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...
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #1: Data Auctions
The data auction system explained
9 months ago
The data auction system explained
Rest of World -...
Chinese smartphone maker Transsion’s strategy to win hearts and wallets in small-town India
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights...
9 months ago
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights on India.
Platformer
Why TikTok's future has never been so cloudy
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying...
a year ago
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying scandal
Tech + Economics +...
I can't believe this needs to be said.
I can't believe this needs to be said, but no - the reason Disney's movies
have bombed lately is...
11 months ago
I can't believe this needs to be said, but no - the reason Disney's movies
have bombed lately is not because they aren't advertising on Birdchan.
There are a plethora of reasons behind their recent box office failures.
But they have nothing to do with diminishing...
Platformer
The Biden administration turns its attention toward AI
The Commerce Department asks for public comment. Here are three problems it should consider
a year ago
The Commerce Department asks for public comment. Here are three problems it should consider
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
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#13)
Climate messaging, antitrust, Chinese consumption, the Fed and inflation, marriage and happiness,...
a year ago
Climate messaging, antitrust, Chinese consumption, the Fed and inflation, marriage and happiness, historical data, and some Star Trek recommendations
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
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Firing
Firing is awful. You can try to avoid it, but even the most selective founders make serious...
over a year ago
Firing is awful. You can try to avoid it, but even the most selective founders make serious mistakes. Here are a few things I’ve observed…
haseeb qureshi
DeFi in Eth2: Cities, suburbs, and farms
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of...
over a year ago
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of the ICO bubble.
This is impressive, but also worrying! Ethereum 2.0 is still a ways away, but the tiny island of Ethereum 1.0 is already populated to the point of...
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.
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.
Data Boutique
The Hard Economics of Selling Web Data
Market components to consider when selling pre-scraped datasets
a year ago
Market components to consider when selling pre-scraped datasets
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Proprietary services vs open protocols
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
Why Twitter is a Big Deal
over a year ago
Stephen Diehl
FTX: Greed, Grift and Grandiosity
over a year ago
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
Blog posts of...
About the “other” Startup Hubs.
There is an energetic discussion going on in the Web-Tech Startup World. Each city wants to know -...
over a year ago
There is an energetic discussion going on in the Web-Tech Startup World. Each city wants to know - “Can we become the next Silicon...
Rest of World -...
How RRR’s success brought a wave of Telugu-language movies to Netflix
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of...
8 months ago
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of Chinese.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of investor signaling in venture pricing
Suppose there is a pre-profitable company that is raising venture financing. Simple, classical...
over a year ago
Suppose there is a pre-profitable company that is raising venture financing. Simple, classical economic models would predict that although…
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.
Nadia Asparouhova
How to do the jhanas
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to...
6 months ago
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to calm, to dissolution of reality – culminating in cessation, or loss of consciousness. They are induced via sustained concentration, without any external stimuli or substances. This...
Paul Graham: Essays
Is There Such a Thing as Good Taste?
over a year ago
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
FPTs: Pure Fungibility on the Blockchain
over a year ago
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…
Noahpinion
Vibes vs. data
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
a year ago
It's asymmetric warfare out there.
Noahpinion
Biden did stuff, and it looks like it's working so far
Only one President has taken actual concrete steps to address U.S. industrial weakness vis-a-vis...
3 months ago
Only one President has taken actual concrete steps to address U.S. industrial weakness vis-a-vis China.
Platformer
How the attacks in Israel are changing Threads
Three months into its existence, the app’s purpose may be coming into focus — if Meta will embrace...
a year ago
Three months into its existence, the app’s purpose may be coming into focus — if Meta will embrace it
Rest of World -...
Women in South Africa’s gig economy feel forced to work extra hours for free
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask...
11 months ago
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask them to do unpaid work, and the company hasn’t responded to their complaints.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Underhyping your startup
I recently tweeted: New early-stage start up trend: get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential...
over a year ago
I recently tweeted: New early-stage start up trend: get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential competitors. Chris Sacca agreed: @cdixon…
Nadia Asparouhova
Idea machines
Tech as a system of values, and not just an industry, is heavily driven by its subcultures and their...
over a year ago
Tech as a system of values, and not just an industry, is heavily driven by its subcultures and their ideologies. Where do these ideologies come from, and how do they influence what’s accomplished?
One of the most visible ideologies in tech is effective altruism (or EA), a...
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.
Internal Tech Emails
Scott Forstall emails Steve Jobs | Elon Musk on tweeting
He mentions third party developers. I do think at some point we will want to enable third parties to...
over a year ago
He mentions third party developers. I do think at some point we will want to enable third parties to write apps for P2.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Pop Culture
A week and a half ago, Goldman Sachs put out a 31-page-report (titled "Gen AI: Too Much Spend, Too...
5 months ago
A week and a half ago, Goldman Sachs put out a 31-page-report (titled "Gen AI: Too Much Spend, Too Little Benefit?”) that includes some of the most damning literature on generative AI I've ever seen. And yes, that sound you hear is the slow deflation of
Noahpinion
Why has U.S. manufacturing productivity stagnated for over a decade?
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
5 months ago
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #3: Third Party Solutions
Working with data? List your solution on Data Boutique
8 months ago
Working with data? List your solution on Data Boutique
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Copying doesn’t matter
a month ago
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
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.
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…
Essays - Benedict...
The VR winter continues
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices...
5 months ago
Meta has spent at least $50bn on VR and AR so far, but we’re still in the
VR winter: the devices aren’t good enough or cheap enough and the user base
is flat. But no matter how good the devices get, how many people will care?
Rest of World -...
A U.S. outsourcing company brought lofty promises to Nepal. Then came the layoffs
Former employees say the company killed the dream it once sold them.
a year ago
Former employees say the company killed the dream it once sold them.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Keybase: bringing public-key cryptography to mainstream users
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company...
over a year ago
Today I’m excited to announce that a16z is leading a $10.8M Series A financing of Keybase, a company that is trying to make the internet…
Blog posts of...
ADHD 🧠
I want to preface this by saying that I have only a mild case of ADHD, eg I don’t take any...
over a year ago
I want to preface this by saying that I have only a mild case of ADHD, eg I don’t take any medication. I get regularly asked about...
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...
Roberto Vitillo's...
I am writing a book
I have released the first chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! "Wait, what? Weren't you...
over a year ago
I have released the first chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! "Wait, what? Weren't you working on a video class?" - I hear you…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Shoehorning startups into the VC model
Tech startups go in an out of fashion. When they’re in fashion, as they are now, entrepreneurs and...
over a year ago
Tech startups go in an out of fashion. When they’re in fashion, as they are now, entrepreneurs and VCs get lots of attention. Most of this…
tomcritchlow.com
Work is a Place
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit...
9 months ago
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit up talking about jamming in the studio with his bandmates - his arms were flailing and you could feel the energy coming off him like steam from a hot pan. These weekly jam sessions...
Nadia Asparouhova
Mapping digital worlds
I gave a talk at The Stoa in February about “Mapping digital worlds to understand our present and...
a year ago
I gave a talk at The Stoa in February about “Mapping digital worlds to understand our present and future.” You can watch the video here; the following is a transcript of that talk.
Peter Limberg asked me to talk about an analysis I did late last year, where I mapped out all the...
Rest of World -...
U.S tech giants are building dozens of huge data centers in Chile. Locals are fighting back
Multiple groups are working to keep Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from doubling the number of...
6 months ago
Multiple groups are working to keep Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from doubling the number of centers in the country, fearing environmental devastation.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stored Hashcash
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights...
over a year ago
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights like spam and denial-of-service attacks are…
AVC
What Happened In 2022
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending...
a year ago
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending and one looking forward to the year ahead. This is the first of these two posts. The second one will run tomorrow. What happened in 2022 is the bottom fell out of the capital...
David Perell
The Perks of Niche Fame
There are two kinds of fame: Celebrity-Fame and Niche-Fame.
The post The Perks of Niche Fame...
over a year ago
There are two kinds of fame: Celebrity-Fame and Niche-Fame.
The post The Perks of Niche Fame appeared first on David Perell.
Working Theorys
The Prestige-Prosperity Gap
We expect prestige and wealth to grow in tandem. When status goes up, wealth goes up...
5 months ago
We expect prestige and wealth to grow in tandem. When status goes up, wealth goes up proportionately, and vice versa. But the modern world is a lot messier. There can be bizarre mismatches between prestige and prosperity. Some people have social or professional status far...
Tech + Economics +...
A few thoughts on the end of Omegle.
In 2009, Omegle was more than just a website to me; it was a lifeline when
I felt adrift and...
a year ago
In 2009, Omegle was more than just a website to me; it was a lifeline when
I felt adrift and isolated from any real sense of community or network. I
was struggling with depression, alcohol abuse and the recent end of my
music career and my life on tour.
Omegle's premise...
Working Theorys
Baseline Fame
When privilege becomes a pre-requisite.
7 months ago
When privilege becomes a pre-requisite.
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.
Rest of World -...
Rest of World’s 2024 reading guide
Global tech leaders share 12 books to add to your must-read pile.
6 months ago
Global tech leaders share 12 books to add to your must-read pile.
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.
tomcritchlow.com
What would a map of your career look like?
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career...
a year ago
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career maps…
Stephen Diehl
The Twilight of the Securities Act
over a year ago
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#15)
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous...
a year ago
Working-class wealth, the education gap, zero-sum thinking, data uncertainty, and indigenous knowledge
Entrepreneur's Edge
Your Name is an Ad Creative that is Everywhere, All at Once
Learn how to leverage cognitive science to create an instant brand advantage.
a year ago
Learn how to leverage cognitive science to create an instant brand advantage.
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
Platformer
Can 'radioactive data' save the internet from AI's influence?
Artificial intelligence is about to create some serious propaganda problems, a new paper argues. One...
a year ago
Artificial intelligence is about to create some serious propaganda problems, a new paper argues. One solution: to nuke the web
Steve Blank
Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition – Wrap Up
This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just had our final session of...
over a year ago
This article first appeared in West Point’s Modern War Institute. We just had our final session of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class. Joe Felter, Raj Shah and I designed the class to give our students insights on how commercial technology (AI, machine...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Chris Sacca on the implied user contract
Chris Sacca nicely summarized today’s FB vs Google vs Twitter controversy: It comes down to what...
over a year ago
Chris Sacca nicely summarized today’s FB vs Google vs Twitter controversy: It comes down to what each company has promised its users…
Unpacked
Apple's (reluctant) App Store changes, and Semafor tries AI news
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to...
10 months ago
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to support third party payments in the US (sort of), and additionally support side-loading of apps (i.e. supporting non-Apple app stores) in the EU. Spoiler: Apple is pushing the limits...
Working Theorys
Second Nature Skills
What can you do without trying that hard?
4 months ago
What can you do without trying that hard?
Rest of World -...
Google cuts off an $83 million ghost labor contract
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
10 months ago
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
Noahpinion
Some thoughts on where the war in Ukraine is headed
And some perspective on what's happened already.
a year ago
And some perspective on what's happened already.
Rest of World -...
How China’s hottest social media app turned Düsseldorf into a foodie destination
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
a year ago
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
Car wars
A flood of cheap Chinese imports is upsetting the global industrial order.
a year ago
A flood of cheap Chinese imports is upsetting the global industrial order.
AVC
Subscribing To AVC
For many years, there were three ways to subscribe to AVC: 1/ Email – Get new posts delivered to...
a year ago
For many years, there were three ways to subscribe to AVC: 1/ Email – Get new posts delivered to your inbox 2/ RSS – Get new posts delivered to your RSS reader 3/ X – Follow AVC on X X revoked the API access that I was using to autopost three or four months ago. […]
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…
Internal Tech Emails
Google considers buying stake in Epic
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to...
11 months ago
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to Android
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?
Paul Graham: Essays
The Hardest Lessons for Startups to Learn
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Bedrock programming
“Bedrock programming” is a phrase used to describe a style of programming that favors building code...
over a year ago
“Bedrock programming” is a phrase used to describe a style of programming that favors building code from the ground up versus reusing…
Rest of World -...
Come downstairs or we’ll eat your order, delivery workers tell customers
Brazilian delivery workers take their fight to get app users to pick up their orders to local...
a year ago
Brazilian delivery workers take their fight to get app users to pick up their orders to local legislatures.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Real Reason to End the Death Penalty
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
Why Arc Isn't Especially Object-Oriented
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Repost: Someone has to run the fabs
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
a year ago
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
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
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#21)
Saudi oil, delayed economic optimism, the EV revolution, U.S. education performance, Indian...
a year ago
Saudi oil, delayed economic optimism, the EV revolution, U.S. education performance, Indian industrialization, and Chinese urbanism
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"Natural languages are adequate, but that doesn't mean they're optimal"
Languages are something of a mess. They evolve over centuries through an unplanned, democratic...
over a year ago
Languages are something of a mess. They evolve over centuries through an unplanned, democratic process that leaves them teeming with…
Noahpinion
Energy Bell: The sketch of an idea
How can we get America back to the forefront of energy research?
5 months ago
How can we get America back to the forefront of energy research?
Platformer
A visit to TikTok's transparency center
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
a year ago
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
SatPost by Trung...
From Beatlemania to Taylor-mania
How the meteoric rise of The Beatles helps to explain Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour, on pace to be the...
a year ago
How the meteoric rise of The Beatles helps to explain Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour, on pace to be the first tour ever to gross $1B.
Essays - Benedict...
Tech questions for 2022
Sometimes the centre of gravity in tech is very clear, but as we enter 2022
there are lots of...
over a year ago
Sometimes the centre of gravity in tech is very clear, but as we enter 2022
there are lots of areas where trillion dollar questions are wide open.
These are the questions I wonder about today, from crypto to cars to fast
fashion - there are others.
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
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...
Rest of World -...
WhatsApp gives India an ultimatum on encryption
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
7 months ago
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Presenting Founder Collective
As readers of this blog know, I’m a huge fan of the startup and venture capital world but also a...
over a year ago
As readers of this blog know, I’m a huge fan of the startup and venture capital world but also a sometimes critic of how the venture capital…
42!
Does your SaaS actually save your customers from doing more work?
A recent conversation on Twitter with a colleague has reminded of this dilemma that we faced in our...
a year ago
A recent conversation on Twitter with a colleague has reminded of this dilemma that we faced in our early days of launching my SaaS.
You see, In 25 years of consulting to small businesses, I had learned that business owners and managers were faced with the challenge of recording...
Steve Blank
Secret History – When Kodak Went to War with Polaroid
This part 2 of the Secret History of Polaroid and Edwin Land. Read part 1 for context. Kodak and...
7 months ago
This part 2 of the Secret History of Polaroid and Edwin Land. Read part 1 for context. Kodak and Polaroid, the two most famous camera companies of the 20th century, had a great partnership for 20+ years. Then in an inexplicable turnabout Kodak decided to destroy Polaroid’s...
Tom Blomfield
How to raise investment
Update: I am no longer personally angel investing - I’m focussed on other things at the moment....
over a year ago
Update: I am no longer personally angel investing - I’m focussed on other things at the moment. Please don’t ask me to invest in your company! 🙂
I started angel-investing in 2021, and a large proportion of the companies I put money into asked for help raising an investment...
42!
Reflections on 2020
I feel kind of conflicted writing this, because 2020 was a horror of a year for most people around...
over a year ago
I feel kind of conflicted writing this, because 2020 was a horror of a year for most people around the world. Instead, for me, and my family, it was somewhat of a start of new beginnings and some huge wins.
I feel that I have finally stepped out of a decade long black tunnel,...
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.
Platformer
Why Platformer is leaving Substack
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
11 months ago
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
Rest of World -...
India’s ambitious lithium dreams have stalled
Last year, India touted the discovery of a huge reserve of valuable lithium in Kashmir. Experts say...
a month ago
Last year, India touted the discovery of a huge reserve of valuable lithium in Kashmir. Experts say optimism around the discovery was overblown.
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Always have 18 months of cash in the bank
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18...
over a year ago
I was once told by an experienced entrepreneur (I can’t remember who) to always have at least 18 months of cash in the bank. The logic…
AVC
Coding Again
It has been many years since I’ve written code. I’ve hacked around in HTML and CSS a bit on this...
a year ago
It has been many years since I’ve written code. I’ve hacked around in HTML and CSS a bit on this blog and a few other places. But I have not actually written an application in a very long time. I think it might be thirty years since I’ve done any real programming. Over the...
Rest of World -...
Las compañías de autos eléctricos quieren el litio de Argentina. Poco queda para sus ciudadanos.
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de...
8 months ago
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de generadores. El proyecto se frenó. Mientras tanto, las exportaciones de litio crecen.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"Bitcoin is the currency the internet deserves and needs"
George Gilder discusses the importance of Bitcoin in a very interesting interview: To have a...
over a year ago
George Gilder discusses the importance of Bitcoin in a very interesting interview: To have a civilization you need more than just bits and…
Noahpinion
Will China squander its moment in the sun?
A great civilization could be a lot greater, if its leaders gave up their obsession with control.
11 months ago
A great civilization could be a lot greater, if its leaders gave up their obsession with control.
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...
Noahpinion
Interview: Sarah C. Paine
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
10 months ago
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
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…
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
David Perell
Ambitious People Need Each Other
Ambitious people don’t just need peers. They need mentors. They need people who will encourage them...
a year ago
Ambitious people don’t just need peers. They need mentors. They need people who will encourage them to pursue hard and meaningful projects.
The post Ambitious People Need Each Other appeared first on David Perell.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
If you aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough
My most useful career experience was about eight years ago when I was trying to break into the world...
over a year ago
My most useful career experience was about eight years ago when I was trying to break into the world of VC-backed startups. I applied to…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the…
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the...
over a year ago
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the next big thing — to listen for the…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#37)
The U.S. as trade war leader; Russia/China infowar; Biden and inflation; Yglesias on industrial...
7 months ago
The U.S. as trade war leader; Russia/China infowar; Biden and inflation; Yglesias on industrial policy; How to get immigrants to the Rust Belt; How to lose money
Noahpinion
Plentiful, high-paying jobs in the age of AI
Comparative advantage is very subtle, but incredibly powerful.
9 months ago
Comparative advantage is very subtle, but incredibly powerful.
Working Theorys
Membership clubs & desktop apps are back.
And more things I talked about over coffee & dinner this week.
7 months ago
And more things I talked about over coffee & dinner this week.
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?
Rest of World -...
South Africans are using a power outage notification app to sell weed, find odd jobs
With blackouts devastating the country’s economy, EskomSePush’s AskMyStreet feature has become a...
a year ago
With blackouts devastating the country’s economy, EskomSePush’s AskMyStreet feature has become a rare bright spot for gig workers.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Lose Time and Money
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Three levels of enthusiasm for technology
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But...
over a year ago
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But they embrace technology with varying levels…
Paul Graham: Essays
Default Alive or Default Dead?
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Uber’s big plan for India: buses
Uber Shuttle, a shared bus ride service, is available in two Indian cities. The company plans to...
2 weeks ago
Uber Shuttle, a shared bus ride service, is available in two Indian cities. The company plans to launch in three more cities soon.
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.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
'The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.' Teilhard de Chardin...
6 months ago
'The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.' Teilhard de Chardin 💡Broken Hips This feels like one of these problems that most people have accepted as inevitable but that will be solved soon and we will look back and think how crazy we allowed this...
Rest of World -...
Rebel or sellout? How Nigeria’s startup darling became tech minister
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has...
11 months ago
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has been controversial.
Rest of World -...
TikTok users are chasing easy money by reposting viral videos from China
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend...
a year ago
The practice goes against TikTok's policies, but "gurus," and "mentors" are exploiting the trend with pricey training.
Rest of World -...
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.
Paul Graham: Essays
Can You Buy a Silicon Valley? Maybe.
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Interview: Dan Wang, China specialist
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and...
a year ago
We talk about China's economy, decoupling, export controls, industrial policy, state control, and lots more.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Bitcoin and volatility
The beauty of software platforms is that you can solve almost any problem by writing more software....
over a year ago
The beauty of software platforms is that you can solve almost any problem by writing more software. For example, one of the most common…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Two eras of the internet: pull and push
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad...
over a year ago
The evolution of the internet is an extremely complex topic. Sometimes it is helpful to find broad patterns that make it easier to…
Paul Graham: Essays
You Weren't Meant to Have a Boss
over a year ago
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…
Rest of World -...
China is betting on battery swaps to tackle EV chargers shortage
Rarely seen globally, there are already thousands of battery swap stations across China.
8 months ago
Rarely seen globally, there are already thousands of battery swap stations across China.
Nothing Human
Reflections on Politics at Thanksgiving Dinner
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
3 weeks ago
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The importance of institutional redundancy
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system...
over a year ago
Every system built by a single institution has points of failure that can bring the entire system down. Even in organizations that have…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"You actually have to remind yourself not to believe"
[Virtual Reality] is the last medium. We’re at the very beginning of it, but version 147 is The...
over a year ago
[Virtual Reality] is the last medium. We’re at the very beginning of it, but version 147 is The Matrix or Total Recall. Our brain is no…
Noahpinion
Americans are still not worried enough about the risk of world war
In which I try to be Gandalf instead of Cassandra.
8 months ago
In which I try to be Gandalf instead of Cassandra.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Revenue vs margin
Three years ago, Fred Wilson wrote a great blog post called When Talking About Business Models,...
over a year ago
Three years ago, Fred Wilson wrote a great blog post called When Talking About Business Models, Remember that Profits Equal Revenues Minus…
Rest of World -...
A little-known AI startup is behind Nigeria’s first government-backed LLM
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
6 months ago
Awarri has been tapped to help increase the representation of Nigerian languages in AI.
Noahpinion
Why trying to "shape" AI innovation to protect workers is a bad idea
Instead, we should empower workers and create mechanisms for redistribution.
a year ago
Instead, we should empower workers and create mechanisms for redistribution.
haseeb qureshi
How DeFi cannibalizes PoS security
On-chain lending has become the most popular decentralized finance (DeFi) application today,...
over a year ago
On-chain lending has become the most popular decentralized finance (DeFi) application today, with over $600M in loans originated this year across MakerDAO, Compound, and dYdX. On-chain lending has the potential to disrupt traditional secured lending. But it seems it may do more...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
VC investment vs Gartner hype cycle
Here is total VC investment over time: And here's the Gartner hype cycle: One reading of this is...
over a year ago
Here is total VC investment over time: And here's the Gartner hype cycle: One reading of this is that the advent of the internet was the…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Future of Reading Depends on the Future of Learning Difficult to Learn Things"
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a...
over a year ago
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a prosthetic brace on a healthy limb will…
Platformer
What I learned in year three of Platformer
Has the Substack revolution come and gone? PLUS: What's changing in year four
a year ago
Has the Substack revolution come and gone? PLUS: What's changing in year four
Noahpinion
Heterodox vs. mainstream macroeconomics
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
a year ago
If you're skeptical of one, you should be skeptical of the other too.
Rest of World -...
Indonesia has more than 700 languages. Can AI save them?
Most LLMs such as GPT, Llama, and Gemini are trained largely in English, but several Southeast Asian...
7 months ago
Most LLMs such as GPT, Llama, and Gemini are trained largely in English, but several Southeast Asian firms are focusing on Bahasa Indonesia and other regional languages.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The Babe Ruth Effect in Venture Capital
"How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball... The...
over a year ago
"How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball... The harder you grip the bat, the more you can…
Rest of World -...
Rappi: the app trying to do everything for everyone in Latin America
This budding super-app will get you (almost) anything in minutes.
a year ago
This budding super-app will get you (almost) anything in minutes.
Rest of World -...
New data shows the number of new mobile internet users is stalling
What happened to the “next billion” internet users? They’re already online.
a month ago
What happened to the “next billion” internet users? They’re already online.
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.
Rest of World -...
Why Meta still needs China
You can take Facebook out of China, but you can’t take China out of Facebook.
a year ago
You can take Facebook out of China, but you can’t take China out of Facebook.
The Thinking Cap
The Future of No Code is Low Code
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
over a year ago
Or why we should write more programming languages instead of trying to build virtual legos.
Rest of World -...
India banned a Chinese app four years ago. Government agencies are still using it
CamScanner was one of 59 Chinese apps the Indian government banned in 2020, amid a border conflict...
3 weeks ago
CamScanner was one of 59 Chinese apps the Indian government banned in 2020, amid a border conflict with China.
Noahpinion
America doesn't really have a working class
Why class politics is unlikely to succeed where identity politics failed.
a month ago
Why class politics is unlikely to succeed where identity politics failed.
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.
Rest of World -...
Pakistan’s mass transit is failing. BusCaro thinks it has the solution
After the failure of Airlift and Swvl, this startup is stepping in to provide an alternative to...
6 days ago
After the failure of Airlift and Swvl, this startup is stepping in to provide an alternative to Pakistan’s unreliable public transport system.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Showing up
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s...
over a year ago
Mark Twain famously quipped that “80 percent of life is showing up.” Running a startup, I’d say it’s more like 90 percent. For example, I…
Rest of World -...
China is six months behind the U.S. on AI, the US has to move faster: Div Turakhia
The India-born tech investor, entrepreneur and billionaire businessman spoke to Rest of World about...
2 months ago
The India-born tech investor, entrepreneur and billionaire businessman spoke to Rest of World about the promise of AI technology, why the U.S. needs to move faster to compete with China, and the advantage the UAE has in building AI.
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.
Internal Tech Emails
Sam Altman emails Elon Musk
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the...
9 months ago
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the distributed version of the future that seems the safest.
Rest of World -...
What we learned from reporting on global tech this year
Rest of World contributors from Dhaka to Buenos Aires share their highlights, low points, and key...
2 weeks ago
Rest of World contributors from Dhaka to Buenos Aires share their highlights, low points, and key takeaways from covering technology in 2024.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Getting a job in venture capital
Getting a job in venture capital is extremely hard. There are a lot of really smart, well...
over a year ago
Getting a job in venture capital is extremely hard. There are a lot of really smart, well qualified, eager people who want to work in VC…
Rest of World -...
In Southeast Asia, Ramadan is an online shopping bonanza
An e-commerce battle brews between Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop with the continued rise of...
8 months ago
An e-commerce battle brews between Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop with the continued rise of livestream selling.
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…
Platformer
The AI industry really should slow down a little
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
a year ago
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
Rest of World -...
AI is making Philippine call center work more efficient, for better and worse
BPO workers say AI tools are monitoring their calls, assisting them with customers, and scoring...
3 weeks ago
BPO workers say AI tools are monitoring their calls, assisting them with customers, and scoring their performance.
Raw Thought (from...
Look at yourself objectively
over a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Pixar
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles...
4 months ago
Revisiting the studio’s early highs (one lunch led to $6B at the box office), creative struggles (stale IP, original flops) and why "Inside Out 2" could trigger a renaissance.
Platformer
Elon Musk's creep show
Caught in a series of lies about his willingness to fight Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire's...
a year ago
Caught in a series of lies about his willingness to fight Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire's disturbing spiral accelerates
Rest of World -...
Virtual tomb-sweeping keeps a Chinese tradition alive
As Chinese migrants struggle to return home for traditional tomb-sweeping, virtual platforms are...
2 months ago
As Chinese migrants struggle to return home for traditional tomb-sweeping, virtual platforms are helping them pay respects from afar.
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?
Noahpinion
Three more books about the technology wars
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
a year ago
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
Rest of World -...
Another week, another push to “Make in India”
The Indian government mandates companies to get a license if they want to import laptops, tablets,...
a year ago
The Indian government mandates companies to get a license if they want to import laptops, tablets, and PCs. Experts call it “protectionism.”
Rest of World -...
Elon Musk said he’d eliminate bots from X. Instead, election influence campaigns are running wild
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
4 months ago
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
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
tomcritchlow.com
The Magic of Small Databases
summary
Publishing documents to the web is a well-served use case but publishing small indexes,...
a year ago
summary
Publishing documents to the web is a well-served use case but publishing small indexes, databases and collections to the web is still an incredibly frustrating and under-served use case. Here I outline why I think it matters and a variety of approaches to solving it.
Folklore.org:...
Folon
Early Mac art from Jean-Michel Folon
a year ago
Early Mac art from Jean-Michel Folon
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 4 (Datalog)
over a year ago
Data Boutique
Using Historical Data: Basic Knowledge
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
5 months ago
Elements to consider when using historical data from web scraping
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.
42!
Basecamp's house of cards...
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure...
over a year ago
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure (unknown)
I don’t know where I first heard the above quote, but the events of the last week have really shown how true this saying is.
I will start by saying that I have been an...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden...
10 months ago
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden nugget I took away from it is that stress is 100% a framing issue. You only feel stressed when you think you can't handle it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a full calendar, juggling...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Sam Altman Is Full Of Shit
Note: In my last newsletter, I said that my next post would be the second part of my Facebook...
7 months ago
Note: In my last newsletter, I said that my next post would be the second part of my Facebook autopsy. Don’t worry, that’s still coming, but given the recent drama between Sam Altman, OpenAI, and Scarlett Johansson, I felt the need to write something. Don’
Blog posts of...
🇮🇳 India in 2024
In February I made my first business trip to India. Three weeks deep in the Indian tech ecosystem....
8 months ago
In February I made my first business trip to India. Three weeks deep in the Indian tech ecosystem. My summary is simple: I feel like the world needs an update how we view India
Rest of World -...
2023 Impact Report
The global reach and impact of our journalism in 2023
8 months ago
The global reach and impact of our journalism in 2023
Rest of World -...
China fights for an edge on semiconductors
The gallium problem could become everyone’s problem
a year ago
The gallium problem could become everyone’s problem
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How bundling benefits sellers and buyers
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine...
over a year ago
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine and other information goods will go away…
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?
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs on iPod and DRM
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot...
a month ago
Guys – We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot use iPod. Is this going to be an issue?
Rest of World -...
The best articles we didn’t publish in 2023
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
12 months ago
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
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…
Paul Graham: Essays
Why There Aren't More Googles
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The thin edge of the wedge for virtual reality
Pius Uzamere argues that virtual reality will succeed first in business applications instead of...
over a year ago
Pius Uzamere argues that virtual reality will succeed first in business applications instead of gaming: The most interesting virtual reality…
Rest of World -...
The Genius Bar in a country where iPhones can’t legally be sold
In the land of the U.S. embargo, Cuba’s Apple technicians are kings.
a year ago
In the land of the U.S. embargo, Cuba’s Apple technicians are kings.
Platformer
Biden seeks to rein in AI
An executive order gives AI companies the guardrails they asked for. Will the US go further?
a year ago
An executive order gives AI companies the guardrails they asked for. Will the US go further?
Noahpinion
The Roaring 20s are back on track
A healthy economy, strong productivity growth, and a continuing tech boom.
a year ago
A healthy economy, strong productivity growth, and a continuing tech boom.
Rest of World -...
The music streaming app for those who can’t pay for downloads
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for...
a year ago
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for YouTube or Spotify.
Data Boutique
Stop Scraping H&M (And Other Things Live on Data Boutique)
Web Scraped Data Catalog June 2023
a year ago
Web Scraped Data Catalog June 2023
Noahpinion
A vote for Trump is a vote for chaos
Let's leave the 2010s in the past where they belong.
11 months ago
Let's leave the 2010s in the past where they belong.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Information is the (other) currency of venture capital
Many seasoned entrepreneurs have had the following experience. A VC eagerly wants to meet with you....
over a year ago
Many seasoned entrepreneurs have had the following experience. A VC eagerly wants to meet with you. You have what seems like a very good…
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 […]
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.
Platformer
In latest round of Twitter cuts, some see hints of its next CEO
Is the job Steve Davis' to lose? PLUS: A smart new tool to fight child exploitation online
a year ago
Is the job Steve Davis' to lose? PLUS: A smart new tool to fight child exploitation online
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.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#18)
Recession illusions, China's military buildup, industrial policy and wages, rethinking corporate...
a year ago
Recession illusions, China's military buildup, industrial policy and wages, rethinking corporate tax, tightening export controls, and an interview with Darrell Owens
Platformer
Google goes to court
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
a year ago
On the eve of a major antitrust trial — and its 25th birthday — the company is bracing for a fight
Articles - Alex...
The errors of efficiency
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by...
over a year ago
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by it. Enamoured and enthralled by it. We want our
teams to be lean. Our processes to be agile. And our output to be
optimised. Instead of focussing on making our work bigger, we...
Data Boutique
Economics of Web Data: ROI
Customer's Value Standpoint
a year ago
Customer's Value Standpoint
Rest of World -...
Alibaba.com’s U.S. expansion hinges on wooing mom-and-pop shops
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about...
3 months ago
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about the U.S. market.
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.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
The Acceleration of Addictiveness
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Options on early stage companies
I believe that what I’m about to say is accepted by venture capitalists as fact, even trivially...
over a year ago
I believe that what I’m about to say is accepted by venture capitalists as fact, even trivially obvious fact, yet very few entrepreneurs I…
SatPost by Trung...
11 types of cross-industry innovation
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
a year ago
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
What are the checks and balances on the power of Elon Musk?
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
yesterday
The question we'll all be asking over the next year or more.
Working Theorys
30 and Retirable
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
4 months ago
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
Working Theorys
Crypto social games don’t need the crypto
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
Noahpinion
What the Solow Model can teach us about China
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
a year ago
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
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
Rest of World -...
Delivery riders are fighting each other over bike-shares in Brazil
Almost half the riders from Brazil’s largest delivery app now use city bikes to get around.
a year ago
Almost half the riders from Brazil’s largest delivery app now use city bikes to get around.
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…
Working Theorys
Why Are All the Public Intellectuals Men? | Theory No. 18
The most identifiable people in this arena aren’t "traditional" scholars. They’re usually not...
a year ago
The most identifiable people in this arena aren’t "traditional" scholars. They’re usually not researchers, scientists, or writers by education or trade. Instead, they seem to have just put themselves forth as vessels — to study the world, share their observations, and sprinkle in...
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...
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.
XO Capital - Field...
493.5% ROI - Exiting Sheet.Best
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy...
10 months ago
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy their first saas company. If this one is successful and we can add some value, we'll do another one! Jump in our discord to stay informed!
Devmoh
Why did Meta open-source Llama 2?
Meta seems to be all in on open-source AI. They released Llama 2, which features some impressive...
a year ago
Meta seems to be all in on open-source AI. They released Llama 2, which features some impressive benchmarks compared to other open source language models. Why does Meta keep releasing open-source models? What is their incentive? To attract and retain top AI talent.
Noahpinion
All the arguments against EVs are wrong
EVs are just going to win.
a year ago
EVs are just going to win.
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.
Rest of World -...
In-home beauty service in Pakistan: the woman sweet-talking tough clients
Though gig work gives respite from the grind of working in a salon, choosy clients make a...
a year ago
Though gig work gives respite from the grind of working in a salon, choosy clients make a beautician’s work demanding.
Rest of World -...
The chatbot answering modern-day questions about an ancient religion
JainGPT answers inquiries ranging from “What is Jainism?” to “What happens after we die?”
2 months ago
JainGPT answers inquiries ranging from “What is Jainism?” to “What happens after we die?”
SatPost by Trung...
11 Creative Lessons from Brian Eno
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in...
a year ago
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in arts and what is art actually for?
Rest of World -...
Using AI to build the “definitive” Spanish writing tool
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
6 months ago
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
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…
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?
SatPost by Trung...
The Tale of Two Phones
Notes on trying to break my smartphone addiction: by having a "Cocaine Phone" and a "Kale Phone".
a year ago
Notes on trying to break my smartphone addiction: by having a "Cocaine Phone" and a "Kale Phone".
Platformer
TikTok nears the endgame
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost....
a year ago
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost. PLUS: How Twitter keeps competitors off its For You page
Internal Tech Emails
Microsoft's gaming strategy
we are exactly like Polaroid. We are core gaming which isn't growing its TAM (analogous to film...
a year ago
we are exactly like Polaroid. We are core gaming which isn't growing its TAM (analogous to film photographers) while mobile gaming MAU is growing WW at a significant rate (like digital photography was growing).
Rest of World -...
The rise and fall of Argentina’s celebrity crypto pastor
Generación Zoe promised investors massive returns thanks to market-predicting “robots” and a...
a year ago
Generación Zoe promised investors massive returns thanks to market-predicting “robots” and a cryptocurrency backed by gold. It sounded too good to be true.
Rest of World -...
The startup founder bootstrapping his creator economy business
Douglas Kendyson, a former engineer at Flutterwave and Paystack, has built a profitable bootstrapped...
10 months ago
Douglas Kendyson, a former engineer at Flutterwave and Paystack, has built a profitable bootstrapped African startup.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on when to raise money, and the current financing environment
A key question for founders is when they should try to raise money. More specifically, they often...
over a year ago
A key question for founders is when they should try to raise money. More specifically, they often wonder whether to raise money now or wait…
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.
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...
Tech + Economics +...
I hate work.
The piercing sound of my alarm shatters the stillness of my room at the
ungodly hour of 5 AM, and...
a year ago
The piercing sound of my alarm shatters the stillness of my room at the
ungodly hour of 5 AM, and I reluctantly drag myself out of bed. It’s the
same daily grind, a routine I’ve been stuck in for years, first as a sound
engineer, then as a tech exec, and now as an indie...
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…
Blog posts of...
A model that’s mental
Maybe… This anxiety isn’t anxiety it’s just your raw excitement that you are misunderstanding. This...
over a year ago
Maybe… This anxiety isn’t anxiety it’s just your raw excitement that you are misunderstanding. This creeping imposter syndrome jus...
Noahpinion
In which I rebut Nate Silver on the economy and Matt Yglesias on nuclear
Bloggers love to argue.
2 months ago
Rest of World -...
What the AI boom is getting wrong (and right), according to Hugging Face’s policy chief
Irene Solaiman on tackling racial bias, language equity, consent, and why there are so many AI...
6 months ago
Irene Solaiman on tackling racial bias, language equity, consent, and why there are so many AI girlfriends.
Tech + Economics +...
Sam Bankman-Fried is a feature, not a bug.
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the...
a year ago
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the seductive trap of Effective Altruism (EA), a doctrine
born to the rationalist cradle, promising to solve the world's woes through
a calculator. Into this world stepped Sam...
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…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Competition is overrated
Your #1 competitor starting out will always be the BACK button, nothing else. – Garry Tan Suppose...
over a year ago
Your #1 competitor starting out will always be the BACK button, nothing else. – Garry Tan Suppose you have an idea for a startup, and then…
The Thinking Cap
You Should Watch More Canceled TV Shows
An argument against the Lindy Effect. How can we sample from the long tail?
over a year ago
An argument against the Lindy Effect. How can we sample from the long tail?
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🛰️ Starlink Plus
2 months ago
Tech + Economics +...
Elon Musk’s freedom from consequences is once again denied.
Elon Musk's X Corp. has hit a snag trying to block California's AB 587, a
law that aims to clean...
11 months ago
Elon Musk's X Corp. has hit a snag trying to block California's AB 587, a
law that aims to clean up the online environment by requiring transparency
in content moderation.
Peter Blumberg and Malathi Nayak in Bloomberg
In an eight-page ruling Thursday, a federal...
Steve Blank
Lessons for the DoD – From Ukraine and China
Portions of this post previously appeared in War On the Rocks. Looking at a satellite image of...
over a year ago
Portions of this post previously appeared in War On the Rocks. Looking at a satellite image of Ukraine online I realized it was from Capella Space – one of our Hacking for Defense student teams who now has 7 satellites in orbit. National Security is Now Dependent on Commercial...
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…
Platformer
How a single engineer brought down Twitter on Monday
The high cost of cutting expenses
a year ago
The high cost of cutting expenses
cdixon.org RSS Feed
A few points about the “tech bubble” debate
Pretty much every day now a major blog or newspaper writes an article asking whether we are...
over a year ago
Pretty much every day now a major blog or newspaper writes an article asking whether we are experiencing another tech bubble (e.g. see today…
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
Platformer
Reddit goes dark
As it moves to shut down third-party apps, the site’s self-governing ethos comes back to haunt it
a year ago
As it moves to shut down third-party apps, the site’s self-governing ethos comes back to haunt it
Steve Blank
Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition – 2023 Wrap Up
We just wrapped up the third year of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class...
10 months ago
We just wrapped up the third year of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class –part of Stanford’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Joe Felter, Mike Brown and I teach the class to: Give our students an appreciation of the challenges and...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Does a VC’s brand matter?
Suppose you are in the enviable position of choosing between offers from multiple VC firms. How...
over a year ago
Suppose you are in the enviable position of choosing between offers from multiple VC firms. How much should you weigh the brand of the VCs…
Rest of World -...
ShopeeFood drops non-compete clause after Rest of World reporting
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of...
8 months ago
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of World's reporting, the clause was dropped.
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...
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