noahpinion
Macroeconomics: The predator of foolish regimes
One thing no ruler can control.
3 days ago
One thing no ruler can control.
Rest of World -...
Why Mexico’s delivery workers are ditching food for packages
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more...
5 months ago
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more appealing to deliver packages than food orders.
tomcritchlow.com
Don’t Give Advice, Be Useful
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister...
11 months ago
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister - The Trusted Advisor
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How to select your angel investors
I’ve seen a number of situations recently that are something like the following. A VC firm signs a...
over a year ago
I’ve seen a number of situations recently that are something like the following. A VC firm signs a term sheet with an early stage company…
Rest of World -...
Apple manufacturers moved from China to Vietnam. Now they’re desperate for workers
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
2 months ago
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
Internal Tech Emails
"I just need to decide if we're going to buy Instagram"
We have this big issue right now because gaming is shifting from us to mobile platforms.
a year ago
We have this big issue right now because gaming is shifting from us to mobile platforms.
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.
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...
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
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Old VC firms: get ready to be disrupted
If the U.S. economy were a company, the VC industry would be the R&D department. The financing for...
over a year ago
If the U.S. economy were a company, the VC industry would be the R&D department. The financing for the VC industry comes from so-called LPs…
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...
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.
Blog posts of...
Startup Mentoring Sessions: How to be a decent, maybe even good startup mentor.
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in...
over a year ago
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in this article I got personally at...
AVC
I’ve Moved Onchain
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2...
7 months ago
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2 services anymore. So I am starting a series called “I’ve Moved Onchain” to explain this journey to everyone and today’s opening post is about blogging, naturally. I’ve blogged at...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
There are two ways to make large datasets useful
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large...
over a year ago
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large datasets.* One of the most important…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Always have 18 months of cash in the bank
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18...
over a year ago
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18 months of cash in the bank. The logic…
Data Boutique
Using Historical Data: Basic Knowledge
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
5 months ago
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
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.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Massviews Analysis is a super useful free tool to identify niche trends, whether you’re trying...
11 months ago
#1 💡 Massviews Analysis is a super useful free tool to identify niche trends, whether you’re trying to research content ideas or doing research on business opportunities. You can put in any Wikipedia category, and it will show you what pages inside that category are most...
Noahpinion
Where does libertarianism go from here?
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
a year ago
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
tomcritchlow.com
Work is a Place
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit...
9 months ago
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit up talking about jamming in the studio with his bandmates - his arms were flailing and you could feel the energy coming off him like steam from a hot pan. These weekly jam sessions...
Essays - Benedict...
When tech says ‘no’
The tech industry always has a reason why any new laws or regulations are
bad - indeed, so does...
a year ago
The tech industry always has a reason why any new laws or regulations are
bad - indeed, so does any industry. They always say that! The trouble is,
sometimes it’s true, and some laws are (or would be) disasters. So which is
it? Well, there are three ways that people say...
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…
Rest of World -...
U.S tech giants are building dozens of huge data centers in Chile. Locals are fighting back
Multiple groups are working to keep Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from doubling the number of...
6 months ago
Multiple groups are working to keep Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from doubling the number of centers in the country, fearing environmental devastation.
Rest of World -...
Pakistan’s China-style firewall is rattling its tech industry
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor...
3 months ago
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor internet traffic, said service providers.
AVC
Subscribing To AVC
For many years, there were three ways to subscribe to AVC: 1/ Email – Get new posts delivered to...
a year ago
For many years, there were three ways to subscribe to AVC: 1/ Email – Get new posts delivered to your inbox 2/ RSS – Get new posts delivered to your RSS reader 3/ X – Follow AVC on X X revoked the API access that I was using to autopost three or four months ago. […]
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.
Tech + Economics +...
TikTok is revolutionizing news consumption - by eroding context.
The metamorphosis of news consumption is undeniable. TikTok, rising from
the ashes of Vine and the...
a year ago
The metamorphosis of news consumption is undeniable. TikTok, rising from
the ashes of Vine and the gradual decline of Instagram, captivated a new
generation, becoming a primary news source for many. This seismic shift
towards snackable, viral news content brings a host of...
Noahpinion
Why America fell behind in drones, and how to catch up agaon
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
4 months ago
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
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?
AVC
The AI Assist
I wrote last week that I have started coding again. And I have been amazed at how much easier it is...
a year ago
I wrote last week that I have started coding again. And I have been amazed at how much easier it is now that I can code and deploy in the cloud without having to spin up anything myself. But the other massive improvement in programming is the “AI assist.” I am working in a...
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…
Noahpinion
Progressives need to embrace progress
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
a year ago
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
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?
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...
Rest of World -...
PETA is building robot elephants for Hindu temples
For centuries, elephants have been captured to live in temples. Animal rights groups say replacing...
2 months ago
For centuries, elephants have been captured to live in temples. Animal rights groups say replacing them with robots will minimize animal cruelty and risks to humans.
Stephen Diehl
Facebook Libra is Architecturally Unsound
over a year ago
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.
Paul Graham: Essays
A Unified Theory of VC Suckage
over a year ago
Stephen Diehl
The Oncoming Ransomware Storm
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Gig drivers in South Africa clash over Bolt’s low-priced Indian cars
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
a year ago
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
tomcritchlow.com
A Lil' Website Refresh
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the...
9 months ago
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the years who even knows. The point is there’s a new coat of paint.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Every time an engineer joins Google, a startup dies
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of...
over a year ago
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of venture capital dollars to worthy startups…
Unpacked
2024 Predictions: AI, Media, Advertising & more
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you...
11 months ago
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you are terribly wrong. So, of course we are kicking off with 2024 tech predictions. Listen in for hot takes across AI, Media, Advertising & more.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Latin American startups embrace OpenAI, but at what cost?
The region’s early-stage startups get less funding than their U.S. counterparts, making AI...
a year ago
The region’s early-stage startups get less funding than their U.S. counterparts, making AI tools-for-hire an onerous new expense.
Rest of World -...
A little-known AI startup is behind Nigeria’s first government-backed LLM
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
6 months ago
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
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…
Stephen Diehl
Bitcoin: The Postmodern Ponzi
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s currency devaluation is a disaster for startups
“So many businesses will die. It’s not a matter of if but when.”
a year ago
“So many businesses will die. It’s not a matter of if but when.”
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...
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…
Paul Graham: Essays
Where to See Silicon Valley
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
News is a lousy business for Google too
There is a widespread myth that search engines have taken profits away from news websites. A few...
over a year ago
There is a widespread myth that search engines have taken profits away from news websites. A few months ago, Rupert Murdoch said: “Google…
Noahpinion
In defense of science fiction
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
11 months ago
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
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...
Platformer
How banning one Palestinian slogan roiled Etsy
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees...
a year ago
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees aren’t happy
Rest of World -...
Indian government gives itself the power to “fact-check” and delete social media posts
Journalists, opposition parties, and advocacy groups are worried what this “absolute power” means...
a year ago
Journalists, opposition parties, and advocacy groups are worried what this “absolute power” means for press freedom in India.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Venture Capital Squeeze
over a year ago
Noahpinion
The elemental foe
Lifting humanity out of poverty is Job #1.
5 months ago
Lifting humanity out of poverty is Job #1.
Business Brainstorms
Hiring a geo-guesser, change merchants, one distribution channel is all it takes
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 “request for service: roast my onboarding for SaaS...
Platformer
How you want me to cover artificial intelligence
Seven principles for journalism in the age of AI
a year ago
Seven principles for journalism in the age of AI
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.
42!
How we "judo'd" a server outage to create a customer evangelist
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
I was listening to Arvid Kahl’s latest podcast episode on my...
over a year ago
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
I was listening to Arvid Kahl’s latest podcast episode on my morning walk today, where he talked about Facebook’s recent 6 hour outage, and how you can ‘judo’ negative things like server downtime into a positive outcome.
As a former student of the...
Roberto Vitillo's...
Differential privacy for dummies
Technology allows companies to collect more data and with more detail about their users than ever...
over a year ago
Technology allows companies to collect more data and with more detail about their users than ever before. Sometimes that data is sold to…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
5 months ago
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
Rest of World -...
India’s persistent, gendered digital divide
As the government moves towards gender parity, India’s glaring digital gap is an extension of all...
a year ago
As the government moves towards gender parity, India’s glaring digital gap is an extension of all the biases women contend with.
Unpacked
DOJ v. Google: Case outline & arguments analysis
The DOJ is going after specific anti-competitive mechanisms, and the specifics of Google's onerous...
a year ago
The DOJ is going after specific anti-competitive mechanisms, and the specifics of Google's onerous Android deals might be the smoking gun
cdixon.org RSS Feed
New York City is poised for a tech revival
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East...
over a year ago
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East Coast, and particular New York City, was…
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.
Rest of World -...
A horrific video sparks a national reckoning in India
The northeastern state of Manipur has plunged into violence since May as the two major ethnic groups...
a year ago
The northeastern state of Manipur has plunged into violence since May as the two major ethnic groups fight over identity, land, and influence.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How distributed systems fail
At scale, any failure that can happen will eventually happen. Hardware failures, software crashes,...
over a year ago
At scale, any failure that can happen will eventually happen. Hardware failures, software crashes, memory leaks - you name it. The more…
Rest of World -...
AI translation is jeopardizing Afghan asylum claims
Cost-cutting translations are introducing errors and putting refugees at risk.
a year ago
Cost-cutting translations are introducing errors and putting refugees at risk.
Rest of World -...
Bangladesh’s internet blackout immobilizes its booming tech industry
The government and internet service providers blame each other for the blackout amid massive...
5 months ago
The government and internet service providers blame each other for the blackout amid massive protests.
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...
Rest of World -...
Four predictions for 2024
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
a year ago
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Full stack startups
Many of today's most exciting startups were tried before in a different form. Suppose you develop a...
over a year ago
Many of today's most exciting startups were tried before in a different form. Suppose you develop a new technology that is valuable to some…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Shareholder Supremacy
I promise you, everything that's happening makes sense. It all feels so chaotic, so utterly,...
5 months ago
I promise you, everything that's happening makes sense. It all feels so chaotic, so utterly, offensively stupid, so disconnected from reality that it's hard to understand how Meta can run a terrible company with decaying services that's also wildly profitable, or how Meta,...
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 -...
WhatsApp vigilantes in India are converting Christians by force
How far-right Hindu nationalists use WhatsApp to target Christian families when they’re most...
2 months ago
How far-right Hindu nationalists use WhatsApp to target Christian families when they’re most vulnerable — by preventing them from burying their dead.
Rest of World -...
What it takes to raise a $300 million VC fund for Africa
Tidjane Deme talks about convincing investors to back Africa-focused tech funds amid a global...
8 months ago
Tidjane Deme talks about convincing investors to back Africa-focused tech funds amid a global funding slump.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How We Got To Now
I really enjoyed Steven Johnson's How We Got To Now. I read a lot of history and science books, but...
over a year ago
I really enjoyed Steven Johnson's How We Got To Now. I read a lot of history and science books, but this book stood out because 1) the…
Tom Blomfield
Home-Brew Customer Phone Support
This is the technical part of a longer piece on “Automating Customer Service at a Startup”
DIY...
over a year ago
This is the technical part of a longer piece on “Automating Customer Service at a Startup”
DIY Phone Support
We implemented a home-brew customer service phone line in a few hours with a basic Sinatra app on Heroku, using the Twilio-ruby gem to generate TwiML (saving us the pain...
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
Noahpinion
Thus passes Robert Lucas
Farewell to the most influential macroeconomist of his generation.
a year ago
Farewell to the most influential macroeconomist of his generation.
Platformer
Biden seeks to rein in AI
An executive order gives AI companies the guardrails they asked for. Will the US go further?
a year ago
An executive order gives AI companies the guardrails they asked for. Will the US go further?
Working Theorys
30 and Retirable
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
4 months ago
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Minnesota Part 1: Engineering Research Associates
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch...
a year ago
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch the video or read some of the earlier posts for context. See the Secret History bibliography for sources and supplemental reading. Silicon Valley emerged from work in World War II...
Data Boutique
Tracking How Bad The Situation At Farfetch Really Is
A case study for web data
10 months ago
A case study for web data
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...
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.
Essays - Benedict...
Who cares about tech regulation?
Tech regulation gets a lot of headlines, and seems like a big deal, but
most people in tech don’t...
9 months ago
Tech regulation gets a lot of headlines, and seems like a big deal, but
most people in tech don’t seem to care much. It’s boring, and years away,
but more fundamentally, it really doesn’t affect what people spend their
time working on.
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.
4 months ago
We were early to the party on every other technological revolution, but we missed this one.
Rest of World -...
Indonesia has more than 700 languages. Can AI save them?
Most LLMs such as GPT, Llama, and Gemini are trained largely in English, but several Southeast Asian...
7 months ago
Most LLMs such as GPT, Llama, and Gemini are trained largely in English, but several Southeast Asian firms are focusing on Bahasa Indonesia and other regional languages.
Noahpinion
Comparing "Morning in America" with 2023
Are we better off?
a year ago
Platformer
Meta restores Trump
Three scenarios for what happens next
a year ago
Three scenarios for what happens next
Noahpinion
Some thoughts on where the war in Ukraine is headed
And some perspective on what's happened already.
a year ago
And some perspective on what's happened already.
Rest of World -...
The music streaming app for those who can’t pay for downloads
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for...
a year ago
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for YouTube or Spotify.
Rest of World -...
The tech executive who believes AI needs more voice-based learning systems
Bayo Adekanmbi explains why voice-based learning is the best way to increase AI adoption across...
9 months ago
Bayo Adekanmbi explains why voice-based learning is the best way to increase AI adoption across Africa.
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…
Tech + Economics +...
There is a deep rot at the heart of Australian tech.
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record...
11 months ago
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record as saying that I am a man pretending to be a
woman. It's an old, outdated, obsolete and uninteresting transphobic trope.
In itself, it's almost not worth mentioning. But...
Internal Tech Emails
"Things Sam is freaking out about"
buying SNAP
a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
Amazon's $43B ad business, explained
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with...
a year ago
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with Alphabet and Meta in the new digital advertising landscape.
Nadia Asparouhova
Mapping out the tribes of climate
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent...
over a year ago
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent in the same way? Why isn’t everyone dropping everything to work on homelessness, or global poverty, or curing cancer? With many peers in tech now working on climate issues, I tried...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Managing Up
Over the last two newsletters (three, if you include my reply to Google’s “rebuttal” of the...
7 months ago
Over the last two newsletters (three, if you include my reply to Google’s “rebuttal” of the Prabhakar Raghavan newsletter), I’ve made the case that while rot economics are responsible for making technology products manifestly worse, this transformation was only possible thanks to...
Blog posts of...
🇪🇺 Dear Europe, please wake up – eu/acc
Europe is special to me as I consider myself a proud European, but damn we need to talk. Europe...
7 months ago
Europe is special to me as I consider myself a proud European, but damn we need to talk. Europe please wake up.
Noahpinion
Economic losses for our allies are not wins for the U.S.
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
10 months ago
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
Rest of World -...
The new AI assistants may not speak your language
Mind the language gap.
a year ago
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...
Stephen Diehl
FPTs: Pure Fungibility on the Blockchain
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
What we learned from reporting on global tech this year
Rest of World contributors from Dhaka to Buenos Aires share their highlights, low points, and key...
2 weeks ago
Rest of World contributors from Dhaka to Buenos Aires share their highlights, low points, and key takeaways from covering technology in 2024.
Essays - Benedict...
Generative AI and intellectual property
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns...
a year ago
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns that and who gets paid? This is a completely new
problem that we’ve been arguing about for 500 years.
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.
6 months ago
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy talks about the most surprising user behavior on the music streaming app.
The Thinking Cap
Natural Language Is an Unnatural Interface
How can we use familiar design patterns to constrain the unwieldy state space of large language...
a year ago
How can we use familiar design patterns to constrain the unwieldy state space of large language models?
Tech + Economics +...
Another 3 men raise another few million
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading...
a year ago
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading investors from
around the world including King River Capital, Peak XV Partners,
Insight Partners and Galileo Ventures supporting Relevance’s mission to
enable any...
Rest of World -...
ShopeeFood drops non-compete clause after Rest of World reporting
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of...
8 months ago
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of World's reporting, the clause was dropped.
Steve Blank
National Industrial Policy – Private Capital and The America’s Frontier Fund Steps Up
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and Science Act, one of the first pieces of national industrial policy – government planning and intervention in a specific industry — in the last 50 years, in this case for...
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...
Stephen Diehl
The Internet's Casino Boats
over a year ago
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stored Hashcash
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights...
over a year ago
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights like spam and denial-of-service attacks are…
Rest of World -...
Pakistani YouTubers are exposing the dangers of illegal migration to Europe
Political instability, economic crisis, natural disasters, and the promise of a better life abroad...
a year ago
Political instability, economic crisis, natural disasters, and the promise of a better life abroad compel Pakistanis to risk everything.
Inverted Passion
Notes from the book “Decoding the Why”
Finished (well, skimmed) the book “Decoding the Why: How Behavioral Science is Driving the Next...
a year ago
Finished (well, skimmed) the book “Decoding the Why: How Behavioral Science is Driving the Next Generation of Product Design”. It’s a decent introductory book if you have not delved into behavioral science before, but if you have, most of the ideas in the book won’t come across...
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on Search and AI
What to say about the future of AI and search?
10 months ago
What to say about the future of AI and search?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Allocation investing and the social premium
The rational way to invest in something – a startup, public company, venture capital firm, real...
over a year ago
The rational way to invest in something – a startup, public company, venture capital firm, real estate project, etc. – is to base your…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Firing
Firing is awful. You can try to avoid it, but even the most selective founders make serious...
over a year ago
Firing is awful. You can try to avoid it, but even the most selective founders make serious mistakes. Here are a few things I’ve observed…
Noahpinion
Three more books about the technology wars
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
a year ago
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
Rest of World -...
Delivery riders are fighting each other over bike-shares in Brazil
Almost half the riders from Brazil’s largest delivery app now use city bikes to get around.
a year ago
Almost half the riders from Brazil’s largest delivery app now use city bikes to get around.
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?
Noahpinion
Repost: Weebs!
Everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about the non-Japanese people who love Japanese pop...
a year ago
Everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about the non-Japanese people who love Japanese pop culture.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of asking people questions
Andy Weissman’s blog has the tagline “Maximizing the serendipity around you.” It’s a good...
over a year ago
Andy Weissman’s blog has the tagline “Maximizing the serendipity around you.” It’s a good philosophy. I think one of the simplest ways to…
AVC
The 83b Election
First and foremost, this is not tax advice. I am not a tax advisor and you should never take...
a year ago
First and foremost, this is not tax advice. I am not a tax advisor and you should never take anything you read here as tax advice. If you read something here that makes you think you should take some tax-related action, please always consult your tax advisor. With that disclosure...
Rest of World -...
How WhatsApp ate the world
WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more.
a week ago
WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
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.
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
Agency problems
“Agency problems” are what economists call situations where a person’s interests diverge from his or...
over a year ago
“Agency problems” are what economists call situations where a person’s interests diverge from his or her firm’s interests. Large companies…
Rest of World -...
How Chile’s stolen babies are finding their biological families after decades apart
Thousands of Chileans, illegally adopted during the Pinochet dictatorship, are now relying on tech...
a year ago
Thousands of Chileans, illegally adopted during the Pinochet dictatorship, are now relying on tech to trace their biological families.
Unpacked
Instacart IPO: Race against market saturation
The company's journey to IPO is impressive but long-term upside hinges on the success of its...
a year ago
The company's journey to IPO is impressive but long-term upside hinges on the success of its long-term bets like ads and the enterprise platform
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Not So Global Internet"
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the...
over a year ago
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the caribbean this week celebrating the year end…
Noahpinion
Will there be a Millennial Big Chill?
Millennials are finally doing OK economically. Will their politics moderate?
a year ago
Millennials are finally doing OK economically. Will their politics moderate?
42!
Basecamp's house of cards...
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure...
over a year ago
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure (unknown)
I don’t know where I first heard the above quote, but the events of the last week have really shown how true this saying is.
I will start by saying that I have been an...
Rest of World -...
The slow decline of Meta’s Trusted Partner program
Who trusts the trusted partners?
a year ago
Who trusts the trusted partners?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Gadgets and Computers
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you...
over a year ago
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you start with a product that has a few…
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