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.
Noahpinion
Thoughts on techno-optimism
What it means to me, and why I support it.
a year ago
What it means to me, and why I support it.
Rest of World -...
Pressured to relocate, Microsoft’s AI researchers in China must choose between homeland and career
As geopolitical tensions grow, many employees have decided that a career with the Silicon Valley...
5 months ago
As geopolitical tensions grow, many employees have decided that a career with the Silicon Valley tech giant isn’t worth giving up the comforts of home.
Stephen Diehl
FTX: Greed, Grift and Grandiosity
over a year ago
Unpacked
Generative AI and the Future of News - a tale of two worlds
Last week, the New York Times reported that Google is testing an AI tool that enables news...
a year ago
Last week, the New York Times reported that Google is testing an AI tool that enables news organizations to create content using AI. It is unclear what the exact capabilities of the product are but based on one comment from Google, it helps with tasks like headlines and modifying...
SatPost by Trung...
The Greatest Meme Template Ever
Why does Juan Joya Borja (aka El Risitas aka “Spanish Laughing Guy”) always put a smile on our...
9 months ago
Why does Juan Joya Borja (aka El Risitas aka “Spanish Laughing Guy”) always put a smile on our faces.
Essays - Benedict...
Competing in search
A quarter century after 'don't be evil', a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in...
4 months ago
A quarter century after 'don't be evil', a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in search. But no-one knows what happens next, and
whether this ruling will change anything. Will Apple build a search engine?
Will ChatGPT change search? Does it matter?
Articles - Alex...
The Millennial myth
It seems that a day doesn’t pass without another article hitting the
headlines exposing the...
over a year ago
It seems that a day doesn’t pass without another article hitting the
headlines exposing the shortcomings of the Millennial generation. It seems
we are obsessed with the concept of demographic cohorts. Or, to put it more
specifically, we are obsessed with the idea that...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Good bizdev cannibalizes itself
A few successful websites were built almost entirely through viral growth. The vast majority,...
over a year ago
A few successful websites were built almost entirely through viral growth. The vast majority, however, started off by partnering with other…
SatPost by Trung...
David Tran and Sriracha's $1B+ Journey
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce...
a month ago
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce brand.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#48)
Information war; Chinese VC; land reform; India's garment industry; degrowth research; Trump vs....
3 months ago
Information war; Chinese VC; land reform; India's garment industry; degrowth research; Trump vs. Harris on deficits; good news
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incumbents die due to irrelevance or ineptitude
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition....
over a year ago
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition. But when you examine the history of…
Rest of World -...
Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim dating app, is struggling in India
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But...
a year ago
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But Indian women say Muzz is a bad match.
SatPost by Trung...
The $650m+ Spirit Halloween business
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September,...
a year ago
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September, October)
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Four categories of Bitcoin-related projects
New Bitcoin-related software projects are launching every day. From what I can tell these projects...
over a year ago
New Bitcoin-related software projects are launching every day. From what I can tell these projects fall into four main categories: Bitcoin…
Paul Graham: Essays
High Resolution Fundraising
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
A changing tech landscape makes for weird birthdays online
As social media as we know it crumbles around us, birthday greetings have become the province of...
a year ago
As social media as we know it crumbles around us, birthday greetings have become the province of aunties and corporations.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"It's pretty difficult to solve big problems in four years"
Larry Page: When I talk to most companies, I do think their leaders are pretty short-term focused....
over a year ago
Larry Page: When I talk to most companies, I do think their leaders are pretty short-term focused. Imagine you're running Exxon, what do you…
Working Theorys
Placeholders for Life
Life is not a dress rehearsal
9 months ago
Life is not a dress rehearsal
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".
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 -...
Uber drivers in Kenya are ignoring the app and charging their own rates
The local gig workers’ union defends the practice, which Uber forbids, as a form of peaceful...
3 months ago
The local gig workers’ union defends the practice, which Uber forbids, as a form of peaceful pushback against low earnings.
Stephen Diehl
The Haskell Elephant in the Room
over a year ago
Essays - Benedict...
When big tech buys small tech
‘Big tech’ buys hundreds of startups, but what are they, what does that
mean for competition, and...
over a year ago
‘Big tech’ buys hundreds of startups, but what are they, what does that
mean for competition, and how does this fit into the broader market? How
many more Instagrams are there, and how many DAOs?
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
The real strategy behind tiered data plans
Over the past year, Comcast and other broadband providers have been forcing tiered data plans on...
over a year ago
Over the past year, Comcast and other broadband providers have been forcing tiered data plans on customers. The New York Times recently…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#44)
Poland vs. China; smartphones; basic income; the soft landing; wages and automation; software and...
5 months ago
Poland vs. China; smartphones; basic income; the soft landing; wages and automation; software and inequality; immigrant doctors
Rest of World -...
The chilling power of Gaza’s internet blackout
Ongoing bloodshed makes the territory’s digital ties even more important.
a year ago
Ongoing bloodshed makes the territory’s digital ties even more important.
42!
Wrestling with the scammers
Photo by Dan Nelson on Unsplash
I guess one of the downsides of the rising popularity and profile of...
over a year ago
Photo by Dan Nelson on Unsplash
I guess one of the downsides of the rising popularity and profile of our HR startup is that it attracts the lowest online lifeforms to try and see if they can make illicit profit from it.
We have been getting the occasional trial user signing up...
Noahpinion
Go read some Vernor Vinge
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
9 months ago
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Crypto Tokens: A Breakthrough in Open Network Design
It is a wonderful accident of history that the internet and web were created as open platforms that...
over a year ago
It is a wonderful accident of history that the internet and web were created as open platforms that anyone — users, developers…
Tom Blomfield
Taking Risk
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities;...
7 months ago
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities; Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College. Along with UCL, these British universities represent 4 of the top 10 universities in the world. The US - a country with 5x more people and...
Noahpinion
Biden is right that we need to raise taxes
But his plan needs a lot of work.
7 months ago
But his plan needs a lot of work.
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.
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...
Noahpinion
Happy fun Cold War 2 update
It's getting a little warmer out there.
6 months ago
It's getting a little warmer out there.
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…
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...
Looking for AI use-cases
We’ve had ChatGPT for 18 months, but what’s it for? What are the use-cases?
Why isn’t it useful...
8 months ago
We’ve had ChatGPT for 18 months, but what’s it for? What are the use-cases?
Why isn’t it useful for everyone, right now? Do Large Language Models
become universal tools that can do ‘any’ task, or do we wrap them in
single-purpose apps, and build thousands of new companies...
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?
Noahpinion
People's Park and the Great American Infill
After the 1970s, we agreed to all let each other have our space. That's over.
11 months ago
After the 1970s, we agreed to all let each other have our space. That's over.
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
An Alternative Theory of Unions
over a year ago
Noahpinion
EVs are just going to win
Because they're a superior technology, and superior technologies win.
2 months ago
Because they're a superior technology, and superior technologies win.
Rest of World -...
ByteDance shuts down its WhatsApp clone in Africa
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing,...
9 months ago
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing, but it couldn’t crack WhatsApp’s dominance.
Dustin Curtis
Apple TV, Apple TV, Apple TV, and Apple TV+
Apple TV is a hardware device.
Apple TV is an app on Apple TV that curates content you can buy...
over a year ago
Apple TV is a hardware device.
Apple TV is an app on Apple TV that curates content you can buy from Apple and also content you can stream through other installed apps (but not all apps, and there is no way to tell which ones).
Apple TV is an app on iOS/iPadOS devices that...
Blog posts of...
Why the future needs a brandname.
There is a disenchantment in our generation. We are still sitting on our lonely planet without space...
over a year ago
There is a disenchantment in our generation. We are still sitting on our lonely planet without space travel nor flying cars or at...
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...
Rest of World -...
This Hajj VR simulator helps Muslims prepare for the holy pilgrimage
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to...
2 months ago
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to virtually preview holy sites.
Noahpinion
Progressives need to learn to take the W
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
3 months ago
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
Rest of World -...
The capybara influencer revolt
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement...
a year ago
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement ensued.
essay – snarfed.org
COVID was bad for the climate
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled...
over a year ago
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled travel plans, cut down overall consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions fell drastically. It’s great for the environment! Let’s keep it up! With apologies to H. L. Mencken, I...
haseeb qureshi
Flash Loans: Why Flash Attacks will be the New Normal
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to...
over a year ago
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to attack the margin trading protocol bZx, first in a $350K attack and later in a $600K copycat attack.
These attacks were, in a word, magnificent. In each attack, a penniless attacker...
Rest of World -...
Using automation to fight misinformation, starting with a menstrual health chatbot
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and...
6 months ago
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and professional programmers working on automated social media tools.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
While Google fights on the edges, Amazon is attacking their core
Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web...
over a year ago
Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web browsers, office apps, and so on. Much…
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...
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.
Unpacked
StackOverflow's pivot: From disruption to opportunity
OverFlowAI takes the company’s core asset, exposes answers in a highly usable interface, and in turn...
a year ago
OverFlowAI takes the company’s core asset, exposes answers in a highly usable interface, and in turn creates a loop using gen AI to fire up the content engine.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The decline of the mobile web
People are spending more time on mobile vs desktop: And more of their mobile time using apps, not...
over a year ago
People are spending more time on mobile vs desktop: And more of their mobile time using apps, not the web: This is a worrisome trend for…
Rest of World -...
At home with Asia’s shopping influencers
In Vietnam, Pakistan, and Indonesia, three livestreamers build well-paid but precarious careers.
a year ago
In Vietnam, Pakistan, and Indonesia, three livestreamers build well-paid but precarious careers.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Capitalism just like Adam Smith pictured it
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and...
over a year ago
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and English professors. To them, the entire…
Roberto Vitillo's...
Resiliency patterns of distributed systems
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems : Resiliency Patterns. The...
over a year ago
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems : Resiliency Patterns. The chapter is all about failures and their…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Dividing free and paid features in “freemium” products
One of the most difficult decisions to make when developing a “freemium” product is how to divide...
over a year ago
One of the most difficult decisions to make when developing a “freemium” product is how to divide the product between free and paid features…
Rest of World -...
Water, not lithium, is the resource Latin America should worry about
The region’s chances of becoming a “climate tech” protagonist will be thrown into disarray without...
a year ago
The region’s chances of becoming a “climate tech” protagonist will be thrown into disarray without the most important resource of them all.
Noahpinion
The U.S. would be insane to go it alone on trade and manufacturing
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
8 months ago
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
Aaron's Essays
Bad Terms
Every startup fundraising process is influenced by the balance of power between the founder and the...
over a year ago
Every startup fundraising process is influenced by the balance of power between the founder and the investor. When the founder has a company that is doing incredibly well, and is being chased by lots of investors, the founder has more leverage. When the founder is inexperienced,...
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...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#36)
The silent majority and the Palestine protests; immigration is fine; batteries make solar work;...
7 months ago
The silent majority and the Palestine protests; immigration is fine; batteries make solar work; building warships in Japan; the decels of the Right
Stephen Diehl
The Oncoming Ransomware Storm
over a year ago
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
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1996 on the concept of Flow: [Flow] is being completely involved in an...
over a year ago
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1996 on the concept of Flow: [Flow] is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls…
Blog posts of...
Peter Thiel’s Startup Class Notes as PDF
@bgmasters created an awesome series of blog posts covering his notes of Peter Thiel’s startup class...
over a year ago
@bgmasters created an awesome series of blog posts covering his notes of Peter Thiel’s startup class CS183. Personally i try to re...
Noahpinion
The new industrial policy, explained
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
a year ago
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
Paul Graham: Essays
Default Alive or Default Dead?
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
The changing face of protest
Mass protests used to offer a degree of safety in numbers. Facial recognition technology changes the...
9 months ago
Mass protests used to offer a degree of safety in numbers. Facial recognition technology changes the equation.
Working Theorys
How to Go Direct
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
8 months ago
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
SatPost by Trung...
Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson and Art Over Commerce
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
a month ago
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“It is the human friction that makes the sparks”
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of...
over a year ago
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of incredible innovation at MIT] and…
Unpacked
Tech's Pledge To Fight AI Election Interference & Twillio’s woes with Segment | EP 6
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary...
10 months ago
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary pledge to fight election interference from AI-generated content going through 2024. We dive into the timing of the announcement (2024 is a big election year across the globe), some...
Internal Tech Emails
Bill Gates on Netscape | Larry Page and YouTube
I don't want a lot of guesses about Netscape generated by people who may know less than I do. I want...
a year ago
I don't want a lot of guesses about Netscape generated by people who may know less than I do. I want to learn a lot of facts - most of which I don't already know.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The computing deployment phase
Technological revolutions happen in two main phases: the installation phase and the deployment...
over a year ago
Technological revolutions happen in two main phases: the installation phase and the deployment phase. Here’s a chart (from this excellent…
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The product lens
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the...
over a year ago
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the discussions use words like “valuations…
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…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Put Up Or Shut Up
I feel like the tech industry is currently in the midst of the most bizarre cognitive dissonance...
5 months ago
I feel like the tech industry is currently in the midst of the most bizarre cognitive dissonance I've ever seen — more so than the metaverse, even — as company after company simply lies about their intentions and the power of AI.
I get it. Everybody wants
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Facebook’s response to Yahoo’s patent lawsuit
Like many in tech, I believe all software patents should be abolished. That said, I think Facebook...
over a year ago
Like many in tech, I believe all software patents should be abolished. That said, I think Facebook made the right move by filing a lawsuit…
Unpacked
Reddit's IPO Filing & India's AI Regulation | EP 7
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics...
9 months ago
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics in the podcast episode - Spotify | Apple Podcasts. The podcast follows the same core principles as the writing (primarily analysis driven with occasional opinions sprinkled in)....
Rest of World -...
An Indian edtech that helps students live out their study-abroad dreams
Leverage Edu, which has raised $70 million, is among the few profitable edtech companies in the...
a year ago
Leverage Edu, which has raised $70 million, is among the few profitable edtech companies in the country.
Essays - Benedict...
Remaking the app store
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it,...
10 months ago
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it, and no-one is happy with the result. In the next
few years there’ll be a lot of shouting and some giant fines, but in the
end, nothing much will change.
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.
Noahpinion
The reverse OPEC maneuver
Pricing power in the oil industry is shifting, and will shift more.
a year ago
Pricing power in the oil industry is shifting, and will shift more.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Techies and normals
There are techies (if you are reading this blog you are almost certainly one of them) and there are...
over a year ago
There are techies (if you are reading this blog you are almost certainly one of them) and there are mainstream users – some people call them…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Twitter killed RSS (and that’s a bad thing)
I’ve used Google Reader religiously since it launched. I’m a few days away from quitting it...
over a year ago
I’ve used Google Reader religiously since it launched. I’m a few days away from quitting it forever. Pretty much every blog I read tweets…
Rest of World -...
How Spotify helped turn Afrobeats into a global phenomenon
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
11 months ago
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
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.
Rest of World -...
How livestream realtors helped make Xishuangbanna a boom town
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming,...
9 months ago
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming, drawing the attention of out-of-town buyers.
AVC
Sleep
I got an Oura ring a couple of years ago and have been working on improving my sleep and sleep...
a year ago
I got an Oura ring a couple of years ago and have been working on improving my sleep and sleep habits ever since. For much of my adult life, I have been a poor sleeper. I have always been able to fall asleep quickly, but I have been plagued by two sleep issues. The first […]
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…
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...
Working Theorys
The Creator Search Fund
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
10 months ago
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
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…
Blog posts of...
Close your office. Now. How to operate your startup under lock-down.
What a week. The US declared the state of emergency. Many leading startups closed their office. And...
over a year ago
What a week. The US declared the state of emergency. Many leading startups closed their office. And I expect that all startups in...
Rest of World -...
An end of an era for Latin American tech
Foreign businesses are making strides in the region while local tech companies reshuffle.
a year ago
Foreign businesses are making strides in the region while local tech companies reshuffle.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The experience economy
Before World War 2, the middle-class in the developed world struggled to afford basic needs. In the...
over a year ago
Before World War 2, the middle-class in the developed world struggled to afford basic needs. In the post-war boom, standards of living rose…
Steve Blank
Lean LaunchPad @Stanford 2024 – 8 Teams In, 8 Companies Out
This post previously appeared in Poets and Quants. We just finished the 14th annual Lean LaunchPad...
5 months ago
This post previously appeared in Poets and Quants. We just finished the 14th annual Lean LaunchPad class at Stanford. The class had gotten so popular that in 2021 we started teaching it in both the winter and spring sessions. During the quarter the eight teams spoke to 919...
Rest of World -...
How Bangladesh’s tech industry navigated an unprecedented political crisis
July’s internet blackout and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sudden exit is estimated to have cost...
3 months ago
July’s internet blackout and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sudden exit is estimated to have cost the industry $300 million.
Rest of World -...
Lithium is only as dirty as we make it
We’re building a new supply chain for electric vehicles. Are we building the right one?
a year ago
We’re building a new supply chain for electric vehicles. Are we building the right one?
Business Brainstorms
Cubicles, boring first ideas, luck surface math, and spirituality has to go somewhere
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Is there anything a corp can do to break out of a...
David Perell
Gagan Biyani: Building Silicon Valley Startups
My guest today is Gagan Biyani, the current CEO of an education startup (where I’m both an investor...
over a year ago
My guest today is Gagan Biyani, the current CEO of an education startup (where I’m both an investor and an advisor) that helps teachers run Cohort-Based Courses on the Internet and has students from around the world. Gagan also founded a multi-billion dollar online education...
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 -...
Stability AI’s plan to counter AI’s Silicon Valley’s bias
“It’d be dystopian if all AI systems had the values of a 35-year-old male in San Francisco.”
a year ago
“It’d be dystopian if all AI systems had the values of a 35-year-old male in San Francisco.”
Internal Tech Emails
Apple exec on App Store complaints
In the end it all really comes down to whether we will ever open up the iPhone for developers to...
a year ago
In the end it all really comes down to whether we will ever open up the iPhone for developers to distribute apps on their own, bypassing our store.
Platformer
It's time to change how we cover Elon Musk
After a weekend of whoppers about X and fighting Mark Zuckerberg, the press should take a more...
a year ago
After a weekend of whoppers about X and fighting Mark Zuckerberg, the press should take a more skeptical approach
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The next twenty years are going to make this last twenty years just pale
If we were sent back with a time machine, even 20 years, and reported to people what we have right...
over a year ago
If we were sent back with a time machine, even 20 years, and reported to people what we have right now and describe what we were going to…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#22)
Test score collapse, triumph of the vibes, U.S. dependence on China, the benefits of upzoning,...
a year ago
Test score collapse, triumph of the vibes, U.S. dependence on China, the benefits of upzoning, immigrants and jobs, and a world at war
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.
Noahpinion
Sizing up the New Axis
A repost, more relevant than ever.
3 months ago
A repost, more relevant than ever.
Essays - Benedict...
Competing in search
A quarter century after ‘don't be evil’ a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in...
4 months ago
A quarter century after ‘don't be evil’ a judge has found that Google is
abusing its monopoly in search. But no-one knows what happens next, and
whether this ruling will change anything. Will Apple build a search engine?
Will ChatGPT change search? Does it matter?
Rest of World -...
The political power of an unlikely Tesla factory
How Elon Musk plays politicians from Monterrey to Buffalo.
a year ago
How Elon Musk plays politicians from Monterrey to Buffalo.
Working Theorys
About Practice
Learning anything comes down to two things: practice and performance.
3 months ago
Learning anything comes down to two things: practice and performance.
Noahpinion
New Industrialist Roundup 2024
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
4 months ago
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
Paul Graham: Essays
This Year We Can End the Death Penalty in California
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
The Trouble with the Segway
over a year ago
Roberto Vitillo's...
How do you prepare for the system design interview?
I get asked this question a lot. I lost track of people I know that spend all their time brushing up...
over a year ago
I get asked this question a lot. I lost track of people I know that spend all their time brushing up on algorithmic puzzles and barely…
SatPost by Trung...
Coca-Cola: "A cure for all nervous affections"
How cocaine, the "patent medicine" industry and mass advertising created the world's most iconic...
a year ago
How cocaine, the "patent medicine" industry and mass advertising created the world's most iconic beverage.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Burst Damage
Soundtrack: Masters of Reality - High Noon Amsterdam
I have said almost everything in this piece in...
4 months ago
Soundtrack: Masters of Reality - High Noon Amsterdam
I have said almost everything in this piece in every one of these articles for months. I am not upset, but just stating an obvious truth. The current state of affairs effectively pushes against the boundaries of good sense,...
Rest of World -...
Google’s Gemini problem will be even worse outside the U.S.
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
9 months ago
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#49)
Degrowth, real and imagined; 90s taxes; China's banks; CHIPS Act bureaucrats; YIMBY education; the...
3 months ago
Degrowth, real and imagined; 90s taxes; China's banks; CHIPS Act bureaucrats; YIMBY education; the slacker era
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…
Noahpinion
Liberalism is losing the information war
Because it's refusing to fight.
a year ago
Because it's refusing to fight.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Increasing velocity
Two common discussions in the startup world right now are 1) the increasing speed at which new...
over a year ago
Two common discussions in the startup world right now are 1) the increasing speed at which new apps/websites can gain mass adoption…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#34)
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and...
8 months ago
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and urbanization
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
function my_exit_payout(…)
/* aggregateoptionsstrike_price = your options strike price per share * number of shares you own...
over a year ago
/* aggregateoptionsstrike_price = your options strike price per share * number of shares you own company sale price is 1) if private…
Tech + Economics +...
Apparently, Magic Leap still exists?
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight...
11 months ago
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight pricing edge, with a price of $3,300 versus Apple’s $3,500
device. But it is interesting that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment
Fund, which is already the majority owner...
Internal Tech Emails
Inside Apple's Marcom meeting
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running...
10 months ago
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running our company is a shocking response.
Internal Tech Emails
Bill Gates tries to install Movie Maker
I am quite disappointed at how Windows Usability has been going backwards and the program management...
a year ago
I am quite disappointed at how Windows Usability has been going backwards and the program management groups don't drive usability issues.
SatPost by Trung...
Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos Enter a Room
In December 2000, the founders of Apple and Amazon were invited to critique a demo of the Segway. It...
3 months ago
In December 2000, the founders of Apple and Amazon were invited to critique a demo of the Segway. It was a wild two-hour session filled with gem quotes and business insights.
Rest of World -...
Before you start celebrating a possible Tesla factory in India …
There are ecological and economic challenges that the Indian government must not ignore as it woos...
a year ago
There are ecological and economic challenges that the Indian government must not ignore as it woos Elon Musk.
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…
Noahpinion
Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper
Yes, market-rate!
9 months ago
Working Theorys
Great Products Have Great Premises
The most powerful thing a product can do is give its user a premise.
10 months ago
The most powerful thing a product can do is give its user a premise.
Noahpinion
Interview: Jean Twenge, psychologist
In which we talk all about generational differences, Millennial angst, and the effects of social...
a year ago
In which we talk all about generational differences, Millennial angst, and the effects of social media and cell phones
Rest of World -...
“Tornado beer” drinking stunts have made Pangzai a global king
The beloved rural Chinese influencer talks about finding fame, the health effects of all that beer,...
a year ago
The beloved rural Chinese influencer talks about finding fame, the health effects of all that beer, and what videos he wants to make next.
essay – snarfed.org
Content negotiation considered harmful
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers...
a year ago
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers return, different content types based on the request’s Accept header. Sounds great, right? Well, no. Content negotiation is the classic example of an idea that sounds good in theory, but...
Rest of World -...
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.
Rest of World -...
Catching a break: How gig workers find rest
Rest of World asked over 100 gig workers across 10 cities how they take a break between tasks.
9 months ago
Rest of World asked over 100 gig workers across 10 cities how they take a break between tasks.
Noahpinion
A data-driven case for productivity optimism
A guest post by Brian Albrecht of Economic Forces.
4 months ago
A guest post by Brian Albrecht of Economic Forces.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
We asked for flying cars and all we got was the entire planet communicating instantly via pocket...
Benedict Evans has a new presentation about the explosive growth of internet-connected smartphones....
over a year ago
Benedict Evans has a new presentation about the explosive growth of internet-connected smartphones. By 2020, 80% of adults on earth will…
Tech + Economics +...
Curation is the last best hope of intelligent discourse.
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability....
11 months ago
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability. With tools like ChatGPT, anyone can conjure up
rewritten Wikipedia articles, essays, code, poetry, and more with just a
few prompts. This "democratisation" of content creation...
Inverted Passion
Why you will skim this article
Most likely, you’re going to read this sentence and hit the back button. Still here? Good, then...
a year ago
Most likely, you’re going to read this sentence and hit the back button. Still here? Good, then you’re likely to scan through a few paragraphs in this article and then give up. (Unless, you’re a long-time reader and trust that my writing is worthy of your time. More on this...
Nothing Human
Meditations on Machinic Desire
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of...
2 months ago
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of the most insight-dense paragraphs I’ve ever encountered:
Roberto Vitillo's...
A martingale approach to detect changes in histograms
If a user has opted into submitting performance data to Mozilla, the Telemetry system will collect...
over a year ago
If a user has opted into submitting performance data to Mozilla, the Telemetry system will collect various measures of Firefox performance…
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.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "VR / AR strategy"
We are vulnerable on mobile to Google and Apple because they make major mobile platforms. We would...
a year ago
We are vulnerable on mobile to Google and Apple because they make major mobile platforms. We would like a stronger strategic position in the next wave of computing.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t shop your term sheet
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination,...
over a year ago
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination, but if you’re a first time entrepreneur…
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?
tomcritchlow.com
Becoming Creative
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few...
a year ago
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few links that I deeply love about starting, finishing and promoting creative acts…
Rest of World -...
The fastest-growing countries for software development, according to GitHub
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
10 months ago
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
Rest of World -...
Latin Americans’ social feeds are being flooded with AI-generated ads
Brands and politicians are getting mixed results.
a year ago
Brands and politicians are getting mixed results.
tomcritchlow.com
How do You Cultivate Customer-Centric Executives?
summary
The answer is that the most successful companies have a key executive who is...
9 months ago
summary
The answer is that the most successful companies have a key executive who is customer-centric - someone who has a rich mental model for what customers want and is able to step into the customer's shoes.
I theorize that beyond a culture of being customer-centric it's the...
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 -...
Behold, the world’s first 3D-printed temple
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
2 months ago
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
Folklore.org:...
What Hath Woz Wrought
The first product I developed for Apple
a year ago
The first product I developed for Apple
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…
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"
David Perell
Annual Review 2020
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the...
over a year ago
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the quarantine alone, I moved into my childhood home and spent five months with family. While America saw the worst unemployment spike in recent history, my business grew because the...
Rest of World -...
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.
Rest of World -...
Chip dreams: Young tech workers are flocking to Taiwan
Southeast Asians are heading to Taiwan to train for semiconductor jobs, which is helping to fill a...
8 months ago
Southeast Asians are heading to Taiwan to train for semiconductor jobs, which is helping to fill a talent gap at the world’s top producer.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Climbing the wrong hill
I know a brilliant young kid who graduated from college a year ago and now works at a large...
over a year ago
I know a brilliant young kid who graduated from college a year ago and now works at a large investment bank. He has decided he hates Wall…
Paul Graham: Essays
What I've Learned from Hacker News
over a year ago
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...
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...
Working Theorys
Some Thoughts on Airchat
For people in a tiny slice of the world and internet, there’s no greater canon event than the...
8 months ago
For people in a tiny slice of the world and internet, there’s no greater canon event than the prospect of a new social app taking off. Sometimes there are multi-year droughts. In a plentiful year, there are one or two prospects that excite us. (And I wrote a stream of...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stickiness is bad for business
It is common to hear entrepreneurs and investors talk about the high level of engagement (what we...
over a year ago
It is common to hear entrepreneurs and investors talk about the high level of engagement (what we used to call “stickiness”) of their…
Rest of World -...
Why Silicon Valley’s biggest AI developers are hiring poets
Training data companies are grabbing writers of fiction, drama, poetry, and also general humanities...
a year ago
Training data companies are grabbing writers of fiction, drama, poetry, and also general humanities experts to improve AI creative writing.
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...
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....
Blog posts of...
🙏
Over the years i met several people that left quite an impact on me and in many cases helped me...
over a year ago
Over the years i met several people that left quite an impact on me and in many cases helped me along the way. I tried to summariz...
Unpacked
Meta, News Outlets and the Canada Online News Act
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which...
a year ago
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which will force tech giants (predominantly Meta and Google) to pay news organizations in Canada for content that is shared on these platforms. The foundational premise of the law is...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
One Month of Better Offline
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone...
9 months ago
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone Media show Better Offline onto the newsletter feed, as I don't want to start sending you two emails a week, or make you feel like you're being spammed. I am
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Virtual reality: a new creative medium where the default state is belief
The holy grail of virtual reality, the one that’s always been out of reach until now, is presence....
over a year ago
The holy grail of virtual reality, the one that’s always been out of reach until now, is presence. In the VR community, “presence” is a term…
42!
My first ever app I made and sold...
I was digging through a cupboard today, when I came across the package shown below.
I was initially...
over a year ago
I was digging through a cupboard today, when I came across the package shown below.
I was initially flabbergasted that I still had a copy on hand, but that soon gave way to feelings of nostalgia that took me back 30 years (yes, that is 3 decades) to when I first created this.
It...
Unpacked
YouTube, Ad Blockers & the Advertising "Tax"
Though it looks like big vs small tech at first glance, poking into how ad blocker companies operate...
a year ago
Though it looks like big vs small tech at first glance, poking into how ad blocker companies operate and their “whitelisting” programs will likely change your opinion
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.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to review a data analysis
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to...
over a year ago
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to fight repetitive errors, omissions and…
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…
AVC
A Conversation With Mike Zamansky
Mike Zamansky is the person who got me interested in K12 Computer Science Education in NYC, a cause...
a year ago
Mike Zamansky is the person who got me interested in K12 Computer Science Education in NYC, a cause I have now contributed almost fifteen years of my life to. Our family’s public charity, Gotham Gives, has been funding the work we do in K12 Computer Science Education in NYC for...
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 2
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild.
10 months ago
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild.
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
Noahpinion
New technologies, new totalitarians
Thanks to smartphones, social media, and globalization, liberalism faces a new and terrifying kind...
9 months ago
Thanks to smartphones, social media, and globalization, liberalism faces a new and terrifying kind of opponent.
Noahpinion
The George Floyd protests were not a civil war (repost)
And the less we collectively remember them as one, the better.
a year ago
And the less we collectively remember them as one, the better.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
VC’s care about the upside case, not the mean
The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when pitching VCs is to argue that their startup is likely to...
over a year ago
The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when pitching VCs is to argue that their startup is likely to succeed. Instead, they should argue…
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.
Rest of World -...
23 Rest of World stories that defined 2023
This year, Rest of World published around 500 articles from more than 50 countries. Here are our...
12 months ago
This year, Rest of World published around 500 articles from more than 50 countries. Here are our favorites.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why you shouldn’t keep your startup idea secret
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive...
over a year ago
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive should I be about my idea? My answer…
Folklore.org:...
Revolution in the Valley
The story of how this site turned into a book
a year ago
The story of how this site turned into a book
Roberto Vitillo's...
Scalability patterns of distributed systems
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! It explores the different...
over a year ago
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! It explores the different patterns at your disposal when designing…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Top 10 websites
Top 10 websites in the US according to Quantcast: A few observations: As Josh Kopelman points out,...
over a year ago
Top 10 websites in the US according to Quantcast: A few observations: As Josh Kopelman points out, 4 of the top 10 sites (YouTube, Facebook…
Noahpinion
Vibes vs. data
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
a year ago
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s Ogun State wants to lead the country’s EV revolution
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it...
a month ago
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it comes to EV adoption.
Platformer
Six questions about Google Bard
The company's new large language model has arrived. Now what?
a year ago
The company's new large language model has arrived. Now what?
Rest of World -...
China’s biggest AI model is challenging American dominance
Alibaba’s Qwen has been shining on benchmark tests, despite chip restrictions.
3 months ago
Alibaba’s Qwen has been shining on benchmark tests, despite chip restrictions.
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.
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…
Rest of World -...
Meet the Nigerian YouTuber bringing a positive lens to African stories
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
a year ago
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
“Gig reviewers” are endorsing fake products for quick cash in Brazil
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
a year ago
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
Rest of World -...
Mexico is using an AI-powered app to prevent suicides
MeMind has connected 10,000 at-risk people with mental health treatment, contributing to a 9% drop...
a week ago
MeMind has connected 10,000 at-risk people with mental health treatment, contributing to a 9% drop in suicides.
Noahpinion
Realistically, how much damage could Trump do to the U.S. economy?
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
a month ago
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
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.
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.
David Perell
Li Jin: Creating the Creator Economy
My guest today is Li Jin, the founder and managing partner at an early-stage venture capital...
over a year ago
My guest today is Li Jin, the founder and managing partner at an early-stage venture capital firm called Atelier. Before recording this introduction, I didn’t know what an atelier was, so I looked it up and it’s right on brand for Li: it’s defined as a workshop or a studio,...
Noahpinion
Interview: Heather Boushey, economist and member of the Council of Economic Advisers
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
a year ago
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
Rest of World -...
Why thousands of Chinese young people use a pink dinosaur as their alias
Users adopt the alias “momo” as a way to speak more freely, evade harassment and protect personal...
a year ago
Users adopt the alias “momo” as a way to speak more freely, evade harassment and protect personal privacy on Douban and Xiaohongshu.
Rest of World -...
The apps were designed for home security. They’re being used to watch and harass domestic workers
Tiger Global-backed MyGate and Google-backed NoBrokerHood are digitizing social biases.
a year ago
Tiger Global-backed MyGate and Google-backed NoBrokerHood are digitizing social biases.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Ideal first round funding terms
My last 2 posts were about things to avoid, so I thought it might be helpful to follow up with...
over a year ago
My last 2 posts were about things to avoid, so I thought it might be helpful to follow up with something more positive. Having been part of…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#33)
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why...
8 months ago
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why people hate inflation, and interesting ideas about market power
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?
Business Brainstorms
Never launch, AI as an anti-signal, slow news, zero shame in pulling the plug.
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 “Billing for software is broken. Stripe is REALLY good...
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...
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…
Aaron's Essays
The hot round fallacy
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun little paradox in fundraising: Founders and the media love to talk about how quickly funding rounds happen these days—think about the big, rapid-fire raises...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Equity value
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because...
over a year ago
Warren Buffet once said: Buy into a business that’s doing so well an idiot could run it, because sooner or later, one will. This is a useful…
Rest of World -...
The CEO trying to democratize cybersecurity
Felix Kan on building a bug-hunting platform to enhance cybersecurity for small companies.
10 months ago
Felix Kan on building a bug-hunting platform to enhance cybersecurity for small companies.
Essays - Benedict...
Retail, search and Amazon’s $40bn ‘advertising’ business
Amazon sold close to $40bn of advertising last year - bigger than Prime,
bigger than the entire...
a year ago
Amazon sold close to $40bn of advertising last year - bigger than Prime,
bigger than the entire global newspaper industry and probably more
profitable than AWS. But is this really advertising, rent, or something
else? And what does that mean for Google?
Rest of World -...
How well do you know global food delivery?
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“If you asked people in 1989 what they needed to make their life better, it was unlikely that they…
“If you asked people in 1989 what they needed to make their life better, it was unlikely that they...
over a year ago
“If you asked people in 1989 what they needed to make their life better, it was unlikely that they would have said a decentralized network…
Essays - Benedict...
The problem of AI ethics, and laws about AI
Should you try to write laws, or lay down ethical principles, about a
technology that will be used...
9 months ago
Should you try to write laws, or lay down ethical principles, about a
technology that will be used in entirely different ways, for different
purposes, in different industries? How about if it’s changing entirely
every 18 months?
SatPost by Trung...
Francis Ford Coppola: The Entrepreneur
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
3 months ago
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
Rest of World -...
MercadoLibre is a massive fish in a medium-sized pond
The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how...
a year ago
The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how comparable are the two?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on incumbents
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that...
over a year ago
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that are loosely competitive to your startup…
Rest of World -...
AI moderation is no match for hate speech in Ethiopian languages
New research raises concerns that moderation tools can't detect violent threats in Tigray and...
a year ago
New research raises concerns that moderation tools can't detect violent threats in Tigray and elsewhere.
David Perell
Annual Review 2021
I’ll start this Annual Review by reflecting on 2021. I’ll share highlights and reflect on the goals...
over a year ago
I’ll start this Annual Review by reflecting on 2021. I’ll share highlights and reflect on the goals I set at the beginning of the year. Later, I’ll outline how I plan to improve my life and set a new vision for 2022.
The post Annual Review 2021 appeared first on David Perell.
AVC
Coming Back Up For Air
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When...
a year ago
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When I had not yet posted on any day, I felt like something was missing, like I had not yet had my cup of coffee. Clearly, I have moved on from that need to write […]
Rest of World -...
How Zimbabwe’s biggest fast-food company became a popular fintech solution
Innbucks started as an app to receive loose change at some restaurants. Now, it’s a licensed...
a year ago
Innbucks started as an app to receive loose change at some restaurants. Now, it’s a licensed microfinance institution.
Blog posts of...
A Primer on Startup Metrics – Which Analytics Tool to pick.
As a analytics consultant I am working with a lot of startups and help them in the topics of...
over a year ago
As a analytics consultant I am working with a lot of startups and help them in the topics of metrics, analytics, retention and gro...
Aaron's Essays
Unbundled Capital
The way we talk about fundraising is wrong. Specifically, I don’t think that founders sell equity...
over a year ago
The way we talk about fundraising is wrong. Specifically, I don’t think that founders sell equity when they raise money. It’s the other way around - founders use their equity to buy capital from investors.[1]
Investors know this, which is why they spend so much time and money on...
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…
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…
Rest of World -...
Scammers are cashing in on Worldcoin’s chaotic Kenya launch
Without a cash withdrawal option, Kenyans are turning to the country’s informal crypto economy — and...
a year ago
Without a cash withdrawal option, Kenyans are turning to the country’s informal crypto economy — and some are losing their coins in the process.
Unpacked
Twitter Pays Creators: The Momentum Towards Revenue Sharing
Amidst fierce platform competition, creators stand to gain a lot from the emergence of...
a year ago
Amidst fierce platform competition, creators stand to gain a lot from the emergence of revenue-sharing programs
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the end of your week (#16)
Michael Lewis and SBF, how to win Cold War 2, American manufacturing, Target and shoplifting, and...
a year ago
Michael Lewis and SBF, how to win Cold War 2, American manufacturing, Target and shoplifting, and yet more on housing supply
haseeb qureshi
The Life and Death of Plasma
By Haseeb Qureshi and Ashwin Ramachandran
It was August 2017. The price of Ether was near an all...
over a year ago
By Haseeb Qureshi and Ashwin Ramachandran
It was August 2017. The price of Ether was near an all time high, the Ethereum blockchain was exploding with usage, and the chain was buckling under the ever increasing demand. Researchers and developers were frantically searching for new...
Rest of World -...
The role of trust in building fintech for Africa
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government...
5 months ago
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government regulations and the role of longevity.
Unpacked
FTC's case against Amazon is misunderstood
The case makes a nuanced argument about how Amazon abused monopoly power through anti-discounting...
a year ago
The case makes a nuanced argument about how Amazon abused monopoly power through anti-discounting measures and tying in Prime with Fulfilled by Amazon
XO Capital - Field...
2023 sucked
2023 was a tough year for us. A pure grind.
What worked:
The business model
Our Team
Raising $ +...
11 months ago
2023 was a tough year for us. A pure grind.
What worked:
The business model
Our Team
Raising $ + deploying it
What didn't work:
Growth was tough
We got bit by platform risk
Too many small portfolio companies is death by a thousand cuts
We have two relatively passive
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.
Rest of World -...
Casualties of the Chip War
The biggest threat to Nvidia isn’t coming from China
a year ago
The biggest threat to Nvidia isn’t coming from China
Tech + Economics +...
God is a crypto bro.
CoinTelegraph:
A Colorado-based online pastor who has been charged with fraud for
...
11 months ago
CoinTelegraph:
A Colorado-based online pastor who has been charged with fraud for
selling a “worthless” cryptocurrency says he only did it because “the
Lord” told him to give his followers a “10X.”
In a strange 9-minute video — posted to INDXcoin’s...
Tech + Economics +...
Internet access is a human right.
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has...
12 months ago
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has become a necessity and a function of modern society.
The digital divide, the gap between those with and without internet access,
has profound implications for an individual's...
Rest of World -...
Why Mexico is tweeting at its third- richest citizen to delete his tweets
On August 11, Mexico’s election authority made an unexpected announcement via its official account...
a year ago
On August 11, Mexico’s election authority made an unexpected announcement via its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter: It called for Ricardo Salinas Pliego, Mexico’s third-richest man, to...
Platformer
Why journalists can't quit Twitter
The media should be building alternatives. Instead, some are doubling down
a year ago
The media should be building alternatives. Instead, some are doubling down
Nadia Asparouhova
Not voting as a form of protest
Sometime at the end of last year, I wondered about what it would look like to have a mass-organized...
over a year ago
Sometime at the end of last year, I wondered about what it would look like to have a mass-organized abstention campaign. My interest in this topic was mostly casual, but in a moment of enthusiasm, I shared these thoughts on a mailing list with a bunch of creative...
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash and AI Art
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
a year ago
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
42!
How we manage our product roadmap
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are...
over a year ago
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are extremely lucky in that our thousands of happy customers give us a steady stream of suggestions for new features and improvements, which we used to just throw on this board.
However,...
Rest of World -...
Malaysia’s new data centers create thousands of jobs — and worries about power and water shortages
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals...
a month ago
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals bracing for higher real estate costs and resource shortages.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Apple and the TV industry
The TV industry is a major segment of the consumer electronics industry and Apple is the leading...
over a year ago
The TV industry is a major segment of the consumer electronics industry and Apple is the leading consumer electronics company in the world…
Working Theorys
Agency in the Age of AI | Theory No. 10
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest...
a year ago
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest online discourse.
Rest of World -...
Apple should tell Indians what it knows about politicians’ phones being hacked
The Silicon Valley giant’s muted public response after several Indian opposition leaders received a...
a year ago
The Silicon Valley giant’s muted public response after several Indian opposition leaders received a message that their devices may be compromised is doing more harm.
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.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Why you should measure tail latencies
The response times of your service can cost you dearly if left unchecked. Even when a small fraction...
over a year ago
The response times of your service can cost you dearly if left unchecked. Even when a small fraction of requests experiences extreme…
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....
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#12)
The college shakeout, China vs. its developing neighbors, Chinese zombie companies, more fun YIMBY...
a year ago
The college shakeout, China vs. its developing neighbors, Chinese zombie companies, more fun YIMBY stuff, and the victory of the Melting Pot
Noahpinion
Five things to be optimistic about in America today
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
8 months ago
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
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
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...
Rest of World -...
Scan to donate: Brazil’s instant digital payment system brings relief to flood victims
As flooding battered the country, Pix became the most popular way to send and receive aid — and a...
6 months ago
As flooding battered the country, Pix became the most popular way to send and receive aid — and a target for scammers.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Should Apple be more open?
It is almost religious orthodoxy in the tech community that “open” is better than “closed.” For...
over a year ago
It is almost religious orthodoxy in the tech community that “open” is better than “closed.” For example, there have widespread complaints…
Rest of World -...
Ride-hailing drivers in Nigeria are suffering after government triples fuel prices
Uber and Bolt drivers say the fuel subsidy removal has put them at risk of losing their livelihoods.
a year ago
Uber and Bolt drivers say the fuel subsidy removal has put them at risk of losing their livelihoods.
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Sheridan's Extreme Productivity
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The...
2 weeks ago
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The realest deadlines (a young family, a $350m ranch) have pushed him to grind at an unbelievable pace.
Rest of World -...
The AI job interviewer will see you now
AI interview services say they’re eliminating bias — but not everyone agrees.
5 months ago
AI interview services say they’re eliminating bias — but not everyone agrees.
Working Theorys
Writer-Builders
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
7 months ago
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
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