cdixon.org RSS Feed
What the smartest people do on the weekend is what everyone else will do during the week in ten...
Many breakthrough technologies were hatched by hobbyists in garages and dorm rooms. Prominent...
over a year ago
Many breakthrough technologies were hatched by hobbyists in garages and dorm rooms. Prominent examples include the PC, the web, blogs, and…
Raw Thought (from...
Fix the machine, not the person
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
ShopeeFood underestimates delivery distances. Gig workers in Vietnam are paying the price
Rest of World reviewed nearly 50 orders on Vietnam’s second most popular food delivery app, and in...
9 months ago
Rest of World reviewed nearly 50 orders on Vietnam’s second most popular food delivery app, and in most cases, the distance was estimated lower than Google Maps’ estimate.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
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! #1 💡 It's cool that smartphones have become all-in-one devices. But at...
Rest of World -...
How Prime Video failed so spectacularly in Africa
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a...
9 months ago
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a lack of local content, and mediocre publicity.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The problem with online “local” businesses
One of the most popular areas for startups today is “local.” I probably see a couple of business...
over a year ago
One of the most popular areas for startups today is “local.” I probably see a couple of business plans a week that involve local search…
Rest of World -...
Building an app that uses AI to interpret dreams
Pandemic isolation inspired Coco Chen to work on the spiritual health platform Dreamore.
a year ago
Pandemic isolation inspired Coco Chen to work on the spiritual health platform Dreamore.
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
Noahpinion
Decoupling isn't phoney
The global trading system is starting to rearrange itself, and it's mostly not Biden's doing.
a year ago
The global trading system is starting to rearrange itself, and it's mostly not Biden's doing.
Noahpinion
Why you should not ignore economists
They aren't always right, but they almost always have something important to add.
3 months ago
They aren't always right, but they almost always have something important to add.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
What Business Can Learn from Open Source
over a year ago
Steve Blank
Finding and Growing the Islands of Innovation inside a large company – Action Plan for A New CTO
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO)...
over a year ago
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO) find and grow the islands of innovation inside a large company? How not to waste your first six months as a new CTO thinking you’re making progress when the status quo is working...
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?
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.
Noahpinion
Bad and good arguments for industrial policy
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
5 months ago
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
AVC
What Happened In 2023
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending...
11 months ago
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending (What Happened) and one looking forward to the year ahead (What Will Happen). This is the first of these two posts. The second one will run tomorrow. I ended my What Will Happen In...
Platformer
A visit to TikTok's transparency center
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
a year ago
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Institutional failure
The TV show The Wire is an incredibly instructive lesson on how the modern world works (besides...
over a year ago
The TV show The Wire is an incredibly instructive lesson on how the modern world works (besides being a great work of art). The recurring…
SatPost by Trung...
Jerry Seinfeld, Ichiro Suzuki and the Pursuit of Mastery
Notes from the 1987 Esquire magazine issue that inspired Jerry Seinfeld to "pursue mastery [because]...
7 months ago
Notes from the 1987 Esquire magazine issue that inspired Jerry Seinfeld to "pursue mastery [because] that will fulfill your life".
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.
Rest of World -...
Clickwork in Brazil: A mom balancing endless gigs with childcare
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job...
a year ago
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job consisting of hundreds of quick, repetitive tasks.
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
Where does libertarianism go from here?
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
a year ago
Deregulation, state capacity, and growth-oriented centrism.
Rest of World -...
Why African startups must invest in tech policy conversations
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia discusses the biggest challenge startups face when dealing with government...
a year ago
Oswald Osaretin Guobadia discusses the biggest challenge startups face when dealing with government policies and regulators.
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.
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.
Platformer
Inside Discord’s reform movement for banned users
Most platforms ban their trolls forever. Discord wants to rehabilitate them
a year ago
Most platforms ban their trolls forever. Discord wants to rehabilitate them
XO Capital - Field...
2023 In Review
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and...
a year ago
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and ended with a whimper for us. The zero interest rate environment really came down hard on a few products like Cold Email Studio and now that the AI craze is cooling off, we&
Rest of World -...
19 books to read in 2023
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
a year ago
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
Working Theorys
Collective Experiences | Theory No. 8
On the value of creating shared context in the age of personalized, on-demand media.
a year ago
On the value of creating shared context in the age of personalized, on-demand media.
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.
Rest of World -...
Alibaba.com’s U.S. expansion hinges on wooing mom-and-pop shops
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about...
3 months ago
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about the U.S. market.
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...
Noahpinion
The U.S. needs to pay more attention to electronic warfare
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
3 months ago
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Question from a reader
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage...
over a year ago
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage startups. I’m sorry if I haven’t responded to…
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.
Aaron's Essays
Investors and their incentives
It is incredibly important to understand the incentives of investors when you are raising money....
over a year ago
It is incredibly important to understand the incentives of investors when you are raising money. This used to be fairly easy - you raised money from Venture Capitalists who wanted to see a big return on their investment. The best of these investors were incredibly focused on...
David Perell
Tiago Forte & Will Mannon: Building Cohort-Based Courses
I have two guests today: Tiago Forte and Will Mannon. Tiago is my business partner and the creator...
over a year ago
I have two guests today: Tiago Forte and Will Mannon. Tiago is my business partner and the creator of an online course called Building a Second Brain. The two of us record a podcast like this every year to reflect on what we’ve learned about the online education industry. And...
Platformer
13 predictions for platforms in 2023
Twitter! ChatGPT! Content moderation! And more
over a year ago
Twitter! ChatGPT! Content moderation! And more
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"This business is like bird spotting"
One of my favorite quotes about startups/VC, from legendary VC Mike Moritz of Sequoia: I rarely...
over a year ago
One of my favorite quotes about startups/VC, from legendary VC Mike Moritz of Sequoia: I rarely think about big themes. This business is…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inside versus outside financings: the nightclub effect
At some point in the life of a venture-backed startup there typically arises a choice between doing...
over a year ago
At some point in the life of a venture-backed startup there typically arises a choice between doing an inside round, where the existing…
Paul Graham: Essays
What Startups Are Really Like
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Riders in the smog
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off...
9 months ago
Rest of World equipped gig riders across South Asia with pollution monitors. The readings were off the charts.
Noahpinion
How we could return to the productivity growth of the 1990s
A guest post by Preston Mui.
9 months ago
A guest post by Preston Mui.
Articles - Alex...
The digital dark side
The advent of digital media promised so much. Savvy shoppers would no
longer be surreptitiously...
over a year ago
The advent of digital media promised so much. Savvy shoppers would no
longer be surreptitiously swayed by advertising alone. The internet would
enable them to research products. Social media would allow them to share
their experiences. And ecommence would provide the power...
Essays - Benedict...
Apple intelligence and AI maximalism
Apple has showed a bunch of cool ideas for generative AI, but much more, it
is pointing to most of...
6 months ago
Apple has showed a bunch of cool ideas for generative AI, but much more, it
is pointing to most of the big questions and proposing a different answer -
that LLMs are commodity infrastructure, not platforms or products.
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, ...
8 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
Noahpinion
Techno-optimism for 2024
What you should be excited about
11 months ago
What you should be excited about
Platformer
Elon Musk's creep show
Caught in a series of lies about his willingness to fight Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire's...
a year ago
Caught in a series of lies about his willingness to fight Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire's disturbing spiral accelerates
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The great ideas have come from people who weren’t paid to have great ideas"
It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable....
over a year ago
It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable. It seems the height of unreason to…
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
Noahpinion
The California Forever project is a great idea
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
11 months ago
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
David Perell
What’s Up with Austin?
Austin is a mediocre city, but a great place to live.
The post What’s Up with Austin? appeared...
over a year ago
Austin is a mediocre city, but a great place to live.
The post What’s Up with Austin? appeared first on David Perell.
Paul Graham: Essays
What I've Learned from Users
over a year ago
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…
Working Theorys
Notes on 'Founder Mode'
Most founders are in “founder mode” — and most of them fail.
3 months ago
Most founders are in “founder mode” — and most of them fail.
Noahpinion
Do poor countries need a new development strategy?
Bangladesh and Southeast Asia are defying the economists who say industrialization is dead.
10 months ago
Bangladesh and Southeast Asia are defying the economists who say industrialization is dead.
AVC
What Will Happen In 2024
As we enter 2024, the capital markets have found their footing and are moving higher. The Fed has...
11 months 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...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Rot-Com Bubble
If you enjoy this post, why not subscribe to my podcast Better Offline? This week's a two parter...
6 months ago
If you enjoy this post, why not subscribe to my podcast Better Offline? This week's a two parter that further expands on the Rot-Com Bubble, coming out Wednesday and Friday.
The noxious growth-at-all-costs mindset of the Rot Economy sits at the core of every issue that I'
Tech + Economics +...
Copyright is both vital and obsolete.
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights...
11 months ago
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights to our creations are
not worth much money to anyone but ourselves. But, if you are the guy
who wrote “Born to Run,” it is prudent to assign your rights to an
entity...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The downside of accelerated investment decisions
There has been a lot of talk about how early-stage valuations have risen dramatically over the past...
over a year ago
There has been a lot of talk about how early-stage valuations have risen dramatically over the past few years. Financially, this is probably…
Internal Tech Emails
Tim Cook's notes | Steve Jobs emails himself
We made a fundamental error with the launch. Normal fan base focused on iPhone XS/XS Max. Momentum...
over a year ago
We made a fundamental error with the launch. Normal fan base focused on iPhone XS/XS Max. Momentum from event wasn’t sustained. Didn’t need to be last year but in retrospect we should have done more to keep the buzz going.
Noahpinion
Why America's future could hinge on Elon Musk
Iron Man, or Dr. Doom?
a month ago
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#43)
Slop wars; Poland and Ukraine; AI bubble; MMT reversal;
5 months ago
Slop wars; Poland and Ukraine; AI bubble; MMT reversal;
Paul Graham: Essays
The Trouble with the Segway
over a year ago
Noahpinion
7 Reasons Democrats Should Be Optimistic About Their Chances in 2026 and 2028
A guest post by Wally Nowinski.
a month ago
A guest post by Wally Nowinski.
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
Paul Graham: Essays
A Fundraising Survival Guide
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Cricket, influencers, layoffs: Alibaba’s risky bet in Pakistan
Since its acquisition by the Chinese giant, e-commerce site Daraz has been experimenting to reach...
a year ago
Since its acquisition by the Chinese giant, e-commerce site Daraz has been experimenting to reach new buyers amid an economic crisis.
Rest of World -...
Shein overstock is getting a second life in Latin America’s street markets
Resellers are buying garments from Shein’s suppliers in China that would have ended up in a dump.
a year ago
Resellers are buying garments from Shein’s suppliers in China that would have ended up in a dump.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pricing to the demand curve
Many college microeconomics courses include the following exercise. The teacher offers the students...
over a year ago
Many college microeconomics courses include the following exercise. The teacher offers the students an imaginary trip to Hawaii, and asks…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Vanity milestones
Eric Ries uses the phrase “vanity metrics” to refer to metrics that founders cite to demonstrate...
over a year ago
Eric Ries uses the phrase “vanity metrics” to refer to metrics that founders cite to demonstrate progress but that are actually false…
Platformer
14 predictions about 2024
AI! Elections! Threads! Media! And more
a year ago
AI! Elections! Threads! Media! And more
Steve Blank
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning– Explained
Artificial Intelligence is a once-in-a lifetime commercial and defense game changer (download a PDF...
over a year ago
Artificial Intelligence is a once-in-a lifetime commercial and defense game changer (download a PDF of this article here) Hundreds of billions in public and private capital is being invested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning companies. The number of patents...
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
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.
Rest of World -...
The augmented-reality app helping Muslims pray toward Mecca
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction...
2 months ago
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction for their prayers.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Facebook, Zynga, and buyer-supplier hold up
The brewing fight between Facebook and Zynga is what is known in economic strategy circles as...
over a year ago
The brewing fight between Facebook and Zynga is what is known in economic strategy circles as “buyer-supplier hold up.” The classic…
tomcritchlow.com
Narrative Aircover & Compound Narrative
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able...
11 months ago
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Nadia Asparouhova
How to do the jhanas
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to...
6 months ago
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to calm, to dissolution of reality – culminating in cessation, or loss of consciousness. They are induced via sustained concentration, without any external stimuli or substances. This...
Rest of World -...
A U.S. outsourcing company brought lofty promises to Nepal. Then came the layoffs
Former employees say the company killed the dream it once sold them.
a year ago
Former employees say the company killed the dream it once sold them.
Rest of World -...
Inside Foxconn’s struggle to make iPhones in India
Chinese engineers are flying to India to train the next generation of iPhone builders.
a year ago
Chinese engineers are flying to India to train the next generation of iPhone builders.
Noahpinion
A few economists are starting to think seriously about industrial policy
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
a year ago
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
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.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The bowling pin strategy
A huge challenge for user-generated websites is overcoming the chicken-and-egg problem: attracting...
over a year ago
A huge challenge for user-generated websites is overcoming the chicken-and-egg problem: attracting users and contributors when you are…
Nadia Asparouhova
Cultivating agency
I didn’t always know that I wanted to have kids. I wasn’t against it, necessarily – for awhile,...
over a year ago
I didn’t always know that I wanted to have kids. I wasn’t against it, necessarily – for awhile, there were just more reasons in the “why not” column than the “why”: uncertainty about whether I’d be a good parent, fear of losing my identity, a lack of maternal instinct. Those...
David Perell
Surrendering to Your Nature
A mark of maturity is surrendering to the person you actually are instead of the one you wish you...
a year ago
A mark of maturity is surrendering to the person you actually are instead of the one you wish you were.
The post Surrendering to Your Nature appeared first on David Perell.
Noahpinion
Once again: Imports do not subtract from GDP
I've explained it before, and I'll keep explaining it until the world understands.
2 months ago
I've explained it before, and I'll keep explaining it until the world understands.
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,...
Noahpinion
Heterodox vs. mainstream macroeconomics
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
a year ago
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
Noahpinion
Try patriotism
A repost, with some updates.
8 months ago
A repost, with some updates.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Lose Time and Money
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Trump just rug-pulled the China hawks on TikTok
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
9 months ago
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
Stephen Diehl
In Praise of 'Line Goes Up'
over a year ago
Unpacked
Apple's (reluctant) App Store changes, and Semafor tries AI news
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to...
10 months ago
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to support third party payments in the US (sort of), and additionally support side-loading of apps (i.e. supporting non-Apple app stores) in the EU. Spoiler: Apple is pushing the limits...
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.
haseeb qureshi
So you want to build a crypto startup?
I’m a crypto VC. That means I spend my days talking to crypto entrepreneurs, hearing pitches, and...
over a year ago
I’m a crypto VC. That means I spend my days talking to crypto entrepreneurs, hearing pitches, and evaluating products. The first thing you realize working in this industry is that pretty much everyone is winging it. (That applies to me, but it especially applies to...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Google should open source what actually matters: their search ranking algorithm
Websites live or die based on how a small group of programmers at Google decide their sites should...
over a year ago
Websites live or die based on how a small group of programmers at Google decide their sites should rank in Google’s main search results. As…
Dustin Curtis
It is link winter on X
We do not know how, why, or when the X algorithm devalues posts with links, but it does—without...
2 weeks ago
We do not know how, why, or when the X algorithm devalues posts with links, but it does—without telling you, and by a lot—and it makes the experience there worse.
Without links, information on X is headlines without stories, commentary without context, magic without the...
Noahpinion
Why Trump (or Harris) might fail to stand up to China
A very real possibility that more people need to be worried about.
4 months ago
A very real possibility that more people need to be worried about.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Between failure and Facebook
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The...
over a year ago
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The programmer had just graduated from college and…
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.
Unpacked
Highlights: First Quarter of Unpacked
Bold product moves, AI things accelerate, Tech policy in the front seat, Interesting things...
a year ago
Bold product moves, AI things accelerate, Tech policy in the front seat, Interesting things continue. This post is a bird’s eye view of the seventeen articles published on Unpacked in the past quarter.
Rest of World -...
Malaysia’s homegrown car brands bank on cheaper models to compete with Tesla and BYD
Proton and Perodua are betting on low prices and an emotional connection with Malaysia’s drivers to...
3 months ago
Proton and Perodua are betting on low prices and an emotional connection with Malaysia’s drivers to compete with BYD and Tesla.
Data Boutique
How To Improve QA With Data Boutique For In-House Web Scraping
Independent data help you get to 99% reliability
a year ago
Independent data help you get to 99% reliability
tomcritchlow.com
What would a map of your career look like?
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career...
a year ago
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career maps…
SatPost by Trung...
"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
9 months ago
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#46)
Morning in America; Trump's bad vibes; Japan's chip industry; Biden and abundance; native-born...
4 months ago
Morning in America; Trump's bad vibes; Japan's chip industry; Biden and abundance; native-born employment; redistribution; transit costs
Rest of World -...
Google cuts off an $83 million ghost labor contract
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
10 months ago
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea....
over a year ago
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea. After the eureka moment, the outcome is…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The problem with tranched VC investments
In venture capital, tranching refers to investments where portions of the money are released over...
over a year ago
In venture capital, tranching refers to investments where portions of the money are released over time when certain pre-negotiated…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Two eras of the internet: pull and push
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad...
over a year ago
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad patterns that make it easier to…
AVC
Threads
Like tens of millions of others, I downloaded Threads onto my phone yesterday and signed up. The...
a year ago
Like tens of millions of others, I downloaded Threads onto my phone yesterday and signed up. The thing that Twitter has been missing since it killed off its ecosystem over a decade ago is competition. And as we all know, lack of competition is a very bad thing. In governments and...
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...
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
tomcritchlow.com
9 Years on the Road
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I...
11 months ago
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I write a set of reflections about this strange and magical journey.
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.
Raw Thought (from...
What are the optimal biases to overcome?
over a year ago
Platformer
Why Platformer is leaving Substack
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
11 months ago
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
Rest of World -...
The phrase that ruled the Indian internet in 2023
Looking like a wow.
a year ago
David Perell
A Divine Intuition
Under a secular mindset, intuition is all about you — your wants, needs, passions, and desires. A...
a year ago
Under a secular mindset, intuition is all about you — your wants, needs, passions, and desires. A heavenly, God-inspired intuition is different.
The post A Divine Intuition appeared first on David Perell.
Business Brainstorms
Pets as Kids, Affiliate Fraud Prevention, Theory X vs. Theory Y, Conviction
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 “We may have reached peak “pets as kids”… Jolly Dog, an...
AVC
The New York Tech Sector
The New York Times had a piece yesterday suggesting that tech will no longer be a growth engine for...
a year ago
The New York Times had a piece yesterday suggesting that tech will no longer be a growth engine for NYC and the surrounding metro area as it has been for the last twenty years. I am not going to link to the piece because it is behind a paywall but if you want to read […]
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?
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 2 (Term Rewriting)
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Ten million users is the new one million users
Entrepreneurs and investors have been enamored with consumer internet startups for the last few...
over a year ago
Entrepreneurs and investors have been enamored with consumer internet startups for the last few years. But there are signs this is ending…
Rest of World -...
Latin Americans are the world’s most in-demand remote workers
They still struggle to get paid in a volatile region, though, with many asking for payment in...
a year ago
They still struggle to get paid in a volatile region, though, with many asking for payment in crypto.
Rest of World -...
Online extremism linked to rise in school shootings in Brazil, researchers find
After a rise in shootings, an all-woman group is advising the new Brazilian government on how to...
a year ago
After a rise in shootings, an all-woman group is advising the new Brazilian government on how to deal with radicalization online.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t be creative about the wrong things
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be...
over a year ago
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be creative/innovative. Generally these should…
Rest of World -...
Apple’s reluctant shift toward India
Apple apparently sees India as a destination to assemble and sell its iPhones. But CEO Tim Cook...
a year ago
Apple apparently sees India as a destination to assemble and sell its iPhones. But CEO Tim Cook hasn’t made any big promises yet.
Rest of World -...
The most important news from Apple isn’t about AI
Reuniting the world’s text messages — one app at a time.
6 months ago
Reuniting the world’s text messages — one app at a time.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Have We Reached Peak AI?
Last week, the Wall Street Journal published a 10-minute-long interview with OpenAI CTO Mira Murati,...
9 months ago
Last week, the Wall Street Journal published a 10-minute-long interview with OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, with journalist Joanna Stern asking a series of thoughtful yet straightforward questions that Murati failed to satisfactorily answer. When asked about what data was used to train...
Platformer
Why I'm having trouble covering AI
If you believe that the most serious risks from AI are real, should you write about anything else?
a year ago
If you believe that the most serious risks from AI are real, should you write about anything else?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What jobs are users hiring your product to perform?
One of Clay Christensen’s favorite concepts is that instead of dividing your customers into segments...
over a year ago
One of Clay Christensen’s favorite concepts is that instead of dividing your customers into segments and asking which features each segment…
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…
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.
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?
David Perell
Why You’re Christian
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example,...
over a year ago
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example, look at this iconic line from one of America’s founding documents:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”
The post Why You’re Christian appeared...
Noahpinion
How much can you really learn about a country from visiting it?
Not as much as people think.
6 months ago
Not as much as people think.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
To make smarter systems, it’s all about the data
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream...
over a year ago
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream press talks about artificial intelligence…
Rest of World -...
Meet the mothers in small-town Hungary leading a fight against Chinese EV battery plants
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s goal to turn Hungary into a global EV battery hub is facing...
2 months ago
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s goal to turn Hungary into a global EV battery hub is facing environmental backlash and legal challenges.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Which VC firm should I pitch?
A friend asked me the other day “Which VC firms should I pitch?” and I started to respond to him,...
over a year ago
A friend asked me the other day “Which VC firms should I pitch?” and I started to respond to him, but then realized that most of my…
Folklore.org:...
Eulogy for Brian
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
a year ago
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pivoting into a new corporate structure
This hasn’t happened to me, but I keep hearing stories about situations like the following: 1)...
over a year ago
This hasn’t happened to me, but I keep hearing stories about situations like the following: 1) startup raises a seed financing round while…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#14)
Commercial real estate doom, education polarization vs. racial polarization, China's dodgy GDP...
a year ago
Commercial real estate doom, education polarization vs. racial polarization, China's dodgy GDP numbers, phonics, and Russian nationalism
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...
Aaron's Essays
Abundant Capital
The venture capital industry was built on the premise that both capital and high quality companies...
over a year ago
The venture capital industry was built on the premise that both capital and high quality companies are scarce. For most of the history of the industry, this has been true. I remember sitting at demo day in 2011 and marveling at the fact that the combined capital of all the VCs in...
Nadia Asparouhova
Understanding science funding in tech, 2011-2021
For those who sit between science and tech, it’s hard not to notice the proliferation of new...
over a year ago
For those who sit between science and tech, it’s hard not to notice the proliferation of new initiatives launched in the last two years, aimed at making major improvements in the life sciences especially.
While I don’t have a science background, nor any personal relationship to...
SatPost by Trung...
Second Winds
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright...
10 months ago
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright and former President — helps to explain this trend.
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…
Internal Tech Emails
Elon Musk and OpenAI
Guys, I've had enough. This is the final straw.
a month ago
Guys, I've had enough. This is the final straw.
Entrepreneur's Edge
The Power of Beliefs
The significant role that our beliefs play in our outcomes.
a year ago
The significant role that our beliefs play in our outcomes.
Platformer
Taylor Lorenz on her extremely online history of the internet
Notes on selling books via Instagram stories, fighting with Elon, and which platform is best at...
a year ago
Notes on selling books via Instagram stories, fighting with Elon, and which platform is best at shielding users from harassment
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.
Rest of World -...
Traffic laws can’t keep up with Mexico City’s electric mopeds
Chinese-made mopeds have become popular in the traffic-clogged city, but users and manufacturers...
4 months ago
Chinese-made mopeds have become popular in the traffic-clogged city, but users and manufacturers aren’t sure which laws apply to them.
Noahpinion
The China 2023 series
All the posts in one handy list
a year ago
All the posts in one handy list
Rest of World -...
Mexico’s $100-billion auto parts industry is reinventing itself for the EV era
Behind the excitement around electrification, Mexican manufacturers are figuring out what their own...
a year ago
Behind the excitement around electrification, Mexican manufacturers are figuring out what their own transition will look like.
Noahpinion
How Ireland got so rich
Once an underdog, the Emerald Isle is now on top.
a year ago
Once an underdog, the Emerald Isle is now on top.
Rest of World -...
Uber drivers are melting amid Nigeria’s historic heat wave and record fuel prices
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and...
9 months ago
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and livelihood.
Noahpinion
At least five things for your Thanksgiving weekend (#20)
The OpenAI coup, "deaths of despair", Japan's stagnation, solar panel waste, and the Inequality Wars
a year ago
The OpenAI coup, "deaths of despair", Japan's stagnation, solar panel waste, and the Inequality Wars
Platformer
How Facebook does (and doesn’t) shape our political views
Four long-awaited studies paint a muddy picture of social media’s impact on public opinion
a year ago
Four long-awaited studies paint a muddy picture of social media’s impact on public opinion
Essays - Benedict...
AI and problems of scale
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to...
7 months ago
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to automate at a massive scale. Sometimes a change in
scale is a change in principle.
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s economic crisis is fueling a stunt philanthropy boom
A crop of content creators are building fame on MrBeast-style content.
4 months ago
A crop of content creators are building fame on MrBeast-style content.
Rest of World -...
The #1 rideshare app in Japan isn’t Uber, it’s a taxi app
Go summons taxis and the company behind it is Japan's newest unicorn.
a year ago
Go summons taxis and the company behind it is Japan's newest unicorn.
Platformer
An Epic win jolts Google
The company's app store monopoly has been ruled illegal, and the ramifications will extend well...
a year ago
The company's app store monopoly has been ruled illegal, and the ramifications will extend well beyond Fortnite
Noahpinion
The Big Tariffs are here
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
7 months ago
Biden just slapped a 100% tax on Chinese car imports. Here's what that will and won't accomplish.
Noahpinion
The Democrats' new sunny vibes
Suddenly, the country has an opportunity to leave the madness of the 2010s behind.
4 months ago
Suddenly, the country has an opportunity to leave the madness of the 2010s behind.
Steve Blank
You’re Invited: Hacking for Defense and Lean LaunchPad Final Presentations
Join us for the final presentations of our two Stanford classes this Tuesday June 4th and Wednesday...
6 months ago
Join us for the final presentations of our two Stanford classes this Tuesday June 4th and Wednesday June 5th. Tuesday = Hacking for Defense Wednesday = Lean Launchpad The presentations just get better every year. Attend in person or via Zoom. This year AI seems to be part of...
Stephen Diehl
The Simple English Argument Against Crypto
over a year ago
Platformer
Why you can't trust Twitter's encrypted DMs
A promised audit hasn't actually happened, sources say. PLUS: Twitter's Turkey problem, and a new...
a year ago
A promised audit hasn't actually happened, sources say. PLUS: Twitter's Turkey problem, and a new CEO
Rest of World -...
Bangladesh has millions of e-rickshaws. They’re finally becoming legal
Bangladesh’s EV industry will likely grow now, and drivers no longer have to worry about being fined...
5 months ago
Bangladesh’s EV industry will likely grow now, and drivers no longer have to worry about being fined or having their vehicles impounded.
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.
Noahpinion
Repost: Interview with James Medlock
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun...
a year ago
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun stuff
Aaron's Essays
The Hindsight Game
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a...
a year ago
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a “prepared mind,” others build market maps, I like to think about toys, and we could go on. What everyone wants to do is predict the future. That’s honestly impossible. But we can...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Bedrock programming
“Bedrock programming” is a phrase used to describe a style of programming that favors building code...
over a year ago
“Bedrock programming” is a phrase used to describe a style of programming that favors building code from the ground up versus reusing…
Internal Tech Emails
Facebook vs. TikTok | Elon Musk emails Tesla's board
Today we see a shift towards social media products serving as “discovery engines.”
over a year ago
Today we see a shift towards social media products serving as “discovery engines.”
Rest of World -...
Ride-hailing unions in Africa are struggling for traction
Drivers’ unions in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania say they’re no match for...
a year ago
Drivers’ unions in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania say they’re no match for companies like Uber, Bolt, and inDrive.
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.
Steve Blank
Apple Vision Pro – Tech in the Search of a Market
A version of this article previously appeared in Fortune. If you haven’t been paying attention Apple...
10 months ago
A version of this article previously appeared in Fortune. If you haven’t been paying attention Apple has started shipping its Apple Vision Pro, its take on a headset that combines Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). The product is an amazing technical tour de force....
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...
Rest of World -...
Why are Apple and Tesla losing ground in China?
The Chinese market isn’t quite as untapped as U.S. companies thought.
9 months ago
The Chinese market isn’t quite as untapped as U.S. companies thought.
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?
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "Please Resign"
This was an act of betrayal.
a year ago
This was an act of betrayal.
tomcritchlow.com
Manifesting My Dream Clients & Projects for 2024
New year, new me, new clients am I right?
11 months ago
New year, new me, new clients am I right?
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…
Internal Tech Emails
"Things Sam is freaking out about"
buying SNAP
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Sierra Leone’s first lady hopes going viral on TikTok will secure Saturday’s elections
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife,...
a year ago
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife, Fatima, is dancing to a crowd of over 200,000 on TikTok to drum up votes.
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?
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
Noahpinion
Mass deportation would accomplish nothing
Trump's signature policy would frighten Americans without improving the immigration situation.
4 months ago
Trump's signature policy would frighten Americans without improving the immigration situation.
Rest of World -...
The politics of Africa’s TikTok bans
TikTok was recently banned in Senegal and Somalia, and there have been efforts to do the same in...
a year ago
TikTok was recently banned in Senegal and Somalia, and there have been efforts to do the same in Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Bubble Trouble
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street...
8 months ago
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street Journal piece from this week has sounded the alarm that some believe AI models will run out of "high-quality text-based data" within the next two years in what an AI researcher called...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The tragedy of the anticommons
Seems very relevant to today’s music industry, and potentially relevant to the internet/software...
over a year ago
Seems very relevant to today’s music industry, and potentially relevant to the internet/software industry in the near future as patent…
Paul Graham: Essays
Why Startups Condense in America
over a year ago
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...
Noahpinion
How we'll know if Trump is going to sell America out to China
Keep an eye on the export controls. They are the key.
a week ago
Keep an eye on the export controls. They are the key.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inferring intent on mobile devices
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps...
over a year ago
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps shave an average of 2 seconds off users…
Platformer
The AI industry really should slow down a little
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
a year ago
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
Inverted Passion
Wealth is not money, it’s the things we use money for
As an entrepreneur, money is obviously a massive motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing....
a year ago
As an entrepreneur, money is obviously a massive motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing. However, it’s essential to understand that money is not wealth. Wealth is stuff we want and by that logic, people can be wealthy even if they don’t have a lot of money. In fact,...
AVC
Open Office Hours at NYC Tech Week
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and...
a year ago
NYC Tech Week is next week. It will be a week filled with events for the tech sector to engage and connect with each other. A particularly great part of tech week is VC Open Office Hours. There are over 100 VC investors signed up to participate next week. Here is how it works: 1/...
Platformer
Meta doubles down on layoffs
The company's recent products have flopped with consumers. Will a more focused team reverse the...
a year ago
The company's recent products have flopped with consumers. Will a more focused team reverse the trend?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Software eats software development
Software is eating the world, and doing so using smaller and smaller teams. WhatsApp was able to...
over a year ago
Software is eating the world, and doing so using smaller and smaller teams. WhatsApp was able to disrupt the global SMS industry with only a…
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?
Internal Tech Emails
Google looks at acquiring YouTube
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
over a year ago
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Google’s social strategy
It is widely believed that Facebook presents a significant competitive threat to Google. Google...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that Facebook presents a significant competitive threat to Google. Google itself seems to believe this – Larry Page…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#39)
Modi's third term; Biden and the border; good news on climate; nonprofits being bad; interest rates...
6 months ago
Modi's third term; Biden and the border; good news on climate; nonprofits being bad; interest rates and austerity
Rest of World -...
Chinese EV upstarts to battle Japanese heavyweights for Thailand’s pickup truck market
Toyota and Isuzu have long dominated Thailand’s pickup truck market. As they prepare to launch EV...
5 months ago
Toyota and Isuzu have long dominated Thailand’s pickup truck market. As they prepare to launch EV trucks, they face competition from Chinese firms.
Steve Blank
What Does Product Market Fit Sound Like? This.
I got a call from an ex-student asking me “how do you know when you found product market fit?”...
2 months ago
I got a call from an ex-student asking me “how do you know when you found product market fit?” There’s been lots of words written about it, but no actual recordings of the moment. I remembered I had saved this 90 second, 26 year-old audio file because this is when I knew we had...
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.”
Platformer
The consumer AI era has begun
OpenAI beat Google to the market with its $42 monthly ChatGPT service. Can it handle the risks that...
a year ago
OpenAI beat Google to the market with its $42 monthly ChatGPT service. Can it handle the risks that come with it?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How bundling benefits sellers and buyers
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine...
over a year ago
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine and other information goods will go away…
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...
Noahpinion
Does the notion of a "Global South" still make any sense?
There are really four Global Souths.
a year ago
There are really four Global Souths.
SatPost by Trung...
11 types of cross-industry innovation
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
a year ago
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Dividing equity between founders
A friend asked me recently if I knew of any good guidelines for dividing up equity between founders,...
over a year ago
A friend asked me recently if I knew of any good guidelines for dividing up equity between founders, and specifically what to do in the case…
AVC
Helium Mobile
USV has been an investor in the Helium network since 2019. I have always loved the idea of using...
a year ago
USV has been an investor in the Helium network since 2019. I have always loved the idea of using web3 technologies to let consumers to “peer produce” a communications network creating a people-powered network. Helium started out powering communications between low-power “Internet...
Rest of World -...
How we measured air quality for gig workers in South Asia
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could...
9 months ago
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could gather data on what they breathe.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Financing risk
Startups that raise seed funding face the risk of not being able to raise additional money. This is...
over a year ago
Startups that raise seed funding face the risk of not being able to raise additional money. This is what is sometimes known as “financing…
Business Brainstorms
The Buyer’s Pyramid, Unreasonable Hospitality, Boring Stuff that Works
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 “Has anyone made a good AI tool yet where I can load in...
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…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Innovation Fallacy
3 months ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Later-stage rounds and “setting the bar too high”
I recently had a number of conversations with CEOs of later-stage startups (generating significant...
over a year ago
I recently had a number of conversations with CEOs of later-stage startups (generating significant revenue) that went something like this…
Rest of World -...
AI image generators have a moderation problem
Tests carried out by Logically confirm these platforms accept 85% of prompts tailored for election...
a year ago
Tests carried out by Logically confirm these platforms accept 85% of prompts tailored for election manipulation.
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.
5 months ago
Jit Bhattacharya discusses the challenges and opportunities of building an EV company in Kenya.
Data Boutique
Economics of Web Data: ROI
Customer's Value Standpoint
a year ago
Customer's Value Standpoint
The Thinking Cap
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
Noahpinion
Western leftists have lost the plot
Gleeful support for the massacre of innocents is simply inhumane.
a year ago
Gleeful support for the massacre of innocents is simply inhumane.
Noahpinion
Why trying to "shape" AI innovation to protect workers is a bad idea
Instead, we should empower workers and create mechanisms for redistribution.
a year ago
Instead, we should empower workers and create mechanisms for redistribution.
Rest of World -...
How Shein and TikTok Shop are trying to shake the ‘Made in China’ reputation
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
a year ago
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Joining a startup is far less risky than most people think
Joining a startup is far less risky than most people seem to think. In fact, I don’t know if anyone...
over a year ago
Joining a startup is far less risky than most people seem to think. In fact, I don’t know if anyone has ever studied this systematically…
42!
Finding and fixing slow queries
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to...
over a year ago
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
I love dashboards, and I run several on my system to monitor my HR startup in real time. I love collecting data points around subscriptions, user activity, and most importantly, server uptime and performance. Especially now that we are...
Tech + Economics +...
Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile...
11 months ago
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile device portfolio." In its teaser video, the company goes a step
further and explicitly states that "Galaxy AI is coming," so get ready
for some form of on-device,...
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.
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 -...
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 -...
Amazon launched a program for Indian handicrafts. Local artisans say it’s not working
Makers say Amazon Karigar has failed to distinguish their crafts from mass-produced items.
a month ago
Makers say Amazon Karigar has failed to distinguish their crafts from mass-produced items.
Inverted Passion
Don’t sell your soul to the algorithm
The danger of pleasing the algorithm to go viral is that gradually you end up selling yourself to...
a year ago
The danger of pleasing the algorithm to go viral is that gradually you end up selling yourself to big tech companies. This is how it works: This loop has two sinister effects: All this to make the richest companies and their shareholders even richer. This is why we must refuse to...
Articles - Alex...
The age of average (encore)
The shift to music streaming has led to songs getting shorter, music
getting less melodically...
9 months ago
The shift to music streaming has led to songs getting shorter, music
getting less melodically diverse and lyrics getting more repetitive. Or to
put it another way, just as our visual culture has become more homogeneous,
so too has the music that accompanies it. Let’s run...
Noahpinion
If Trump loses the election, our nation can finally rest
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
a month ago
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
It’s hard to believe today, but 10 years ago Wikipedia was widely considered a doomed experiment…
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and...
over a year ago
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and controversies, but for the most part it…
Noahpinion
The case of the angry history postdoc
Elite overproduction spotted in the wild.
6 months ago
Elite overproduction spotted in the wild.
Rest of World -...
Shopee, the juggernaut that fended off Amazon
Featuring a whirlwind of discounts, the Sea Group-owned app is popular from Indonesia to Taiwan.
a year ago
Featuring a whirlwind of discounts, the Sea Group-owned app is popular from Indonesia to Taiwan.
Noahpinion
The debt ceiling deal: What was the whole point?
A manufactured crisis leads to an ineffectual "solution"
a year ago
A manufactured crisis leads to an ineffectual "solution"
The Thinking Cap
Generative AI Builds Bridges Between Creative Mediums
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
over a year ago
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
Rest of World -...
The regional flavors of labor-on-demand
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
8 months ago
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
Rest of World -...
Meet the “digital parents” giving millions in China a vision of family love they never had
Creators Jiang Xiuping and Pan Huqian, a viral Douyin duo, act as fictional parents, providing...
7 months ago
Creators Jiang Xiuping and Pan Huqian, a viral Douyin duo, act as fictional parents, providing solace to young adults and adolescents amidst economic inequalities and a scarcity of mental health support in China.
Business Brainstorms
Podcast translations, Apple opportunity, being unreasonable, don't hire corporate executives, the...
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 “When the Apple VR headset drops tomorrow, every social...
Tech + Economics +...
The patriarchy is a modern invention, not the natural order.
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and...
11 months ago
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and authority to men over women, is pitched by masculinity
influencers and pop social scientists as humanity's natural state. They
argue patriarchy represents the primal hard-wiring of...
tomcritchlow.com
Slouching Towards Innovation
A lot of innovation work revolves around shiny objects - maybe a slick interactive prototype, or a...
over a year ago
A lot of innovation work revolves around shiny objects - maybe a slick interactive prototype, or a concept video. A lot of innovation projects never see the light of day.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Keybase: bringing public-key cryptography to mainstream users
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company...
over a year ago
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company that is trying to make the internet…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How to disrupt Wall Street
Sarah Lacy has a very interesting post on TechCrunch where she argues that the internet is finally...
over a year ago
Sarah Lacy has a very interesting post on TechCrunch where she argues that the internet is finally starting to disrupt Wall Street. I’d love…
Steve Blank
Secret History – When Kodak Went to War with Polaroid
This part 2 of the Secret History of Polaroid and Edwin Land. Read part 1 for context. Kodak and...
7 months ago
This part 2 of the Secret History of Polaroid and Edwin Land. Read part 1 for context. Kodak and Polaroid, the two most famous camera companies of the 20th century, had a great partnership for 20+ years. Then in an inexplicable turnabout Kodak decided to destroy Polaroid’s...
Steve Blank
How To Find Your Customer In the Dept of Defense – The Directory of DoD Program Executive Offices
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to?...
3 months ago
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to? How do you get their attention? How do you know if they have money to spend on your product? It almost always starts with a Program Executive Office. The Department of Defense (DoD)...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on mobile
People tend to lump smartphones and tablets together as “mobile”. This can be misleading. Ask people...
over a year ago
People tend to lump smartphones and tablets together as “mobile”. This can be misleading. Ask people who run internet companies and they’ll…
Working Theorys
Before the Crowd Shows Up
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
9 months ago
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Bill Gates
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being...
a year ago
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being quite threatening and rude about it.
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).
42!
Hanging on to 'stuff'
Like most families, we like to start the new year with a bit of a clean slate, which means moving on...
a year ago
Like most families, we like to start the new year with a bit of a clean slate, which means moving on old pieces of furniture and belongings that are just cluttering our life and no longer needed.
But this is a surprisingly difficult task.
Almost every time we go to get rid of a...
Noahpinion
Interview: Dan Wang, China specialist
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and...
a year ago
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and lots more.
Stephen Diehl
Sunsetting "What I Wish I Knew"
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Hardware startups
For a long time, entrepreneurs and investors shied away from hardware. This seems to be changing. As...
over a year ago
For a long time, entrepreneurs and investors shied away from hardware. This seems to be changing. As Paul Graham says, there are many…
Essays - Benedict...
Building AI products
How do we build mass-market products that change the world around a
technology that gets things...
6 months ago
How do we build mass-market products that change the world around a
technology that gets things ‘wrong’? What does wrong mean, and how is that
useful?
SatPost by Trung...
11 Creative Lessons from Brian Eno
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in...
a year ago
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in arts and what is art actually for?
Unpacked
Uber Ads: Accelerating the path to profitability
What makes advertising attractive is that it's a 100% margin product that can subsidize the lower...
a year ago
What makes advertising attractive is that it's a 100% margin product that can subsidize the lower margin core business.
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…
Roberto Vitillo's...
Leader election best practices
Sometimes a single process in a system needs to have special powers, like being the only one that...
over a year ago
Sometimes a single process in a system needs to have special powers, like being the only one that can access a shared resource or assign…
Rest of World -...
In Indonesia, social media is a “hunting ground” for religious minorities
Conservative Muslim influencers spread hate speech to their millions of followers on TikTok and...
5 months ago
Conservative Muslim influencers spread hate speech to their millions of followers on TikTok and YouTube, with little pushback from authorities or platforms.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Entrepreneurs need to learn some law
I recently wrote a post where I said entrepreneurs need to understand term sheets on their own,...
over a year ago
I recently wrote a post where I said entrepreneurs need to understand term sheets on their own, without the assistance of lawyers. I got…
Noahpinion
New Industrialist Roundup 2024
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
4 months ago
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on my Remarkable Tablet
I love my Remarkable 2. I’ve been using it pretty heavily for almost a year now. It’s my every day...
10 months ago
I love my Remarkable 2. I’ve been using it pretty heavily for almost a year now. It’s my every day companion device. Here’s some notes and ideas.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Size markets using narratives, not numbers
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case...
over a year ago
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case that you’re addressing a possible billion…
Rest of World -...
The company building AI dubbing that preserves original voices
Seamus McAteer, the founder of Speechlab, discusses AI-generated speech and the importance of...
a year ago
Seamus McAteer, the founder of Speechlab, discusses AI-generated speech and the importance of translating accents.
Rest of World -...
India shuts down the internet far more than any other country
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We...
2 months ago
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We mapped the affected areas.
Stephen Diehl
Reflecting on Haskell in 2016
over a year ago
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.
Business Brainstorms
No agenda cold emails, dealership visits as a service, prompt money, the doing game.
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 Prompt Base has a list of the
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?
Dustin Curtis
iPad in 2020
A couple of months ago, I switched entirely to an iPad Pro for about two weeks. I did not use my...
over a year ago
A couple of months ago, I switched entirely to an iPad Pro for about two weeks. I did not use my MacBook Pro at all, and forced myself to do everything on the iPad. After that experience, I planned to write some kind of review, but it turned out that my conclusions were pretty...
Internal Tech Emails
Sergey Brin: "Irate call from Steve Jobs"
so i got a call from steve jobs today who was very agitated.
a year ago
so i got a call from steve jobs today who was very agitated.
Noahpinion
What America needs to do now on national security
The Ukraine-and-TikTok bill is a good start. Here are five more things we need to work on.
8 months ago
The Ukraine-and-TikTok bill is a good start. Here are five more things we need to work on.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Designing products for single and multiplayer modes
The first million people who bought VCRs bought them before there were any movies available to watch...
over a year ago
The first million people who bought VCRs bought them before there were any movies available to watch on them. They just wanted to “time…
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