Rest of World -...
How Urban Company built an empire of female gig workers
By disrupting the age-old home services industry, the Indian unicorn offered many women a rare...
a year ago
By disrupting the age-old home services industry, the Indian unicorn offered many women a rare opportunity for social mobility. Now, they want more.
Noahpinion
Trumpism is kakistocracy
A cult of personality prizes loyalty above competence, resulting in "rule by the worst".
a month ago
A cult of personality prizes loyalty above competence, resulting in "rule by the worst".
SatPost by Trung...
Gathering seeds
My most popular posts and tweets for 1H 2023.
a year ago
My most popular posts and tweets for 1H 2023.
Rest of World -...
Teaching inmates in Argentina to make video games in prison
“Gaming studios need employees, and the formerly incarcerated need a place to work once they’re...
a year ago
“Gaming studios need employees, and the formerly incarcerated need a place to work once they’re released.”
Essays - Benedict...
Netflix, Shein and MrBeast
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
a year ago
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
Rest of World -...
What is this thing? Guess Temu’s weirdest gadgets
Chinese e-commerce site Temu uses its most bizarre products in online ads. Rest of World tested them...
a year ago
Chinese e-commerce site Temu uses its most bizarre products in online ads. Rest of World tested them so you don’t have to.
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.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🛳️ Cruise hustles
4 months ago
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
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Bill Gates
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being...
a year ago
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being quite threatening and rude about it.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
New York City needs a tech startup blog
At first it seemed like Silicon Alley Insider would be this, but they seem to have moved away from...
over a year ago
At first it seemed like Silicon Alley Insider would be this, but they seem to have moved away from covering NYC startups. The New York Times…
Paul Graham: Essays
Better Bayesian Filtering
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
An Alternative Theory of Unions
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Eleven Reasons To Be Excited About The Future of Technology
“The strongest force propelling human progress has been the swift advance and wide diffusion of...
over a year ago
“The strongest force propelling human progress has been the swift advance and wide diffusion of technology.” — The Economist In the year…
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.
Noahpinion
Six ideas for Poland
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
3 months ago
Poland is a developed country. But it can still get richer.
Rest of World -...
Cambodia’s leader continues to abuse Facebook while Meta mulls suspension ruling
Can the Oversight Board force Meta to hold its ground?
a year ago
Can the Oversight Board force Meta to hold its ground?
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 […]
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
Rest of World -...
The war in Gaza is reshaping moderation rules
A new wave of appeals to Meta’s Oversight Board could have far-reaching consequences.
a year ago
A new wave of appeals to Meta’s Oversight Board could have far-reaching consequences.
AVC
My Year-End Playlist
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and...
a year ago
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and got into. Most of these songs are under the radar which is my favorite kind of music. So I hope you find something new that you like in here.
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.
Roberto Vitillo's...
What every developer should know about TCP
Why do you need to place your servers geographically close to your users? One of the reasons is to...
over a year ago
Why do you need to place your servers geographically close to your users? One of the reasons is to achieve lower latencies. That makes a lot…
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.
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.
Stephen Diehl
The Oncoming Ransomware Storm
over a year ago
Data Boutique
Generic data marketplaces are broken
Misaligned interests and lack of value are the cause
a year ago
Misaligned interests and lack of value are the cause
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t be creative about the wrong things
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be...
over a year ago
When founding a tech startup, there are certain areas where you should spend time trying to be creative/innovative. Generally these should…
Paul Graham: Essays
What Business Can Learn from Open Source
over a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
Copyright is both vital and obsolete.
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights...
11 months ago
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights to our creations are
not worth much money to anyone but ourselves. But, if you are the guy
who wrote “Born to Run,” it is prudent to assign your rights to an
entity...
Noahpinion
"I'm cute I'm punk rock"
A guest post by Pourteaux.
a year ago
A guest post by Pourteaux.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
One man came to Mozart and asked him how to write a symphony.
One man came to Mozart and asked him how to write a symphony. Mozart replied, “You are too young to...
over a year ago
One man came to Mozart and asked him how to write a symphony. Mozart replied, “You are too young to write a symphony.” The man said, “You…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Doing old things better vs doing brand new things
New technologies enable activities that fall into one of two categories: 1) doing things you could...
over a year ago
New technologies enable activities that fall into one of two categories: 1) doing things you could already do but can now do better because…
Steve Blank
The Venture Mindset – Worth A Read
Ilya Strebulaev at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Director of the Stanford Venture...
7 months ago
Ilya Strebulaev at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Director of the Stanford Venture Capital Initiative just came out with a book that should be on your reading list – The Venture Mindset. The books premise is that Venture Capitalists (who were responsible for the...
Working Theorys
Agency in the Age of AI | Theory No. 10
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest...
a year ago
In the age of AI, where do I fit in? It’s a conversation permeating dinners, group chats, and honest online discourse.
Rest of World -...
Pressured to relocate, Microsoft’s AI researchers in China must choose between homeland and career
As geopolitical tensions grow, many employees have decided that a career with the Silicon Valley...
5 months ago
As geopolitical tensions grow, many employees have decided that a career with the Silicon Valley tech giant isn’t worth giving up the comforts of home.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze for AI startups
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need...
over a year ago
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need to make: A good founder is capable of…
essay – snarfed.org
Moderate people, not code
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big...
11 months ago
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big fedi? Or a small fedi? Are instances just nodes? Or networked communities? Which Camp of Mastodon are we in? How far should our replies travel? How about our blog posts and Bluesky...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incumbents die due to irrelevance or ineptitude
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition....
over a year ago
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition. But when you examine the history of…
Platformer
Ten strategies for replacing Twitter from people who used to work there
Announcing 'Extremely Hardcore,' Zoë Schiffer’s book on Musk’s Twitter takeover
a year ago
Announcing 'Extremely Hardcore,' Zoë Schiffer’s book on Musk’s Twitter takeover
Nothing Human
Meditations on Machinic Desire
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of...
2 months ago
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of the most insight-dense paragraphs I’ve ever encountered:
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
over a year ago
Platformer
Susan Wojcicki makes her exit
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
a year ago
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#34)
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and...
8 months ago
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and urbanization
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Critics and practitioners
“When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get...
over a year ago
“When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get together they talk about where you can buy…
Rest of World -...
After dating app murders spike in Colombia, Match Group offers to help the police
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local...
9 months ago
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local authorities in Colombia to curb attacks against foreigners.
XO Capital - Field...
2023 In Review
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and...
a year ago
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and ended with a whimper for us. The zero interest rate environment really came down hard on a few products like Cold Email Studio and now that the AI craze is cooling off, we&
Noahpinion
Come see me speak about Japan!
Plus: A bunch of fun posts I've written about Japanese urbanism and Japanese society.
4 months ago
Plus: A bunch of fun posts I've written about Japanese urbanism and Japanese society.
Noahpinion
Realistically, how much damage could Trump do to the U.S. economy?
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
a month ago
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
Rest of World -...
The TikTok ban is bigger than just ByteDance
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
8 months ago
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
Essays - Benedict...
Metabrand
Has Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook, or rebranded VR? What is the
metaverse? And can any...
over a year ago
Has Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook, or rebranded VR? What is the
metaverse? And can any company decide to build the future anymore?
AVC
NFT Art CDMX
We spent this past weekend in Mexico City at Bright Moment’s NFT Art CDMX. Bright Moments is the...
over a year ago
We spent this past weekend in Mexico City at Bright Moment’s NFT Art CDMX. Bright Moments is the premier NFT art “gallery” in the world. I use that term in parentheses because Bright Moments is much more than a gallery but that word is well understood. USV is a member of the...
Rest of World -...
The regional flavors of labor-on-demand
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
8 months ago
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
Working Theorys
Full-Stack Something | Theory No. 17
I've realized that one thing I really enjoy about writing is that I can do it all myself. Usually...
a year ago
I've realized that one thing I really enjoy about writing is that I can do it all myself. Usually people tell you this isn't a good mentality to have — the desire to be self-sufficient. But I disagree. Whether it's writing, building products, etc. — I think it's good to be...
David Perell
How Philosophers Think
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to...
over a year ago
Philosophers are the most rigorous thinkers I know. Like intellectual boxers; they come to understand ideas by making them fight with each other. Their style of analysis is effective because it’s so bloody. One friend calls his style “violent thinking.” He talks about thinking...
Rest of World -...
Behold, the world’s first 3D-printed temple
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
2 months ago
Located in India, the Hindu temple’s layout follows ancient guidelines dating back to 1100 B.C.
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.
David Perell
The TWA Hotel
The core concepts are simple. The implementation is borderline excessive.
The post The TWA Hotel...
over a year ago
The core concepts are simple. The implementation is borderline excessive.
The post The TWA Hotel appeared first on David Perell.
Steve Blank
National Industrial Policy – Private Capital and The America’s Frontier Fund Steps Up
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and Science Act, one of the first pieces of national industrial policy – government planning and intervention in a specific industry — in the last 50 years, in this case for...
David Perell
Kevin Kelly: Seeing the Future
My guest today is Kevin Kelly, who co-founded Wired Magazine in 1993 and served as its Executive...
over a year ago
My guest today is Kevin Kelly, who co-founded Wired Magazine in 1993 and served as its Executive Editor for the first seven years. As one of the most important futurists of our generation, he’s published a number of books including The Inevitable, What Technology Wants, and New...
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Supercell is run
Supercell, the company behind the massively popular Clash of Clans game, has one of the highest...
a year ago
Supercell, the company behind the massively popular Clash of Clans game, has one of the highest valuation per employee figures out there: they’re valued at $32mn per employee. That’s insane! How do they do it? 1/ What struck me is the sheer number of games they kill each year?...
Steve Blank
Founders Need to Be Ruthless When Chasing Deals
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a...
8 months ago
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a potential customer is, “We’re excited. When can you come back and show us a prototype?” This can be the beginning of a profitable customer relationship or a disappointing sinkhole of...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Essays - Benedict...
Metaverse! Metaverse? Metaverse!!
‘Metaverse’ is the buzzword of the moment, yet it doesn’t really exist as
more than a label on a...
over a year ago
‘Metaverse’ is the buzzword of the moment, yet it doesn’t really exist as
more than a label on a whiteboard, and many of the ideas it tries to
combine might not happen, or not like that. This might be the new
‘information highway.’ But however it works, some kind of...
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...
Steve Blank
Security Clearances at the Speed of Startups
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for...
4 months ago
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for almost a year. And if you can’t pass a security clearance your offer is rescinded. Or you get offered an internship but can’t work on the most interesting part of the project. Sounds...
Roberto Vitillo's...
How distributed systems fail
At scale, any failure that can happen will eventually happen. Hardware failures, software crashes,...
over a year ago
At scale, any failure that can happen will eventually happen. Hardware failures, software crashes, memory leaks - you name it. The more…
Essays - Benedict...
Unbundling AI
ChatGPT and LLMs can do anything, so what can you do with them? How do you
know? Do we move to...
a year ago
ChatGPT and LLMs can do anything, so what can you do with them? How do you
know? Do we move to chat bots as a magical general-purpose interface, or do
we unbundle them back into single-purpose software?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Size markets using narratives, not numbers
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case...
over a year ago
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case that you’re addressing a possible billion…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some tips for interacting with the press
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years about the best ways for entrepreneurs to interact...
over a year ago
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years about the best ways for entrepreneurs to interact with the press (by press I mean blogs as…
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…
Folklore.org:...
Eulogy for Brian
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
a year ago
Eulogy for Brian Howard, Macintosh hero, 1944-2010
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Understanding your market
Some startups become huge sensations without requiring any active marketing – YouTube, Skype, and...
over a year ago
Some startups become huge sensations without requiring any active marketing – YouTube, Skype, and Twitter come to mind. However, the vast…
Rest of World -...
Traditional multinationals are making their mark on Latin American tech
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
a year ago
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
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.
Noahpinion
How did the U.S. achieve a soft landing?
Four simple theories.
a year ago
essay – snarfed.org
Content negotiation considered harmful
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers...
a year ago
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers return, different content types based on the request’s Accept header. Sounds great, right? Well, no. Content negotiation is the classic example of an idea that sounds good in theory, but...
Rest of World -...
Amazon and Walmart didn’t defeat India’s mom-and-pop stores. But rapid delivery might
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana...
a month ago
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana stores out of business by 2030.
David Perell
Annual Review 2022
This year was an emotional odyssey. At times, it was tormenting, at others intoxicating. Here, I...
a year ago
This year was an emotional odyssey. At times, it was tormenting, at others intoxicating. Here, I share my joys and struggles, my dreams and regrets. 2022 completely changed my life.
The post Annual Review 2022 appeared first on David Perell.
Rest of World -...
The winners of Rest of World’s first photography contest
From images of solar cooking to snake radio telemetry, we received 548 entries from around the...
a year ago
From images of solar cooking to snake radio telemetry, we received 548 entries from around the world.
Platformer
Reddit doubles down
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
a year ago
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
Working Theorys
Background Social
Theory #41: on apps that let you tell me what you're up to without telling me what you're up to.
6 months ago
Theory #41: on apps that let you tell me what you're up to without telling me what you're up to.
Steve Blank
A Simple Map for Innovation at Scale
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy...
over a year ago
An edited version of this article previously appeared in the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank website. I spent last week at a global Fortune 50 company offsite watching them grapple with disruption. This 100+-year-old company has seven major product divisions, each...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Otherwise do something else”
I remember back when I started my first company, a friend said to me “get ready to have a knot in...
over a year ago
I remember back when I started my first company, a friend said to me “get ready to have a knot in your stomach and feel nauseous for years…
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.
Stephen Diehl
Sunsetting "What I Wish I Knew"
over a year ago
tomcritchlow.com
Slouching Towards Innovation
A lot of innovation work revolves around shiny objects - maybe a slick interactive prototype, or a...
over a year ago
A lot of innovation work revolves around shiny objects - maybe a slick interactive prototype, or a concept video. A lot of innovation projects never see the light of day.
Rest of World -...
How we’re tracking AI incidents around global elections
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in...
8 months ago
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in a regularly updated tracker.
Entrepreneur's Edge
Recommended Books
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
a year ago
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
Nadia Asparouhova
Mapping out the tribes of climate
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent...
over a year ago
Climate is a gravity well for talent, but why don’t other, equally impactful topics attract talent in the same way? Why isn’t everyone dropping everything to work on homelessness, or global poverty, or curing cancer? With many peers in tech now working on climate issues, I tried...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Developing new startup ideas
If you want to start a company and are working on new ideas, here’s how I’ve always done it and how...
over a year ago
If you want to start a company and are working on new ideas, here’s how I’ve always done it and how I recommend you do it. Be the opposite…
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.
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.
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.
Platformer
How TikTok failed to make the case for itself
After a rocky appearance before Congress, the company has reason to reflect
a year ago
After a rocky appearance before Congress, the company has reason to reflect
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.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Bubble Trouble
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street...
8 months ago
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street Journal piece from this week has sounded the alarm that some believe AI models will run out of "high-quality text-based data" within the next two years in what an AI researcher called...
The Thinking Cap
Where Are the Good AI Products?
On waiting for AI's Godot.
10 months ago
On waiting for AI's Godot.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Data Boutique
Tracking How Bad The Situation At Farfetch Really Is
A case study for web data
10 months ago
A case study for web data
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 -...
Stifled at home, Tunisian tech finds success in the West
Acquisitions of InstaDeep and Expensya, which focused on international customers, are inspiring...
a year ago
Acquisitions of InstaDeep and Expensya, which focused on international customers, are inspiring Tunisian entrepreneurs to look outside the country.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some problems are so hard they need to be solved piece by piece
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after...
over a year ago
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after pieces of Craigslist: Startups that have…
Rest of World -...
Uber drivers in Kenya are ignoring the app and charging their own rates
The local gig workers’ union defends the practice, which Uber forbids, as a form of peaceful...
3 months ago
The local gig workers’ union defends the practice, which Uber forbids, as a form of peaceful pushback against low earnings.
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...
XO Capital - Field...
How to 10x an acquisition
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when...
3 months ago
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when others didn't. Not everything here is generalizable, but I'll pull out what worked well from our first interactions with the seller to the deal closing a few
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed fintech that helped Nigerians through a cash crisis is eyeing “innovative...
Olu Akanmu, co-CEO and president of OPay Nigeria, on the importance of cloud infrastructure and the...
a year ago
Olu Akanmu, co-CEO and president of OPay Nigeria, on the importance of cloud infrastructure and the company’s future plans.
Roberto's blog
Decision matrices as a thinking tool
Some decisions require comparing multiple options where it’s not immediately apparent which is best....
6 months ago
Some decisions require comparing multiple options where it’s not immediately apparent which is best. One common way of doing that is to list the pros and cons of each option. For example, option A lists low latency as a pro, while option B lists high throughput as a pro. But do...
Internal Tech Emails
Microsoft exec: "my recent discussions with Steve [Jobs]"
some stuff has been tense, as I have really been pushing them on a few issues, and I am forcing...
a year ago
some stuff has been tense, as I have really been pushing them on a few issues, and I am forcing Apple to do a lot of stuff they'd rather not do (using Office as leverage)
Steve Blank
Finding and Growing the Islands of Innovation inside a large company – Action Plan for A New CTO
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO)...
over a year ago
This post previously appeared in Fast Company. How does a newly hired Chief Technology Officer (CTO) find and grow the islands of innovation inside a large company? How not to waste your first six months as a new CTO thinking you’re making progress when the status quo is working...
Rest of World -...
Apple’s biggest gamble isn’t the Vision Pro — it’s India
Don’t be distracted by this week’s gadget hype cycle.
a year ago
Don’t be distracted by this week’s gadget hype cycle.
Business Brainstorms
Daily briefing AI, Hello Fresh but better, building in a cave, postcard lead gen, controllable input...
Hey, In this issue: idea for an AI-powered Gmail extension to streamline your digital life, private...
a year ago
Hey, In this issue: idea for an AI-powered Gmail extension to streamline your digital life, private prep cooks as a service, startup concepts inspired by Y Combinator data, prompt for SEO optimized articles. Plus, founder insights on the power of focus and advertising channels....
Rest of World -...
Shein and MercadoLibre are fighting over vendors in Brazil’s largest garment market
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses,...
8 months ago
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses, e-commerce platforms began pulling out all the stops to lure vendors.
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...
Essays - Benedict...
AI and problems of scale
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to...
7 months ago
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to automate at a massive scale. Sometimes a change in
scale is a change in principle.
SatPost by Trung...
Becoming the Tuna King
What are the table stakes for a profession? Do you want to pay it?
a year ago
What are the table stakes for a profession? Do you want to pay it?
Rest of World -...
The most popular payment app in the Philippines has a side bet: online gambling
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in...
2 months ago
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in the country, particularly among women.
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel
Peter and I have had a number of conversations about what we expect the world to look like in 2030...
5 months ago
Peter and I have had a number of conversations about what we expect the world to look like in 2030 so we can plan and position our future work accordingly.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"It all blossomed out of this tiny little seed"
Steve Jobs in 1985: I felt it the first time when I visited a school. It was third and fourth...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1985: I felt it the first time when I visited a school. It was third and fourth graders, and they had a whole classroom full…
Rest of World -...
Why African governments must prioritize affordable internet and smartphones
Lacina Koné of Smart Africa discusses the continent’s digital transformation and potential.
a year ago
Lacina Koné of Smart Africa discusses the continent’s digital transformation and potential.
Noahpinion
The economics of "Rich Men North of Richmond"
It made some good points, and some not-so-good points.
a year ago
It made some good points, and some not-so-good points.
Rest of World -...
Pakistan’s China-style firewall is rattling its tech industry
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor...
3 months ago
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor internet traffic, said service providers.
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Be an Expert in a Changing World
over a year ago
Noahpinion
At least five things for your Thanksgiving weekend (#20)
The OpenAI coup, "deaths of despair", Japan's stagnation, solar panel waste, and the Inequality Wars
a year ago
The OpenAI coup, "deaths of despair", Japan's stagnation, solar panel waste, and the Inequality Wars
Rest of World -...
Why China still runs on Windows
And what it means for Microsoft.
6 months ago
And what it means for Microsoft.
Working Theorys
24 Working Theorys for 2024
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators,...
11 months ago
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators, and lifestyle
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s Ogun State wants to lead the country’s EV revolution
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it...
a month ago
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it comes to EV adoption.
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.
Noahpinion
The New 1970s
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
a year ago
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
42!
Embracing AI
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used...
a year ago
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used ChatGPT to make the life of my support team easier.
Rest of World -...
Amazon fends off calls for takedown transparency in message to shareholders
The company does not currently disclose government orders to remove specific products.
a year ago
The company does not currently disclose government orders to remove specific products.
AVC
Bi-Directional EV Charging
EV sales in the US are on the rise, reaching 7% of all car sales in Q1 2023, up from 4.6% a year...
a year ago
EV sales in the US are on the rise, reaching 7% of all car sales in Q1 2023, up from 4.6% a year earlier. If that rate of growth continues, EVs will be 10% of the US car market by next year. Most people who own an EV charge it at home, using an EV […]
Working Theorys
Define the Game | Theory No. 14
I grew up playing tennis with my sister at the public courts near home. For a long time, I just...
a year ago
I grew up playing tennis with my sister at the public courts near home. For a long time, I just cherished the joy of playing and watching the careers of the "big 3" unfold. But recently I’ve started to appreciate something more about tennis: the clarity of the meta-game around...
David Perell
The Stupid Test
Whenever you're trying to solve a problem, ask yourself: "What answer am I missing because it seems...
over a year ago
Whenever you're trying to solve a problem, ask yourself: "What answer am I missing because it seems too stupid?"
The post The Stupid Test appeared first on David Perell.
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
Rest of World -...
Google’s Gemini problem will be even worse outside the U.S.
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
9 months ago
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
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.
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.
Stephen Diehl
The Handwavy Technobabble Nothingburger
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Accurate contrarian theories
When Google released its search engine in 1998, its search results were significantly better than...
over a year ago
When Google released its search engine in 1998, its search results were significantly better than its competitors’. Many people attribute…
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...
Working Theorys
Collective Experiences | Theory No. 8
On the value of creating shared context in the age of personalized, on-demand media.
a year ago
On the value of creating shared context in the age of personalized, on-demand media.
Rest of World -...
Running a food-delivery service in Nigeria is hard; Chowdeck makes it look easy
Bolt, Glovo, and Jumia struggle with long delivery times, but this Y Combinator-backed startup has...
a year ago
Bolt, Glovo, and Jumia struggle with long delivery times, but this Y Combinator-backed startup has impressive tech and rider incentives on its side.
Rest of World -...
Kathmandu is making taxi drivers switch to EVs. Not all drivers can afford one
The Xpres-T, made by Indian carmaker Tata, is the only EV approved for use as a taxi in Nepal. It...
5 months ago
The Xpres-T, made by Indian carmaker Tata, is the only EV approved for use as a taxi in Nepal. It costs $27,000 — several years’ income.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Aaron's Essays
There Are No (Absolute) Red Flags in Venture Capital
Let’s accept, for the purposes of this essay, that founders and venture capitalists are engaged in a...
a year ago
Let’s accept, for the purposes of this essay, that founders and venture capitalists are engaged in a simple trade. Founders sell business risk for the cash they need to take bigger risks; venture capitalists buy that risk hoping it will one day transmute into reward. Each side...
Roberto Vitillo's...
Differential privacy for dummies
Technology allows companies to collect more data and with more detail about their users than ever...
over a year ago
Technology allows companies to collect more data and with more detail about their users than ever before. Sometimes that data is sold to…
Aaron's Essays
The Hindsight Game
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a...
a year ago
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a “prepared mind,” others build market maps, I like to think about toys, and we could go on. What everyone wants to do is predict the future. That’s honestly impossible. But we can...
Noahpinion
Progressives need to embrace progress
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
a year ago
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
Rest of World -...
Chinese factory owners are becoming TikTok comedians to find new business partners
Factory influencers are producing actually funny videos on TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat to increase...
5 months ago
Factory influencers are producing actually funny videos on TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat to increase B2B sales
Data Boutique
AI Depends Massively on Web Scraping
And web data sourcing is now a critical problem
a year ago
And web data sourcing is now a critical problem
Rest of World -...
The job listing app where you can slide into a recruiter’s DMs
Boss Zhipin’s AI connects job seekers directly with recruiters, and it’s thriving on China’s...
a year ago
Boss Zhipin’s AI connects job seekers directly with recruiters, and it’s thriving on China’s employment crisis.
David Perell
Annual Review 2020
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the...
over a year ago
Writing this Annual Review, I realize that I’m incredibly fortunate. While some people spent the quarantine alone, I moved into my childhood home and spent five months with family. While America saw the worst unemployment spike in recent history, my business grew because the...
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...
Rest of World -...
Political campaigns embrace AI to reach voters across language barriers
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi,...
3 months ago
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi, Tagalog, and more.
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
Nadia Asparouhova
Understanding science funding in tech, 2011-2021
For those who sit between science and tech, it’s hard not to notice the proliferation of new...
over a year ago
For those who sit between science and tech, it’s hard not to notice the proliferation of new initiatives launched in the last two years, aimed at making major improvements in the life sciences especially.
While I don’t have a science background, nor any personal relationship to...
Rest of World -...
What global investors need to know about funding Pakistani startups
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
6 months ago
Hasib Malik is the co-founder and CEO of Tiger Global-backed financial services startup CreditBook.
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...
Platformer
OpenAI's alignment problem
The company's board failed the institution. But did it have a point?
a year ago
The company's board failed the institution. But did it have a point?
Tech + Economics +...
Another 3 men raise another few million
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading...
a year ago
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading investors from
around the world including King River Capital, Peak XV Partners,
Insight Partners and Galileo Ventures supporting Relevance’s mission to
enable any...
Noahpinion
Nobody knows how many jobs will "be automated"
Whatever that even means.
a year ago
Whatever that even means.
SatPost by Trung...
Gordon Ramsay's Apprenticeship
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high...
8 months ago
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high standards and how to take the reins.
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.
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
Platformer
How OpenAI is building a path toward AI agents
Building a GPT-based copy editor showcases their promise — but the risks ahead are real
a year ago
Building a GPT-based copy editor showcases their promise — but the risks ahead are real
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incumbents
Almost every startup has big companies (“incumbents”) that are at some point potential acquirers or...
over a year ago
Almost every startup has big companies (“incumbents”) that are at some point potential acquirers or competitors. For internet startups that…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Online advertising is all about purchasing intent
A while ago I dug up this quote from Business Week from 2000: But how will Google ever make money?...
over a year ago
A while ago I dug up this quote from Business Week from 2000: But how will Google ever make money? There’s the rub. The company’s adamant…
Blog posts of...
How global media communication changes in a transparent world
These are crowdaggregated pictures from Syria (across basically all social media channels). No media...
over a year ago
These are crowdaggregated pictures from Syria (across basically all social media channels). No media publisher inbetween. Authenti...
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.
Data Boutique
The hidden costs of asking for quotations in the data market
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
10 months ago
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
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.
Rest of World -...
The U.S. shouldn’t make its semiconductor policy all about China
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
a year ago
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
Rest of World -...
Mexican shoppers say Shein and Temu’s delivery partner is stealing their stuff
Former employees at third-party logistics company J&T Express say the high volume of packages from...
3 months ago
Former employees at third-party logistics company J&T Express say the high volume of packages from the two Chinese companies has become unmanageable.
Platformer
Why Substack is at a crossroads
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
11 months ago
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
Rest of World -...
Employees allege sexual harassment and intimidation at CCI, Africa’s largest call center company
CCI Kenya has over 1,400 employees and its clients include T-Mobile and Instacart.
a year ago
CCI Kenya has over 1,400 employees and its clients include T-Mobile and Instacart.
Noahpinion
What if Xi Jinping isn't that competent? (repost)
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
a year ago
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
Rest of World -...
Four predictions for 2024
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
a year ago
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Paul Graham: Essays
What Startups Are Really Like
over a year ago
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…
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...
Stephen Diehl
Haskell for Web Developers
over a year ago
Unpacked
Data Scraping in the Spotlight: Are Language Models Overstepping by Training on Everyone's Content?
As I wrapped up the research for this piece and was about to start writing, OpenAI had a perfect...
a year ago
As I wrapped up the research for this piece and was about to start writing, OpenAI had a perfect announcement to go with it - they are temporarily disabling the “Browse with Bing" feature on ChatGPT. If you haven’t used it before, this is a feature available to paying Plus users....
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting...
11 months ago
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting the kind of people you want to attract? If you focus on metrics alone, you will quickly find yourself with pretty numbers but little value. For example, you can easily
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#17)
Techno-optimism, the mighty U.S. economy, Chinese real estate, slavery's economic effects, and the...
a year ago
Techno-optimism, the mighty U.S. economy, Chinese real estate, slavery's economic effects, and the danger of hate on social media. Plus, rescue rabbits.
SatPost by Trung...
David Tran and Sriracha's $1B+ Journey
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce...
a month ago
How a Vietnamese-Chinese refugee took a Southeast Asian recipe and turned it into a $1B hot sauce brand.
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Facebook ads work
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources...
a year ago
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources Facebook Doesn’t Make as Much Money as It Could—On Purpose How to Save Millions With Marketability Testing Facebook Bid Strategies
The post Notes on how Facebook ads work appeared...
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...
XO Capital - Field...
Our First Community Call
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO...
10 months ago
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO community, courses,
Motivations for picking a startup idea
Decision making differences between short holds and longer holds.
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...
Working Theorys
How to Go Direct
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
8 months ago
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
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.
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.
Rest of World -...
Uber hates this app that tells drivers whether it’s worth picking you up
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
a year ago
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
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
Noahpinion
Japan isn't quite "back", but it has a fighting chance
Here are some ideas for what it can do to be truly "back".
10 months ago
Here are some ideas for what it can do to be truly "back".
Stephen Diehl
Stablecoins Do Not Deserve Special Treatment
over a year ago
Paul Graham: Essays
Why There Aren't More Googles
over a year ago
Platformer
The synthetic social network is coming
Between ChatGPT’s surprisingly human voice and Meta’s AI characters, our feeds may be about to...
a year ago
Between ChatGPT’s surprisingly human voice and Meta’s AI characters, our feeds may be about to change forever
Unpacked
Reddit's IPO Filing & India's AI Regulation | EP 7
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics...
9 months ago
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics in the podcast episode - Spotify | Apple Podcasts. The podcast follows the same core principles as the writing (primarily analysis driven with occasional opinions sprinkled in)....
XO Capital - Field...
Consolidating Our Portfolio
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The...
9 months ago
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The first few weeks of it have been a delight. It's the highlight of my week chatting with other people interested in this space. Join us! https://notes.xo.capital/community/
David Perell
Hugging the X-Axis
I’ve always struggled with commitment. In a world as grand as ours, shouldn’t we try to experience...
over a year ago
I’ve always struggled with commitment. In a world as grand as ours, shouldn’t we try to experience it all? Change it up. Visit every country. Try a bunch of careers. The menu of life is vast, and it’d be a shame to only order a single entrée. When I say I was allergic to...
Noahpinion
Argentina's macroeconomic situation is even worse up close
A guest post by Karl T. Muth
a year ago
A guest post by Karl T. Muth
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
Working Theorys
Tattoo Decisions
On making opinionated commitments
5 months ago
On making opinionated commitments
Blog posts of...
Startup Mentoring Sessions: How to get the most out of it.
Everyone is doing pitch training. Almost no-one does training for the mentoring session, but this is...
over a year ago
Everyone is doing pitch training. Almost no-one does training for the mentoring session, but this is where most startups get the m...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Lessons from the PC video game industry
The future of media is here — it’s just not evenly distributed The success or failure of tech and...
over a year ago
The future of media is here — it’s just not evenly distributed The success or failure of tech and media products depends on complicated…
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The product lens
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the...
over a year ago
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the markets for startup financing. Many of the discussions use words like “valuations…
Paul Graham: Essays
The Hacker's Guide to Investors
over a year ago
Unpacked
StackOverflow's pivot: From disruption to opportunity
OverFlowAI takes the company’s core asset, exposes answers in a highly usable interface, and in turn...
a year ago
OverFlowAI takes the company’s core asset, exposes answers in a highly usable interface, and in turn creates a loop using gen AI to fire up the content engine.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"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
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
There are two ways to make large datasets useful
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large...
over a year ago
I’ve spent the majority of my career building technologies that try to do useful things with large datasets.* One of the most important…
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 -...
How Tesla’s Mexico plans stalled out
When the Monterrey factory finally arrives, will Elon still want it?
6 months ago
When the Monterrey factory finally arrives, will Elon still want it?
Paul Graham: Essays
Are Software Patents Evil?
over a year ago
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
David Perell
Nik Sharma: Building DTC Companies
My guest today is Nik Sharma, the founder of Sharma Brands and an advisor to companies like Judy and...
over a year ago
My guest today is Nik Sharma, the founder of Sharma Brands and an advisor to companies like Judy and Cha Cha Matcha. Nik is one of my very best friends and my go-to person for all things commerce. Since we first met, we’ve spent hours exploring the future of marketing and...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
The patriarchy is a modern invention, not the natural order.
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and...
11 months ago
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and authority to men over women, is pitched by masculinity
influencers and pop social scientists as humanity's natural state. They
argue patriarchy represents the primal hard-wiring of...
Noahpinion
America needs a bigger, better bureaucracy
They're from the government, and they really are here to help.
a year ago
They're from the government, and they really are here to help.
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?
Tom Blomfield
Monzo growth
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and...
over a year ago
I’ve been asked a few times recently how we got customers to sign up to Monzo in the early years and I haven’t been able to give a satisfactory answer in a sufficiently short space of time. I thought I’d write out my thoughts in a longer piece so I can feel less bad about giving...
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.
Rest of World -...
How to launch a Chinese smartphone in Mexico
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
11 months ago
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality...
10 months ago
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality training data. Then use this data to fine tune a much cheaper model you can run at scale. Also seems like there’s plenty of opportunity to build consulting/service businesses around...
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…
Rest of World -...
The capybara influencer revolt
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement...
a year ago
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement ensued.
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.
David Perell
Chrisman Frank and Ana Lorena Fabrega: How Childhood Education Will Change
This week, I have two guests. Both are affiliated with Synthesis, a new kind of online school where...
over a year ago
This week, I have two guests. Both are affiliated with Synthesis, a new kind of online school where kids learn through games and simulations. One is Chrisman Frank, the CEO of Synthesis. The other is Ana Lorena Fabrega, who is their Chief Evangelist. Here’s the backstory: A few...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Nine reasons screenshots are awesome
By taking a screenshot, you can “export” from any app on any device. You can “import” screenshots...
over a year ago
By taking a screenshot, you can “export” from any app on any device. You can “import” screenshots back into any app that imports photos…
Steve Blank
Leaving Government for the Private Sector – Part 1
Laura Thomas is a former CIA operations officer. Reading how she moved in 2021 from CIA ops into a...
a year ago
Laura Thomas is a former CIA operations officer. Reading how she moved in 2021 from CIA ops into a quantum technology company offered insightful career transition advice for those leaving her agency. Most of her lessons were applicable to any government employee venturing out to...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
To make smarter systems, it’s all about the data
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream...
over a year ago
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream press talks about artificial intelligence…
haseeb qureshi
Launching the Introduction to Cryptocurrency
Today I’m launching Introduction to Cryptocurrency, an online course teaching the basics of...
over a year ago
Today I’m launching Introduction to Cryptocurrency, an online course teaching the basics of programming cryptocurrencies. The first two modules are already released, and the remainder of the course will be coming out over the next few months.
Introduction to Cryptocurrency is a...
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
eBay vs Amazon: decentralized vs centralized e-commerce
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay...
over a year ago
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay employee. But all the opinions expressed below…
Rest of World -...
Kenya’s biggest protest in recent history played out on a walkie-talkie app
More than 40,000 Kenyans have downloaded Zello since protests began against the government’s plan to...
5 months ago
More than 40,000 Kenyans have downloaded Zello since protests began against the government’s plan to raise taxes.
AVC
How This Ends (Part Three)
The venture capital sector has been in a sustained downturn for almost eighteen months. How does...
a year ago
The venture capital sector has been in a sustained downturn for almost eighteen months. How does this downturn end? Well, it may have already ended, but let’s see about that. We will know for sure in a few quarters. The NASDAQ peaked at roughly 16,000 in November 2021. By June...
Rest of World -...
The Vietnamese military has a troll army and Facebook is its weapon
Force 47 abuses Facebook's safety tools to silence government critics at home and anywhere in the...
a year ago
Force 47 abuses Facebook's safety tools to silence government critics at home and anywhere in the world.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#51)
Falling obesity; the red-state boom; U.S. housing supply; men avoiding college; China's economic...
2 months ago
Falling obesity; the red-state boom; U.S. housing supply; men avoiding college; China's economic goals; implicit taxes on the poor; Garcia interviews Krugman and Cowen interviews Scanlon
SatPost by Trung...
Mailbag Request
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
10 months ago
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
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...
Working Theorys
Unbundling Cash & Equity | Theory No. 15
a heretical take on "total compensation"
a year ago
a heretical take on "total compensation"
Data Boutique
How to Estimate Sales Using Inventory Web-Scraped Data
A powerful use case for web data
9 months ago
A powerful use case for web data
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Designing products for single and multiplayer modes
The first million people who bought VCRs bought them before there were any movies available to watch...
over a year ago
The first million people who bought VCRs bought them before there were any movies available to watch on them. They just wanted to “time…
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.
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
I wrote a book: Read Write Own
I wrote a book: Read Write Own I believe blockchains and the software movement around them –...
a year ago
I wrote a book: Read Write Own I believe blockchains and the software movement around them – typically called crypto or web3 – provide the…
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
Rest of World -...
Welcome to Exporter
A new way of thinking about the global tech industry.
a year ago
A new way of thinking about the global tech industry.
Dustin Curtis
Contribution and abundance
Ben Horowitz gave this remarkable response to a question about joy and happiness on Time Well Spent:...
over a year ago
Ben Horowitz gave this remarkable response to a question about joy and happiness on Time Well Spent:
In my experience there are really two things that lead to happiness and everything else is mostly noise. The two things are contribution and abundance.
Contribution is basically...
Noahpinion
Japan is not a xenophobic country
It has a substantial amount of immigration, as well as pro-immigration policies and attitudes.
7 months ago
It has a substantial amount of immigration, as well as pro-immigration policies and attitudes.
Unpacked
DOJ v. Google: Case outline & arguments analysis
The DOJ is going after specific anti-competitive mechanisms, and the specifics of Google's onerous...
a year ago
The DOJ is going after specific anti-competitive mechanisms, and the specifics of Google's onerous Android deals might be the smoking gun
AVC
The Rebrand
I’d guess that upwards of half of USV’s portfolio companies have changed the name of their company...
a year ago
I’d guess that upwards of half of USV’s portfolio companies have changed the name of their company during their lifetime. It is not hard to understand why. Founders start out with an idea and not much more. By the time they have built a product, built a team, and found product...
Unpacked
Twitter Pays Creators: The Momentum Towards Revenue Sharing
Amidst fierce platform competition, creators stand to gain a lot from the emergence of...
a year ago
Amidst fierce platform competition, creators stand to gain a lot from the emergence of revenue-sharing programs
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…
Rest of World -...
A preacher who moonlights as a cab driver is suing Uber and Bolt in Kenya
Zakaria Johana believes ride-hailing apps have been playing dirty, and is among a growing group...
a year ago
Zakaria Johana believes ride-hailing apps have been playing dirty, and is among a growing group taking them to court to prove it.
Tech + Economics +...
There is only one form of passive income worth celebrating. It’s a UBI.
The romanticised notion of passive income typically conjures up picturesque
images of digital...
a year ago
The romanticised notion of passive income typically conjures up picturesque
images of digital nomads lounging on immaculate beaches, their bank
accounts growing with the profits from their latest online course on
becoming a digital nomad.
Dividends from investments in...
Rest of World -...
How Microsoft and the UAE got caught in the crossfire of the U.S.-China tech war
Geopolitical tensions have ensnared Microsoft’s deal for AI company G42.
5 months ago
Geopolitical tensions have ensnared Microsoft’s deal for AI company G42.
Noahpinion
Liberalism is losing the information war
Because it's refusing to fight.
a year ago
Because it's refusing to fight.
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.
Noahpinion
How much can you really learn about a country from visiting it?
Not as much as people think.
6 months ago
Not as much as people think.
Working Theorys
Accountability as a Service
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
7 months ago
Hey you, did you do the thing you said you would do?
Paul Graham: Essays
Is There Such a Thing as Good Taste?
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper
Yes, market-rate!
9 months ago
Blog posts of...
🙏
Over the years i met several people that left quite an impact on me and in many cases helped me...
over a year ago
Over the years i met several people that left quite an impact on me and in many cases helped me along the way. I tried to summariz...
Business Brainstorms
Pets as Kids, Affiliate Fraud Prevention, Theory X vs. Theory Y, Conviction
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “We may have reached peak “pets as kids”… Jolly Dog, an...
Paul Graham: Essays
What Kate Saw in Silicon Valley
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Options
The financial term “derivative“ refers to a security whose value is a function of another security...
over a year ago
The financial term “derivative“ refers to a security whose value is a function of another security such as a stock or bond. The most common…
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 4
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
10 months ago
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
Noahpinion
Will Elon Musk kill Substack?
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
a year ago
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Sheridan's Extreme Productivity
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The...
2 weeks ago
The prolific mind behind "Sicario" and "Yellowstone" only started his writing career at 40. The realest deadlines (a young family, a $350m ranch) have pushed him to grind at an unbelievable pace.
Stephen Diehl
The Haskell Elephant in the Room
over a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
Travis Kalanick on Google
A meeting with Larry could calm this down if it's not true but he has been avoiding any meeting with...
a year ago
A meeting with Larry could calm this down if it's not true but he has been avoiding any meeting with me since last fall.
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…
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....
Rest of World -...
19 books to read in 2023
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
a year ago
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
David Perell
I Hate Writing (and So Will You)
When I hate writing, it’s because I love it so much. An experienced writer is somebody who knows...
a year ago
When I hate writing, it’s because I love it so much. An experienced writer is somebody who knows when the hatred is temporary.
The post I Hate Writing (and So Will You) appeared first on David Perell.
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Who will control the software that powers the Internet?
Originally published by Wired. As the internet has evolved over its 35-year lifespan, control over...
over a year ago
Originally published by Wired. As the internet has evolved over its 35-year lifespan, control over its most important services has gradually…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Monopoly Money
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something...
4 months ago
Last week, in the midst of the slow, painful collapse of the generative AI hype cycle, something incredible happened.
On Monday, a Federal Judge delivered a crushing ruling in the multi-year-long antitrust case filed against Google by the Department of Justice. In 300-pages of...
Data Boutique
Expensive Data and Cannibalism
Or.. Why some data products are priced so high
a year ago
Or.. Why some data products are priced so high
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 +...
A decade of discontent is coming.
The 10 years ahead will see dramatic, radical change. The potential for
large-scale upheaval and...
a year ago
The 10 years ahead will see dramatic, radical change. The potential for
large-scale upheaval and the reordering of societal structures is
significant. We are already witnessing the dismantling of long-standing
institutions and the rise of new paradigms. The struggle between...
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