Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs: The more dependent Google is on Apple, the better
Actually, the more energy they devote to iPhone, the better. And the more dependent they are on our...
over a year ago
Actually, the more energy they devote to iPhone, the better. And the more dependent they are on our choices, the better.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s the right amount of seed money to raise?
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor....
over a year ago
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor. “Accretive milestone” is a fancy way of saying…
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s OnlyFans stars are becoming coaches for a new generation of performers
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to...
6 months ago
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to withdraw money from the platform.
Tech + Economics +...
OpenSea slashes NFT marketplace staff by 50%
OpenSea, the prominent NFT marketplace startup, has laid off about half
of its staff, the...
a year ago
OpenSea, the prominent NFT marketplace startup, has laid off about half
of its staff, the company confirmed to Decrypt on Friday.
A company representative told Decrypt that approximately 50% of
employees were impacted across the company. The company would not
...
Rest of World -...
WhatsApp voice notes are revolutionizing farming in Senegal
For farmers in Senegal who struggle to read or write, sending voice notes has unlocked a new world...
a year ago
For farmers in Senegal who struggle to read or write, sending voice notes has unlocked a new world of collaboration across the industry.
Working Theorys
Status Limbo | Theory No. 27
To get status, you have to give up status.
11 months ago
To get status, you have to give up status.
Rest of World -...
How Presto became Libya’s most successful tech startup
The delivery app now plans to expand to neighboring countries.
2 months ago
The delivery app now plans to expand to neighboring countries.
Roberto's blog
Conquer dev environments with Nix
I regularly use different devices with different OSs, such as a MacBook, a Windows desktop with WSL,...
6 months ago
I regularly use different devices with different OSs, such as a MacBook, a Windows desktop with WSL, a couple of Raspberry PIs, and so on. I have a bunch of tools I like to have at my fingertips when I log into a machine, like fd and Neovim. Setting up and maintaining the same...
Platformer
How banning one Palestinian slogan roiled Etsy
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees...
a year ago
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees aren’t happy
Internal Tech Emails
Bill Gates: "The quality is giving us a bad name"
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it...
8 months ago
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it works is still less than 50%.
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 3 (Effect Systems)
over a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
Blumhouse: The Hollywood Horror Hit Machine
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
a year ago
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why the integrated approach to mobile devices is winning
Until last week’s announcement of the new Surface tablet, Microsoft had taken the same approach to...
over a year ago
Until last week’s announcement of the new Surface tablet, Microsoft had taken the same approach to mobile devices that they had with PCs…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product"
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product. And as you evolve that…
David Perell
How Should You Write?
There are two ways to write: The Printer Method and the Pixel Method. With the Printer Method, you...
over a year ago
There are two ways to write: The Printer Method and the Pixel Method. With the Printer Method, you write and rewrite every sentence until it’s perfect. Nail the first sentence, then the second, and so on. Perfection is the name of the game so you don’t advance to a new sentence...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Who should learn to program?
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk in the tech world and beyond about getting more people to learn...
over a year ago
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk in the tech world and beyond about getting more people to learn computer programming. I think this is a…
Rest of World -...
This delivery app takes away health insurance when workers don’t meet quotas
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they...
8 months ago
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they needed help the most.
The Thinking Cap
Don't Major in Computer Science
Or put less provocatively: college students should probably explore more than they currently do
a year ago
Or put less provocatively: college students should probably explore more than they currently do
Rest of World -...
A former fish farmer’s startup is flourishing during a tech downturn
Gibran Huzaifah’s eFishery made a case for tech companies solving rural issues.
a year ago
Gibran Huzaifah’s eFishery made a case for tech companies solving rural issues.
Noahpinion
Let's evaluate Kamala Harris' entire economic policy program!
Fun!!
2 months ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s Next in Computing?
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles....
over a year ago
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles. There has been a lot of handwringing…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Making industries “garage ready” for startups
One of the most important events in the history of modern computing was the advent of...
over a year ago
One of the most important events in the history of modern computing was the advent of “fabless” (“fabrication-less”) semiconductor companies…
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
Paul Graham: Essays
You Weren't Meant to Have a Boss
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The one number you should know about your equity grant
The one number you should know about your equity grant is the percent of the company you are being...
over a year ago
The one number you should know about your equity grant is the percent of the company you are being granted (in options, shares, whatever…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Is now a good time to start a company?
Back in 2006, my co-founder at Hunch, Caterina Fake, wrote a blog post called “It’s a bad time to...
over a year ago
Back in 2006, my co-founder at Hunch, Caterina Fake, wrote a blog post called “It’s a bad time to start a company.” There were no doubt…
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.
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…
Tom Blomfield
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen:
peternixey:
I seem to have a lot of...
over a year ago
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen:
peternixey:
I seem to have a lot of conversations recently with people who find themselves in the kitchen but without the means to cook anything.
As a cook myself they often ask me how to go about finding themselves a chef...
Inverted Passion
Why time seems to pass faster as we age
1/ I’ve been mega-obsessed with this feeling. A year as a 36-year-old seems so much shorter as...
9 months ago
1/ I’ve been mega-obsessed with this feeling. A year as a 36-year-old seems so much shorter as compared to when I was a kid or even as a teen. It seems cosmically unfair – we have fewer years to live, and each year flies by faster. 2/ But, why is that happening? My tentative...
Stephen Diehl
The Oncoming Ransomware Storm
over a year ago
Platformer
Here come the ChatGPT bans
Blocked in schools, forbidden at a machine learning conference. What should OpenAI do about it?
a year ago
Blocked in schools, forbidden at a machine learning conference. What should OpenAI do about it?
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…
Noahpinion
Pakistan needs a plan
The country can't go on like this. It needs stability, privatization, education, foreign investment,...
10 months ago
The country can't go on like this. It needs stability, privatization, education, foreign investment, and peace.
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 2 (Term Rewriting)
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
How tiny, cheap smart speakers unlocked the rise of digital payments in India
Vegetable carts, flower shops, mom-and-pop stores: Small speakers that read out digital payment...
a year ago
Vegetable carts, flower shops, mom-and-pop stores: Small speakers that read out digital payment receipts are making fintech companies big money.
Stephen Diehl
Countering the Crypto Lobbyists
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
The end of anonymity on Chinese social media
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
a year ago
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As elegantly produced as movies and as engaging as great novels
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is...
over a year ago
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is misguided: We decided to assume that the…
Rest of World -...
As EVs surge, so does nickel mining’s death toll
In the mineral-rich fringes of Indonesia, whose nickel will feed EV giants like Tesla, the deaths of...
a year ago
In the mineral-rich fringes of Indonesia, whose nickel will feed EV giants like Tesla, the deaths of miners continue to mount.
Noahpinion
Why aren't we taking every Chinese refugee we can?
Let's be the City on a Hill again.
a year ago
Let's be the City on a Hill again.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The People Deliberately Killing Facebook
Over the last decade, few platforms have declined quite as rapidly and visibly as Facebook and...
7 months ago
Over the last decade, few platforms have declined quite as rapidly and visibly as Facebook and Instagram. What used to be apps for catching up with your friends and family are now algorithmic nightmares that constantly interrupt you with suggested content and advertisements that...
AVC
What Is A Protocol And Why Does It Matter?
USV’s current thesis is: Enabling trusted brands that broaden access to knowledge, capital, and...
a year ago
USV’s current thesis is: Enabling trusted brands that broaden access to knowledge, capital, and well-being by leveraging networks, platforms, and protocols. https://www.usv.com/#thesis-3-0 That last word is powerful but unfortunately less understood than the other words in that...
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 […]
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Gadgets and Computers
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you...
over a year ago
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you start with a product that has a few…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
NFTs and A Thousand True Fans
In his classic 2008 essay “1000 True Fans,” Kevin Kelly predicted that the internet would transform...
over a year ago
In his classic 2008 essay “1000 True Fans,” Kevin Kelly predicted that the internet would transform the economics of creative activities: To…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Every time an engineer joins Google, a startup dies
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of...
over a year ago
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of venture capital dollars to worthy startups…
Unpacked
IRS Direct Tax Filing: the end of Intuit's lobbying
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending...
a year ago
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending two decades of Intuit's regulatory capture of the tax software market
Blog posts of...
Refactoring larger legacy codebases
This article is based on a comment of mine to a HackerNews question. Thought it might be useful to...
over a year ago
This article is based on a comment of mine to a HackerNews question. Thought it might be useful to explain it here a bit more in d...
Articles -...
How to raise money
In this article, I will walk you through my fundraising formula that has helped me raise over $1...
a year ago
In this article, I will walk you through my fundraising formula that has helped me raise over $1 billion of capital in my career. I’ll also walk you through building a predictable and repeatable fundraising machine.
The probability of success for a high growth company is...
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…
AVC
Machine Learning and Schools
I read last week that the NYC Department of Education has banned ChatGPT from its networks and...
a year ago
I read last week that the NYC Department of Education has banned ChatGPT from its networks and devices. I understand that reaction and mentioned the issues that AI/ML create for educators in a post a few weeks ago. I attended a dinner this past week with USV portfolio founders...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Builders and extractors
Tim O’Reilly poses a question every entrepreneur and investor should consider: are you creating more...
over a year ago
Tim O’Reilly poses a question every entrepreneur and investor should consider: are you creating more value for others than you capture for…
XO Capital - Field...
Fresh Cheddar
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy....
11 months ago
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy. We're looking for 1-2 businesses:
b2b saas
$30k+ MRR
This is about 2x what we've already deployed so far which is a big deal. We will
Essays - Benedict...
Leaving Twitter
I was on Twitter since 2007, and built a meaningful part of my career on
it, and I won’t be...
a year ago
I was on Twitter since 2007, and built a meaningful part of my career on
it, and I won’t be posting at all for the foreseeable future
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed company that lets you buy glasses over WhatsApp
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
a year ago
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
Steve Blank
Is a $100 Million Enough?
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a...
9 months ago
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a career in eight startups. I got to retire when I was 45. Over the last quarter century, in my third career, I helped create the methods entrepreneurs use to build new startups,...
Aaron's Essays
Conflicted Capital
I’ve spent a long time wrestling with how to advise founders about investors and the conflicts of...
over a year ago
I’ve spent a long time wrestling with how to advise founders about investors and the conflicts of interest generated by opposing incentives.[1] These considerations are especially important when a founder thinks about fundraising. The founder needs to figure out how to treat...
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on Search and AI
What to say about the future of AI and search?
10 months ago
What to say about the future of AI and search?
AVC
The Buy And Hold Mindset
When markets are in turmoil, like they have been for most of this year, I like to have a...
over a year ago
When markets are in turmoil, like they have been for most of this year, I like to have a buy-and-hold mindset when it comes to making new investments. It is hard to know when you’ve reached the bottom and can start buying again, but if you think about a ten or twenty-year hold,...
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.
Noahpinion
Will there be a Millennial Big Chill?
Millennials are finally doing OK economically. Will their politics moderate?
a year ago
Millennials are finally doing OK economically. Will their politics moderate?
Blog posts of...
How i make investment decisions 🏝
The goal of this article is to break down how i make investment decisions in the hope that it helps...
over a year ago
The goal of this article is to break down how i make investment decisions in the hope that it helps founders to see their fundraising effort from the “other side”.
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...
Noahpinion
How not to be fooled by viral charts
Part 1: How to spot misinformation, mistakes, and meaningless data
a year ago
Part 1: How to spot misinformation, mistakes, and meaningless data
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...
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...
Devmoh
Protobufs Explained, and why Google, Apple, and LinkedIn use it over JSON
Faster than JSON, clearer than XML, cross-language, type-safe, and backwards compatible.
a year ago
Faster than JSON, clearer than XML, cross-language, type-safe, and backwards compatible.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Maximizing capacity utilization as a startup premise
In stark contrast to other major airlines, Southwest has been profitable for 40 years. If Southwest...
over a year ago
In stark contrast to other major airlines, Southwest has been profitable for 40 years. If Southwest had one core “startup premise” it was…
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…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#50)
Permitting reform; industrial policy progress; China stimulus/bailouts; men and politics; wokeness;...
2 months ago
Permitting reform; industrial policy progress; China stimulus/bailouts; men and politics; wokeness; tariffs; a bad union demand
Noahpinion
Yes, we still have to work
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
5 months ago
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Anatomy of Determination
over a year ago
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…
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.
Platformer
Nine wild details from the new Elon Musk biography
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
a year ago
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
Tech + Economics +...
The Hyperloop was always a scam
Paris Marx:
The tech industry’s move into transportation was not only a failure; it
was...
12 months ago
Paris Marx:
The tech industry’s move into transportation was not only a failure; it
was an active campaign to deny the public access to better transit and
trains because the billionaires of Silicon Valley don’t personally want
to get around that way. The...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Web services should be both federated and extensible
One of the most important developments of the web 2.0 era is the proliferation of full featured,...
over a year ago
One of the most important developments of the web 2.0 era is the proliferation of full featured, bidirectional APIs. APIs provide a way to…
Platformer
The platforms give up on 2020 lies
For a time, they fought the good fight — but not any more
a year ago
For a time, they fought the good fight — but not any more
Blog posts of...
First-time fundraising is hell - maybe this helps 💰
Its easy to start fundraising, but most people struggle closing their round. Especially now. Why? I...
over a year ago
Its easy to start fundraising, but most people struggle closing their round. Especially now. Why? I try to give a few mental models and a bit tactical advice.
Internal Tech Emails
"I'm on the edge of revolt"
I've been both a supporter and I believe friend to Google and its senior management through all...
a year ago
I've been both a supporter and I believe friend to Google and its senior management through all these years, but I must say I'm on the edge of revolt now that Google's actions are so punitive, not just for Expedia, but also for IAC and all the players that depend upon something...
Rest of World -...
Reliance and Disney team up to crush Netflix and Prime Video in India
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat...
9 months ago
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat streaming entity in the country.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stack Exchange
Today we are announcing that A16z is leading a $40M investment in Stack Exchange, along with earlier...
over a year ago
Today we are announcing that A16z is leading a $40M investment in Stack Exchange, along with earlier investors USV, Bezos Expeditions, Spark…
Noahpinion
Why small developers are getting squeezed out of the housing market
A guest post by Coby Lefkowitz
9 months ago
A guest post by Coby Lefkowitz
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 -...
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.
Noahpinion
In which I rebut Nate Silver on the economy and Matt Yglesias on nuclear
Bloggers love to argue.
2 months ago
Tom Blomfield
Don't write tests - The Hidden Cost of TDD
I’ve been following the TDD/testing debate with some interest; I work at an early-stage payments...
over a year ago
I’ve been following the TDD/testing debate with some interest; I work at an early-stage payments startup called GoCardless where we test religiously. We’re not dogmatic about whether the tests come first or not, but code doesn’t get deployed without full unit & acceptance tests....
Working Theorys
The Rise of the Software Creator
In the age of AI, software creators, like content creators, will emerge as the industry’s...
6 months ago
In the age of AI, software creators, like content creators, will emerge as the industry’s non-professional creative class.
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
Tech + Economics +...
Elon Musk’s childishness knows no bounds.
Taylor Lorenz on Threads:
At the Dealbook summit, with X CEO Linda Yaccarino sitting in the...
a year ago
Taylor Lorenz on Threads:
At the Dealbook summit, with X CEO Linda Yaccarino sitting in the room,
Elon Musk just told advertisers — including Disney CEO Bob Iger — to go
fuck themselves."Don't advertise... If somebody did try to blackmail me
with...
Rest of World -...
Seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border? You’d better speak English or Spanish
Migrants speaking Haitian Creole or Indigenous languages face challenges at the border.
a year ago
Migrants speaking Haitian Creole or Indigenous languages face challenges at the border.
Rest of World -...
You messaged your doctor on WhatsApp. Should that be billed?
Medical practitioners in Latin America say WhatsApp can be a lifesaving tool — and a costly time...
a year ago
Medical practitioners in Latin America say WhatsApp can be a lifesaving tool — and a costly time sink.
Data Boutique
What's New on Data Boutique
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
11 months ago
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Plans are nothing, but planning is indispensable
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that writing a business plan is a waste of time, because: 1) very few people will read it, and 2) you’ll end up…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#41)
Soviet America (or not); the energy revolution; Trump's tax cuts; the Build-Nothing Country; macro...
6 months ago
Soviet America (or not); the energy revolution; Trump's tax cuts; the Build-Nothing Country; macro data mysteries
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#38)
WW2 production; "Neopopulism"; fake science; desire modification; deregulation ideas
6 months ago
WW2 production; "Neopopulism"; fake science; desire modification; deregulation ideas
Working Theorys
Angel Investing | Theory No. 28
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
11 months ago
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Think for Yourself
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
App store shenanigans
I’ve downloaded and tested a few hundred iPhone and iPad apps. One thing that I’ve noticed is that...
over a year ago
I’ve downloaded and tested a few hundred iPhone and iPad apps. One thing that I’ve noticed is that many of the top rated and ranked apps…
AVC
Yubikey Authenticator
I got a new Pixel 7 last week and have started the tedious process of moving over to a new phone....
a year ago
I got a new Pixel 7 last week and have started the tedious process of moving over to a new phone. One of the more painful chores in moving from one phone to another is moving the Google Authenticator app and all of the two factor codes to the new phone. My partner Nick told […]
Tech + Economics +...
This is how you know I’m almost 35.
Woke up.
Feel like absolute hell.
Need coffee. This is me sober, how did I ever function in...
a year ago
Woke up.
Feel like absolute hell.
Need coffee. This is me sober, how did I ever function in the mornings
while I was drinking?
Noahpinion
Harris has the right idea on housing
It has to be managed as both a consumer good and as an asset class.
4 months ago
It has to be managed as both a consumer good and as an asset class.
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
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…
Rest of World -...
Anxious and online, Chinese youth embrace spirituality apps
Young Chinese people are hiring online tarot readers and feng shui masters to seek cheap therapy.
a year ago
Young Chinese people are hiring online tarot readers and feng shui masters to seek cheap therapy.
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…
Noahpinion
Techno-optimism for 2024
What you should be excited about
11 months ago
What you should be excited about
Tom Blomfield
When to join a startup
Something has changed in the last few years which has made an increasing number of people want to...
over a year ago
Something has changed in the last few years which has made an increasing number of people want to join startups. It seemed to start around the time the Social Network movie came out - perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but part of me imagines a group of MBAs sitting around watching...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Subprime AI Crisis
None of what I write in this newsletter is about sowing doubt or "hating," but a sober evaluation of...
3 months ago
None of what I write in this newsletter is about sowing doubt or "hating," but a sober evaluation of where we are today and where we may end up on the current path. I believe that the artificial intelligence boom — which would be better described as a
XO Capital - Field...
What business are you really in?
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing...
8 months ago
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing business, said "After 5 years I finally know the real business we're in.".
It means they outwardly do X but on the inside the hard part is Y.
As an
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Unpacked
AI-enabled SaaS vs Moatless AI
Several enterprise SaaS companies have announced generative AI features recently, which is a direct...
a year ago
Several enterprise SaaS companies have announced generative AI features recently, which is a direct threat to AI startups that lack sustainable competitive advantage
Paul Graham: Essays
What Microsoft Is this the Altair Basic of?
over a year ago
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...
SatPost by Trung...
Amazon's $43B ad business, explained
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with...
a year ago
Jeff Bezos long shunned ads. However, Amazon's juicy first-party data has enabled it to compete with Alphabet and Meta in the new digital advertising landscape.
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.
Business Brainstorms
Designjoy of Canva, password manager for seniors, Future of SaaS in the wild world of AI, ...
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 “Business idea: “The Designjoy of Canva” - Lower priced...
Unpacked
Regulating AI: The case for a mechanisms-based approach
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on,...
a year ago
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on, and avoids unintended consequences of brute force approaches
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
11 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The risks of being a small investor in a private company
With the passage of the JOBS act, it seems that many more Americans will soon be able to buy equity...
over a year ago
With the passage of the JOBS act, it seems that many more Americans will soon be able to buy equity in private companies. I am no expert on…
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.
Entrepreneur's Edge
Organizational Design: Balancing Technology and Operations
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
a year ago
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
tomcritchlow.com
What are Executive Off-Sites Good For?
A blessed Q4 be upon you. And you as well.
over a year ago
A blessed Q4 be upon you. And you as well.
tomcritchlow.com
Building a New Project in Public
Nate Kadlac runs Approachable Design an online course to teach the basics of visual aesthetic and...
a year ago
Nate Kadlac runs Approachable Design an online course to teach the basics of visual aesthetic and design.
Tom Blomfield
Advice
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your...
over a year ago
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your wits to help you. Often, though, advice will be forthcoming. This post is about that advice, and how to spot the difference between good and bad.
Some advice is expert - your...
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…
Rest of World -...
Why Nigerian filmmakers are skipping Netflix to go straight to YouTube
Filmmakers say YouTube prevents piracy and is more accessible than Netflix, Prime Video, and...
a year ago
Filmmakers say YouTube prevents piracy and is more accessible than Netflix, Prime Video, and Showmax.
Platformer
The regulators come for OpenAI
From data privacy to defamation, officials have questions
a year ago
From data privacy to defamation, officials have questions
Rest of World -...
Around the world with Rest of World
Put your geography knowledge to the test.
3 months ago
Put your geography knowledge to the test.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Big timing
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking”...
over a year ago
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking” acting disrespectfully toward people who…
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?
Rest of World -...
Japan’s news app unicorn was ready to take on the US market. Where did it go wrong?
Former SmartNews employees point to failed product launches and far-right obsession of former CEO.
a year ago
Former SmartNews employees point to failed product launches and far-right obsession of former CEO.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Anatomy of a bad search result
In a post last week, Paul Kedrosky noted his frustration when looking for a new dishwasher using...
over a year ago
In a post last week, Paul Kedrosky noted his frustration when looking for a new dishwasher using Google. I thought it might be interesting…
Noahpinion
California needs real math education, not gimmicks
A guest post by Armand Domalewski.
a year ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Best practices for raising a VC round
Having raised a number of VC rounds personally and observed many more as an investor or friend, I’ve...
over a year ago
Having raised a number of VC rounds personally and observed many more as an investor or friend, I’ve come to think there are a set of…
Rest of World -...
How Careem went from Pakistan’s ride-hailing leader to stuck on the sidelines
After falling from dominance, Careem is experimenting — from corporate rides to price bidding — to...
6 months ago
After falling from dominance, Careem is experimenting — from corporate rides to price bidding — to maintain its presence in Pakistan.
Stephen Diehl
Purely Narrative-driven Bubbles
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The business plans of the next 10,000 startups are easy to forecast: Take X and add AI."
Kevin Kelly thinks artificial intelligence is finally ready deliver on its promise: The AI on the...
over a year ago
Kevin Kelly thinks artificial intelligence is finally ready deliver on its promise: The AI on the horizon looks more like Amazon Web…
Noahpinion
Putin is a rest stop on the road of post-Soviet collapse
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
a year ago
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
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 […]
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.
Tech + Economics +...
Breaking up with Slack and Discord: why it's time to bring back forums.
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared...
11 months ago
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared interests. Web-based bulletin boards allowed
members to have ongoing, asynchronous conversations over days or weeks as
participants logged in to read and respond on their own...
Paul Graham: Essays
The Other Half of "Artists Ship"
over a year ago
AVC
The Newest Members of the USV Team
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our...
a year ago
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our tradition at USV. When someone starts at USV, we ask them to write a post on the USV blog introducing themselves. This helps founders who come to talk to us about their companies...
David Perell
Saving the Liberal Arts
We start with their history by returning to the origins of Western thought. We argue that splitting...
over a year ago
We start with their history by returning to the origins of Western thought. We argue that splitting education into two halves — Professional and Civilized — is the only way to think about education clearly. We then outline the evolution of the Liberal Arts, from the ancients to...
Noahpinion
America's supply chains are a disaster waiting to happen
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
2 months ago
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
Platformer
Elon's war on Substack
How Twitter is breaking — and its CEO is accelerating its fall
a year ago
How Twitter is breaking — and its CEO is accelerating its fall
Rest of World -...
How InstaDeep became Africa’s biggest AI startup success
Karim Beguir is the co-founder and CEO of InstaDeep, a Tunisian startup that was acquired for $682...
3 months ago
Karim Beguir is the co-founder and CEO of InstaDeep, a Tunisian startup that was acquired for $682 million by BioNTech.
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.
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...
Rest of World -...
Venture capital’s cold war
...or how I learned to stop worrying and love decoupling.
a year ago
...or how I learned to stop worrying and love decoupling.
Stephen Diehl
Functional Programming, Abstraction, and Names
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The tradeoff between open and closed
When having the “open vs closed” debate regarding a technology platform, a number of distinctions...
over a year ago
When having the “open vs closed” debate regarding a technology platform, a number of distinctions need to be made. First, what exactly is…
Business Brainstorms
Feedback panel SaaS, gift ideas, selling futures, industrial grade calendaring, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “An idea for an AI tool I'd love to use — I upload chat...
Rest of World -...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“PCs are going to be like trucks”
Steve Jobs in 2010: When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks because that’s what you...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 2010: When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks because that’s what you needed on the farms. Cars became more…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🤠 Democratize Luxury
3 months ago
Paul Graham: Essays
What Business Can Learn from Open Source
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
A beauty contest controversy turned Uber into an unlikely battlefield between Nigeria and South...
Bolt has suspended inter-country requests between South Africa and Nigeria as users book hoax rides...
4 months ago
Bolt has suspended inter-country requests between South Africa and Nigeria as users book hoax rides to prank drivers.
tomcritchlow.com
LinkedIn is not a social or professional network, it's a learning network
The world of work is changing.
9 months ago
The world of work is changing.
Rest of World -...
The ByteDance streaming app that’s quietly going global
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
a year ago
Resso could give Spotify a run for its money.
Noahpinion
China's demographics will be fine through mid-century
There is no imminent crisis.
6 months ago
There is no imminent crisis.
Internal Tech Emails
Instagram cofounder on Mark Zuckerberg
will he go into destroy mode if I say no
a year ago
will he go into destroy mode if I say no
David Perell
Should You Write Every Day?
When I started working out, I hated it. I wanted to gain muscle but dreaded working out. Eventually,...
over a year ago
When I started working out, I hated it. I wanted to gain muscle but dreaded working out. Eventually, a friend got fed up with my laziness and told me what I needed to hear: “If you want to build the habit, go to the gym every single day without fail.” So that’s what I did.
The...
Unpacked
The EU's war on behavioral advertising
Meta recently conceded that in-app behavioral advertising in the EU can no longer be opt-in by...
a year ago
Meta recently conceded that in-app behavioral advertising in the EU can no longer be opt-in by default, marking the end of an era. The regulators won, at least for now.
Rest of World -...
China shows a glimmer of hope for Western business
Think of it as "conscious decoupling."
a year ago
Think of it as "conscious decoupling."
AVC
Voice Input
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use...
a year ago
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use voice input regularly. I would guess that maybe 10 to 20% of smartphone users are using voice input regularly. That’s a guess based on absolutely no data other than observing...
Noahpinion
Three years of Noahpinion
What happened to the world in 2023, and what I wrote about it
a year ago
What happened to the world in 2023, and what I wrote about it
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Machine learning is really good at partially solving just about any problem
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP)...
over a year ago
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP) can very quickly get you, say, 80% of…
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…
tomcritchlow.com
Working With Founders Who Have Conviction and Taste
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have...
8 months ago
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have powerpoints. It’s easy to flip a few quick slides into a chunk of cash and cackle off into the mountains.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to conduct a system design interview
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview....
over a year ago
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview. You can find a lot on the Internet on how…
42!
The folly of trying to replace spreadsheets
Our very earliest marketing copy for our HR SaaS was “Replace your spreadsheet nightmare with a nice...
a year ago
Our very earliest marketing copy for our HR SaaS was “Replace your spreadsheet nightmare with a nice clean HR database…”
We thought it was a cute and quirky tagline, and that it would immediately relatable to our target audience of business and human resource managers. After all...
Tech + Economics +...
A requiem for Tumblr.
Automattic's recent announcement that Tumblr is being put into maintenance
mode feels like the end...
a year ago
Automattic's recent announcement that Tumblr is being put into maintenance
mode feels like the end of a personal era. Tumblr wasn't just another
social network; it was a cultural phenomenon, a haven for the eclectic and
the expressive, where the internet's fringes found a...
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
Noahpinion
My sci-fi novel recommendations
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
12 months ago
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
Rest of World -...
Mother-son YouTubers cook Nepali dishes with sides of nostalgia and ASMR
Started as a pandemic hobby, KanchhiKitchen is giving Nepalis around the world a glimpse of...
a year ago
Started as a pandemic hobby, KanchhiKitchen is giving Nepalis around the world a glimpse of traditional village life.
Rest of World -...
Mexican TikTokers have code words to report on narco-violence without getting banned
Creators use euphemisms and emojis to get around what they say are arbitrary moderation...
a month ago
Creators use euphemisms and emojis to get around what they say are arbitrary moderation restrictions.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Not So Global Internet"
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the...
over a year ago
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the caribbean this week celebrating the year end…
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…
David Perell
How I’ve Studied the Bible
Years ago, I realized that the Bible is the foundational book of Western civilization. If I was...
12 months ago
Years ago, I realized that the Bible is the foundational book of Western civilization. If I was going to be an educated person, I needed to know what it said.
The post How I’ve Studied the Bible appeared first on David Perell.
Rest of World -...
Nigerian tech workers are going remote, and pricing out locals in smaller cities
Tech workers are leaving Lagos and Abuja — the country’s economic and political hubs, and flocking...
a year ago
Tech workers are leaving Lagos and Abuja — the country’s economic and political hubs, and flocking to cities like Ibadan, Jos, Benin City, Uyo, and Osogbo.
Stephen Diehl
Congressional Letter Campaign
over a year ago
Essays - Benedict...
Ways to think about a metaverse
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean?...
over a year ago
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean? If we strip away the noise, what can we say about
this, and what can we predict?
Platformer
What we’re learning from the Reddit blackout
Five lessons, and one open question
a year ago
Five lessons, and one open question
Noahpinion
Uphold territorial integrity
An organizing principle for U.S. power in the 21st century.
a year ago
An organizing principle for U.S. power in the 21st century.
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Proprietary services vs open protocols
over a year ago
Stephen Diehl
The Simple English Argument Against Crypto
over a year ago
Noahpinion
The student debt revolt failed, but Millennials will be fine
My generation will bear some minor economic scars into our prosperous middle age.
a year ago
My generation will bear some minor economic scars into our prosperous middle age.
Working Theorys
Invisible Duels
You didn’t agree to this duel. Yet it’s happening.
2 weeks ago
You didn’t agree to this duel. Yet it’s happening.
Rest of World -...
PETA is building robot elephants for Hindu temples
For centuries, elephants have been captured to live in temples. Animal rights groups say replacing...
2 months ago
For centuries, elephants have been captured to live in temples. Animal rights groups say replacing them with robots will minimize animal cruelty and risks to humans.
David Perell
Sensitivity Isn’t Static
The sensitivity of our senses ebbs and flows. If you’re looking to be more perceptive, start by...
a year ago
The sensitivity of our senses ebbs and flows. If you’re looking to be more perceptive, start by changing your environment.
The post Sensitivity Isn’t Static appeared first on David Perell.
Working Theorys
Don't Build a Social Network, Build a Social Utility | Theory No. 21
We often think of “social products” as synonymous with “social networks,” but they’re not. Social...
a year ago
We often think of “social products” as synonymous with “social networks,” but they’re not. Social networks are just a subset of social products, though arguably the most popular and lucrative kind that we’ve become used to hearing about. But I think it’s the wrong time to build a...
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...
Platformer
Winners and losers in the race to add AI
ChatGPT is now running inside Snapchat, Notion, and other apps. Will it give them a sustaining...
a year ago
ChatGPT is now running inside Snapchat, Notion, and other apps. Will it give them a sustaining advantage — or just line OpenAI's pockets?
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.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Don't trust default timeouts
Modern applications don't crash; they hang. One of the main reasons for it is the assumption that...
over a year ago
Modern applications don't crash; they hang. One of the main reasons for it is the assumption that the network is reliable. It isn't. When…
Noahpinion
Book Review: "The End of the World is Just the Beginning"
Peter Zeihan gives us his vision of the collapse of globalization.
a year ago
Peter Zeihan gives us his vision of the collapse of globalization.
Rest of World -...
Sing your way to learning a new language
Unlike apps like Duolingo, Beelinguapp focuses on storytelling and song to engage its over 5 million...
a year ago
Unlike apps like Duolingo, Beelinguapp focuses on storytelling and song to engage its over 5 million users.
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.
Aaron's Essays
A framework for choosing what to do
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure...
over a year ago
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure they knew what I should do. But...I didn't and most of their suggestions didn’t excite me.
As I thought through my possible paths, I realized that I didn't have a useful framework...
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.
Rest of World -...
TikTok users are chasing easy money by reposting viral videos from China
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend...
a year ago
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend with pricey training.
Business Brainstorms
A/B QR, how to run a business, airport rides, high-growth Asia-Pacific companies, lessons from Keith...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “i want to go to a doctor that will run every single...
Paul Graham: Essays
This Year We Can End the Death Penalty in California
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The new economy
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To...
over a year ago
According to the Business Insider, Facebook is “‘Beating The S— Out Of Its Numbers’ Thanks To Zynga’s Virtual Goods.” I wanted to try to…
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)
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...
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
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…
Noahpinion
Grading the economic schools of thought
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
a year ago
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
SatPost by Trung...
Apple's M&A Strategy, Explained
PLUS: Chick-fil-A, Duolingo, Bitcoin rally.
a month ago
PLUS: Chick-fil-A, Duolingo, Bitcoin rally.
Articles - Alex...
Thinking rationally about emotion
In advertising, using emotion is entirely logical. Creative agencies have
made this case...
4 months ago
In advertising, using emotion is entirely logical. Creative agencies have
made this case consistently. But in 2013 Les Binet and Peter Field bought
some much-needed data to the discussion. In their seminal report, The Long
and The Short of It, the duo analysed 30 years of...
Rest of World -...
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.
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?
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…
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…
Platformer
How Google is making up for lost time
The company is finally bringing AI to the places that matter
a year ago
The company is finally bringing AI to the places that matter
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.
SatPost by Trung...
The Dorito-fication of Media
How the evolution of media created ultra-processed junk food for our mind.
a month ago
How the evolution of media created ultra-processed junk food for our mind.
AVC
The Daily Bolster
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for...
a year ago
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for startups and growth companies. This week Bolster launched a daily short (5min) podcast and email with actionable insights and advice from founders, operators, and investors. It is...
Paul Graham: Essays
What I've Learned from Hacker News
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Brazil’s flood disaster set off a torrent of AI misinformation
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are failing an early test of misinformation safeguards.
7 months ago
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are failing an early test of misinformation safeguards.
Inverted Passion
Not everything is physics
The first book I ever read was The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. I liked it so much that...
3 months ago
The first book I ever read was The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. I liked it so much that I re-read it 8 times. As a young boy, the book had made a lasting impression on me, making me fall in love with ideas such as the arrow of time, black holes, entropy,…
Read...
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…
Noahpinion
Five big trends that have changed in the last few years
In which I pay attention to the world so you don't have to.
a year ago
In which I pay attention to the world so you don't have to.
Rest of World -...
How Apple’s India gamble paid off
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
5 months ago
India’s growing middle class is fueling a billion-dollar sales surge.
Tech + Economics +...
Is Twitch losing its edge with draconian content regulation?
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual...
11 months ago
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual content policies again, this time to
prohibit implied nudity on the platform. The platform already prohibits
nudity, but Twitch’s new attire policy, which goes into effect...
Rest of World -...
Scale AI is on a hiring spree for speakers of under-represented languages
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
a year ago
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
Noahpinion
Six ideas for Poland
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
3 months ago
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
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.
Rest of World -...
For South Africa’s female ride-hailing drivers, customers are the biggest hazards
Desperate to make ends meet, female Uber and Bolt drivers say abuse and attacks are a constant part...
a year ago
Desperate to make ends meet, female Uber and Bolt drivers say abuse and attacks are a constant part of the job.
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…
tomcritchlow.com
A Lil' Website Refresh
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the...
9 months ago
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the years who even knows. The point is there’s a new coat of paint.
Steve Blank
What’s Plan B? – The Small, the Agile, and the Many
This post previously appeared in the Proceedings of the Naval Institute. One of the most audacious...
over a year ago
This post previously appeared in the Proceedings of the Naval Institute. One of the most audacious and bold manifestos for the future of Naval innovation has just been posted by the Rear Admiral who heads up the Office of Naval Research. It may be the hedge we need to deter China...
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
An internet of people
Over the past few years, a bunch of web-based marketplaces have gotten popular – Etsy, Kickstarter,...
over a year ago
Over the past few years, a bunch of web-based marketplaces have gotten popular – Etsy, Kickstarter, AirBnb, to name a few. Many of these…
Tech + Economics +...
The internet is broken. Here’s how we fix it.
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, an engineer working on the ARPANET project — the
predecessor to the...
a year ago
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, an engineer working on the ARPANET project — the
predecessor to the Internet — sent the first email. The message was nothing
profound; it was a series of random characters that looked more like the
utterance of a toddler on a typewriter than a...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
Price controls: Too early for a victory lap
Narrative-driven triumphalism does not make for sound policy.
a year ago
Narrative-driven triumphalism does not make for sound policy.
Tech + Economics +...
There is a deep rot at the heart of Australian tech.
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record...
11 months ago
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record as saying that I am a man pretending to be a
woman. It's an old, outdated, obsolete and uninteresting transphobic trope.
In itself, it's almost not worth mentioning. But...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“The typical path of how people respond to life-changing inventions
I’ve never heard of it. I’ve heard of it but don’t understand it. I understand it, but I don’t see...
over a year ago
I’ve never heard of it. I’ve heard of it but don’t understand it. I understand it, but I don’t see how it’s useful. I see how it could be…
AVC
The Cleanse
I’ve never done a cleanse. But many of my friends and family members have done them. There are...
a year ago
I’ve never done a cleanse. But many of my friends and family members have done them. There are various flavors of cleanses but the basic idea is you cut back your consumption of food and drink and replace it with mostly liquid nutrition for anywhere from a day to a month. I...
tomcritchlow.com
Don’t Give Advice, Be Useful
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister...
11 months ago
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister - The Trusted Advisor
Aaron's Essays
Distributed Capital
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in...
over a year ago
In theory, the hard part about finding capital for unproven founders with unproven technologies in unproven markets should be that no one wants the risk. There was a time when that was true, but it isn’t anymore.[1] For a founder, the issue is different: venture capital is...
Rest of World -...
Apple manufacturers moved from China to Vietnam. Now they’re desperate for workers
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
2 months ago
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
Rest of World -...
Samsung knowingly exposed workers to highly toxic chemicals, whistleblower claims
In Vietnam, a key production base, a former safety officer alleges the factory also dumped chemicals...
a year ago
In Vietnam, a key production base, a former safety officer alleges the factory also dumped chemicals into waterways.
Platformer
Substack's new fundraising pitch
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
a year ago
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
Rest of World -...
The man leading Kenyan content moderators’ battle against Meta
Nathan Nkunzimana claims Meta and Sama fired content moderators for protesting working conditions...
a year ago
Nathan Nkunzimana claims Meta and Sama fired content moderators for protesting working conditions and demanding the right to unionize.
Steve Blank
The Department of Defense Is Getting Its Innovation Act Together – But More Can Be Done
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of...
11 months ago
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of threats from China and elsewhere, there’s no agreement on what types of adversaries we’ll face; how we’ll fight, organize, and train; and what weapons or systems we’ll need for...
Rest of World -...
Portraits of gig workers in rare moments off the clock
Rest of World shadowed workers in São Paulo, Lagos, Dhaka, and Jakarta to get an intimate look at...
9 months ago
Rest of World shadowed workers in São Paulo, Lagos, Dhaka, and Jakarta to get an intimate look at how they spend their breaks between orders.
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 4 (Datalog)
over a year ago
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Introducing: Better Offline
Episodes 1 and 2 Out Now
Hello everybody! A short newsletter today to announce the launch of my new...
10 months ago
Episodes 1 and 2 Out Now
Hello everybody! A short newsletter today to announce the launch of my new podcast Better Offline - my new tech show from iHeartRadio and Cool Zone Media.
It's a weekly exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society -
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Google and newspapers: the false choice of opting out
First let me say I love Google. I think Google created one of the greatest inventions of the past...
over a year ago
First let me say I love Google. I think Google created one of the greatest inventions of the past century and continues to give back much…
Tech + Economics +...
A shared burden: rethinking cybersecurity post the 23andMe breach.
TechCrunch: 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was
breached
But in a...
11 months ago
TechCrunch: 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was
breached
But in a letter sent to a group of hundreds of 23andMe users who are
now suing the company, 23andMe said that “users negligently recycled
and failed to update their passwords...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The challenge of creating a new category
One of the hardest things to do as a startup is to create a new category. Bloggers and press have a...
over a year ago
One of the hardest things to do as a startup is to create a new category. Bloggers and press have a natural tendency to “pigeonhole” – to…
Blog posts of...
🇪🇺 Dear Europe, please wake up – eu/acc
Europe is special to me as I consider myself a proud European, but damn we need to talk. Europe...
7 months ago
Europe is special to me as I consider myself a proud European, but damn we need to talk. Europe please wake up.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The only college major that matters
If you want to work in venture capital focusing on internet/software companies, or start one of...
over a year ago
If you want to work in venture capital focusing on internet/software companies, or start one of those companies, or work as an employee in…
Working Theorys
Big TAM Founders, Small TAM Startups | Theory No. 19
What's one way to maximize your startup's chance of success? Be a big TAM founder working on a...
a year ago
What's one way to maximize your startup's chance of success? Be a big TAM founder working on a smaller TAM startup.
Tech + Economics +...
AI does not produce reliable information. As Donald Trump's lawyer has fucked around and found out.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial...
11 months ago
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial intelligence program to generate bogus legal citations in his
motion for early termination of his supervised release.
Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Once you take money, the clock starts ticking
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that...
over a year ago
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that at any moment you get an inside peek at…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The “thin edge of the wedge” strategy
Establishing relationships with new users is the hardest part of growing a startup. For consumer...
over a year ago
Establishing relationships with new users is the hardest part of growing a startup. For consumer products establishing relationships can…
Tech + Economics +...
TikTok is revolutionizing news consumption - by eroding context.
The metamorphosis of news consumption is undeniable. TikTok, rising from
the ashes of Vine and the...
a year ago
The metamorphosis of news consumption is undeniable. TikTok, rising from
the ashes of Vine and the gradual decline of Instagram, captivated a new
generation, becoming a primary news source for many. This seismic shift
towards snackable, viral news content brings a host of...
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Make Pittsburgh a Startup Hub
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
ElevenLabs’ first Indian partnership banks on AI voice clones to make audio stories faster and...
Pocket FM creators can convert scripts to audio in English and German with one click. The company...
4 months ago
Pocket FM creators can convert scripts to audio in English and German with one click. The company plans to add more languages as it expands across Europe and Latin America this year.
Raw Thought (from...
What are the optimal biases to overcome?
over a year ago
42!
Trusting third parties with our information
Photo by Sergiu Nista on Unsplash
We’ve noticed a disturbing trend here at our startup in the past...
a year ago
Photo by Sergiu Nista on Unsplash
We’ve noticed a disturbing trend here at our startup in the past 12 months or so. We’ve been growing and adding new team members, and almost without fail, almost all our new starters are getting hit with a scam email within a few days of...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
3 months ago
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
Rest of World -...
OpenAI cuts its last and most important link to China
A milestone in the militarization of AI.
5 months ago
A milestone in the militarization of AI.
Tech + Economics +...
We’re in our 30’s. We’re not The Girls or The Boys.
A busy morning café. A group of women in their 30s are laughing over
lattes. One of them exclaims,...
a year ago
A busy morning café. A group of women in their 30s are laughing over
lattes. One of them exclaims, "We girls need to do this more often!" Across
town, a group of men clink their glasses in a pub, one of them chuckling,
"It's always a good time with the boys." Adults...
Noahpinion
All futurism is Afrofuturism
A repost, with some optimistic updates.
11 months ago
A repost, with some optimistic updates.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Exponential curves feel gradual and then sudden
"How did you go bankrupt?" "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” – Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also...
over a year ago
"How did you go bankrupt?" "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” – Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises The core growth process in the…
Rest of World -...
When Nigeria banned Twitter, Koo had a golden opportunity, and squandered it
Even the government officials who championed the Twitter competitor have stopped using it.
a year ago
Even the government officials who championed the Twitter competitor have stopped using it.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Owning equity in your company should be as common as owning equity in your home
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their...
over a year ago
What belongs in common to the most people is accorded the least care: they take thought for their own things above all, and less about…
Stephen Diehl
Stablecoins Do Not Deserve Special Treatment
over a year ago
tomcritchlow.com
Digital Bricolage & Web Foraging
When I reflect on the various lines of inquiry that light me up, there’s one consistent theme:...
a year ago
When I reflect on the various lines of inquiry that light me up, there’s one consistent theme: digital bricolage. Bricolage is “the skill of using whatever is at hand and recombining them to create something new.”
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
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…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#23)
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok...
12 months ago
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok as a propaganda engine, and California homelessness
Rest of World -...
The Turkish TikToker teaching young women to be religious girlbosses
Şule Kayatürk has become a star by making videos about being an observant Muslim who is also a...
2 months ago
Şule Kayatürk has become a star by making videos about being an observant Muslim who is also a high-powered businesswoman.
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