Noahpinion
New Industrialist Roundup 2024
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
4 months ago
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
Devmoh
Programming transforms your brain. Here's how.
Knowing how to program has a multitude of positive effects on the brain.
a year ago
Knowing how to program has a multitude of positive effects on the brain.
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.
Tom Blomfield
Taking Risk
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities;...
7 months ago
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities; Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College. Along with UCL, these British universities represent 4 of the top 10 universities in the world. The US - a country with 5x more people and...
Working Theorys
The Taste Discount
Everything is easier when tastes align.
8 months ago
Everything is easier when tastes align.
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.
Aaron's Essays
VCs are Scared When They Should be Greedy
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on July 6, 2022.
I've...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on July 6, 2022.
I've read a lot of the advice that venture capitalists have given founders on the current state of the markets. Most of that advice focuses on how founders need to adjust to survive the...
Unpacked
Klarna, Buy Now Pay Later & first mover advantage
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on...
a year ago
The company got to profitable growth by cementing its first mover advantage and doubling down on retailer relationships but faces competition from incumbent giants
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on incumbents
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that...
over a year ago
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that are loosely competitive to your startup…
Platformer
The states sue Meta over child safety
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
a year ago
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
Paul Graham: Essays
The Anatomy of Determination
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Bad and good arguments for industrial policy
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
5 months ago
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
David Perell
Thoughts on Montreal
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks...
over a year ago
I visited Montreal for the first time. Here are my general impressions of the city, based on walks around town and casual conversations with friends: Culture: My favorite thing about Montreal is its commitment to culture. French is the dominant language, which is partially why it...
Noahpinion
All the arguments against EVs are wrong
EVs are just going to win.
a year ago
EVs are just going to win.
Noahpinion
Turkey, you were doing so well! (repost)
An economic success story runs off the rails.
a year ago
An economic success story runs off the rails.
Nothing Human
Reflections on Politics at Thanksgiving Dinner
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
3 weeks ago
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
Stephen Diehl
The Intellectual Incoherence of Cryptoassets
over a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
Economics of Taylor Swift's $2B+ Eras Tour
Breaking down the numbers for the most successful concert tour ever.
a week ago
Breaking down the numbers for the most successful concert tour ever.
SatPost by Trung...
How Olympic Air Pistols Took Over The Timeline
PLUS: WTF happened to Nike?
4 months ago
PLUS: WTF happened to Nike?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Instrumenting the offline world
In the last decade there have been major advances in storing, analyzing, and acting upon extremely...
over a year ago
In the last decade there have been major advances in storing, analyzing, and acting upon extremely large data sets. Data sets that were…
Rest of World -...
A coupon-crazy Brazilian app figured out how to beat Uber Eats
Out-discounting competitors: iFood’s bid to become Latin America's last-mile delivery king.
a year ago
Out-discounting competitors: iFood’s bid to become Latin America's last-mile delivery king.
Rest of World -...
A former fish farmer’s startup is flourishing during a tech downturn
Gibran Huzaifah’s eFishery made a case for tech companies solving rural issues.
a year ago
Gibran Huzaifah’s eFishery made a case for tech companies solving rural issues.
Rest of World -...
In the “Galapagos of Asia,” angry Philippine islanders fight the great nickel rush
“It’s very ironic that, in order to mitigate the impact of global warming, you have to cut down our...
a year ago
“It’s very ironic that, in order to mitigate the impact of global warming, you have to cut down our trees … just to support the initiatives of Elon Musk.”
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
The Power of the Marginal
over a year ago
Working Theorys
In Defense of 'Tarpit Ideas'
In the startup world, there’s a term called “tarpit ideas.” These ideas look enticing at first. They...
6 months ago
In the startup world, there’s a term called “tarpit ideas.” These ideas look enticing at first. They have universal surface appeal, but they end up being huge drains on time and resources, and ultimately, they fail. The common trope is that young, first-time founders pursue...
Rest of World -...
Vietnam’s “TikTok monk” gives wisdom on life and love to millions of followers
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
2 months ago
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
Entrepreneur's Edge
Scale 10X with Court Lorenzini (Founder/CEO Docusign)
A conversation around building your startup, making the right bets, and achieving operational...
a year ago
A conversation around building your startup, making the right bets, and achieving operational leverage as an organization.
Rest of World -...
Gig drivers in South Africa clash over Bolt’s low-priced Indian cars
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
a year ago
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
Internal Tech Emails
Google looks at acquiring YouTube
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
over a year ago
can I get a quick analysis of the likely cost of acquiring youtube? Eric
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Crypto Tokens: A Breakthrough in Open Network Design
It is a wonderful accident of history that the internet and web were created as open platforms that...
over a year ago
It is a wonderful accident of history that the internet and web were created as open platforms that anyone — users, developers…
Working Theorys
Unbundling Cash & Equity | Theory No. 15
a heretical take on "total compensation"
a year ago
a heretical take on "total compensation"
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on Search and AI
What to say about the future of AI and search?
10 months ago
What to say about the future of AI and search?
Tech + Economics +...
AI does not produce reliable information. As Donald Trump's lawyer has fucked around and found out.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial...
11 months ago
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial intelligence program to generate bogus legal citations in his
motion for early termination of his supervised release.
Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for...
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.
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.
haseeb qureshi
Why Decentralization Isn’t as Important as You Think
If you’ve spent any time at all on crypto Twitter, you’re familiar with the web3 narrative. It goes...
over a year ago
If you’ve spent any time at all on crypto Twitter, you’re familiar with the web3 narrative. It goes like this: in the beginning, the web was “truly decentralized.” Against all odds, the World Wide Web won against the corporatist designs of companies like Microsoft, and cyberspace...
Noahpinion
Manufacturing is a war now
And the democracies are losing.
2 weeks ago
And the democracies are losing.
Steve Blank
The 6th Lean Innovation Educators Summit – Education and Innovation in the Age of Chaos and...
Join Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein for the sixth edition of the Lean Innovation...
over a year ago
Join Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein for the sixth edition of the Lean Innovation Educators Summit December 14, 1-4 pm Eastern Time, 10 am-1 pm Pacific Time. Register here. — This virtual gathering will bring together entrepreneurship educators from around the world...
Noahpinion
Putin is a rest stop on the road of post-Soviet collapse
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
a year ago
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
Stephen Diehl
The Underlying Technology Shibboleth
over a year ago
Raw Thought (from...
What are the optimal biases to overcome?
over a year ago
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.
Rest of World -...
Fake news verification tools fail the test during elections in India
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify...
7 months ago
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify misinformation. There were long delays and inconsistencies in responses even for content that can easily be identified as AI-generated and fake.
tomcritchlow.com
Building an Interactive Blog Map
I love a good diagram. So a while back I made a “blog map” for my website homepage that looked a bit...
a year ago
I love a good diagram. So a while back I made a “blog map” for my website homepage that looked a bit like this:
Aaron's Essays
The hot round fallacy
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun little paradox in fundraising: Founders and the media love to talk about how quickly funding rounds happen these days—think about the big, rapid-fire raises...
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
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
BRICS is fake
It's not an anti-NATO, it's not going to replace the dollar, and it's not going to control global...
a year ago
It's not an anti-NATO, it's not going to replace the dollar, and it's not going to control global economic growth.
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...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! #1 💡 It's cool that smartphones have become all-in-one devices. But at...
Working Theorys
caring about newness
we don't create with the intent to recycle
9 months ago
we don't create with the intent to recycle
Working Theorys
Second Nature Skills
What can you do without trying that hard?
4 months ago
What can you do without trying that hard?
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.
Working Theorys
Second Encounters
Firsts are overrated
9 months ago
Steve Blank
Profound Beliefs
This post previously appeared in EIX. In the early stages of a startup your hypotheses about all the...
a year ago
This post previously appeared in EIX. In the early stages of a startup your hypotheses about all the parts of your business model are your profound beliefs. Think of profound beliefs as “strong opinions loosely held.” You can’t be an effective founder or in the C-suite of a...
Rest of World -...
OpenAI cuts its last and most important link to China
A milestone in the militarization of AI.
5 months ago
A milestone in the militarization of AI.
Platformer
14 predictions about 2024
AI! Elections! Threads! Media! And more
a year ago
AI! Elections! Threads! Media! And more
Tom Blomfield
Advice
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your...
over a year ago
Starting a company is a challenging process - you’re thrown into the deep-end with nothing but your wits to help you. Often, though, advice will be forthcoming. This post is about that advice, and how to spot the difference between good and bad.
Some advice is expert - your...
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Steve Jobs on problem solving
When you start looking at a problem and it seems really simple, you don’t really understand the...
over a year ago
When you start looking at a problem and it seems really simple, you don’t really understand the complexity of the problem. Then you get…
Stephen Diehl
The Explicit Choice by the SEC Not to Regulate Crypto
over a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
Is Twitch losing its edge with draconian content regulation?
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual...
11 months ago
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual content policies again, this time to
prohibit implied nudity on the platform. The platform already prohibits
nudity, but Twitch’s new attire policy, which goes into effect...
42!
Wrestling with the scammers
Photo by Dan Nelson on Unsplash
I guess one of the downsides of the rising popularity and profile of...
over a year ago
Photo by Dan Nelson on Unsplash
I guess one of the downsides of the rising popularity and profile of our HR startup is that it attracts the lowest online lifeforms to try and see if they can make illicit profit from it.
We have been getting the occasional trial user signing up...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why does it matter that Twitter is supplanting RSS?
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing....
over a year ago
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing. Andrew Weissman had a very reasonable…
Noahpinion
Where China is beating the world
On high-speed rail, EVs, and solar, China is doing truly amazing things.
a year ago
On high-speed rail, EVs, and solar, China is doing truly amazing things.
Noahpinion
Strategies to secure America's supply chains
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
2 months ago
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
Working Theorys
Companionship Content is King | Theory No. 29
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
10 months ago
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
Rest of World -...
How Mexico learned to stop worrying and love EVs
Despite its standing as a global auto manufacturing power, Mexico’s position as a hub for electric...
a year ago
Despite its standing as a global auto manufacturing power, Mexico’s position as a hub for electric vehicles was far from given until recently.
Steve Blank
Lean Meets Wicked Problems
This post previously appeared in Poets & Quants. I just spent a month and a half at Imperial College...
a year ago
This post previously appeared in Poets & Quants. I just spent a month and a half at Imperial College London co-teaching a “Wicked” Entrepreneurship class. In this case Wicked doesn’t mean morally evil, but refers to really complex problems, ones with multiple moving parts, where...
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 -...
Drop-shipping is a lifeline for unemployed graduates in South Africa
Chinese e-commerce websites have proven popular in the country and are fueling a new line of work.
10 months ago
Chinese e-commerce websites have proven popular in the country and are fueling a new line of work.
Paul Graham: Essays
What I've Learned from Hacker News
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Apple manufacturers moved from China to Vietnam. Now they’re desperate for workers
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
2 months ago
Recruiters are wooing new workers with bonuses and gifts.
Rest of World -...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What carries you up will also bring you down
In Rules of Thumb, Alan Weber quotes legendary venture capitalist John Doerr discussing the original...
over a year ago
In Rules of Thumb, Alan Weber quotes legendary venture capitalist John Doerr discussing the original business plans for companies he…
Business Brainstorms
Never launch, AI as an anti-signal, slow news, zero shame in pulling the plug.
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Billing for software is broken. Stripe is REALLY good...
essay – snarfed.org
We’re drowning
Matthew Childs / Reuters We live in a golden age of software reuse. We’ve never before had such a...
over a year ago
Matthew Childs / Reuters We live in a golden age of software reuse. We’ve never before had such a wealth of freely available code, in so many languages, so easy to find and install. And yet, we’re drowning. We slap together rickety rowboats and toss them out on PyPI Ocean and npm...
Paul Graham: Essays
The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups
over a year ago
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?”
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.
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.
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 -...
Indonesia’s e-bike shops are building their own batteries
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
9 months ago
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
11 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Dow 10,000 and economic reflexivity
People who criticize Obama’s economic policies forget that, around the beginning of this year, a lot...
over a year ago
People who criticize Obama’s economic policies forget that, around the beginning of this year, a lot of serious people thought we were…
Tech + Economics +...
Bitcoin ETFs will make greater fools of us all.
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan...
11 months ago
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator
on Wednesday approved the first U.S.-listed exchange traded funds
(ETFs) to track bitcoin, its Chair Gary Gensler said, in a...
Rest of World -...
This delivery app takes away health insurance when workers don’t meet quotas
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they...
8 months ago
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they needed help the most.
Noahpinion
Why not put TSMC and Samsung fabs in Canada?
A solution that's almost too perfect.
a year ago
A solution that's almost too perfect.
Tech + Economics +...
Dear Blackbird. Women in tech are not “corporate girlies.”
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December...
11 months ago
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December investor memo
Blackbird-backed subletting startup Kiki wrote to investors on
Christmas Eve to tell them that it was struggling and would pivot to
target the “super...
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.
Platformer
Substack says it will remove Nazi publications from the platform
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
11 months ago
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
cdixon.org RSS Feed
New York City is poised for a tech revival
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East...
over a year ago
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East Coast, and particular New York City, was…
essay – snarfed.org
Possible futures for Bridgy Fed
Tomorrowland / Walt Disney People regularly ask me whether Bridgy Fed is ready to scale and support...
a month ago
Tomorrowland / Walt Disney People regularly ask me whether Bridgy Fed is ready to scale and support more users. It’s a technical question, but their underlying motivation is usually broader: they believe in the social web, and the fediverse(s), and they want them to connect...
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.
David Perell
Li Jin: Creating the Creator Economy
My guest today is Li Jin, the founder and managing partner at an early-stage venture capital...
over a year ago
My guest today is Li Jin, the founder and managing partner at an early-stage venture capital firm called Atelier. Before recording this introduction, I didn’t know what an atelier was, so I looked it up and it’s right on brand for Li: it’s defined as a workshop or a studio,...
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…
XO Capital - Field...
Deal Structures
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying...
10 months ago
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying micro saas companies.
All Cash
Pretty straight forward. You do all cash. Usually it's 100% into escrow.com and release maybe 50% before asset transfer and 50% after asset
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.
Business Brainstorms
The Algorithm, rebuilding GA3, a new drink for the productivity-chasing professional managerial...
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 “Huge startup opportunity to just literally rebuild...
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
Stephen Diehl
The Complete Argument Against Crypto
over a year ago
Working Theorys
One-Round Wonder | Theory No. 23
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
a year ago
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
David Perell
How Learning Happens
From music, we learn what humanity has always known but schools have forgotten: learning begins with...
over a year ago
From music, we learn what humanity has always known but schools have forgotten: learning begins with inspiration.
The post How Learning Happens appeared first on David Perell.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Descent of Elon Musk
Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you pretty damn close. As the second richest man alive, ...
8 months ago
Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you pretty damn close. As the second richest man alive, Elon Musk should be rolling electric coal down Rodeo Drive in a cybertruck, smugly aware of the fact that, despite what the haters say, he's kind of
Tom Blomfield
What is “founder mode”?
We held a YC event a couple of months ago where Brian Chesky from Airbnb gave a passionate talk...
2 months ago
We held a YC event a couple of months ago where Brian Chesky from Airbnb gave a passionate talk about his experience running Airbnb over the last 17 years. He believed that as Airbnb hired more professional managers, he lost a close connection with the details of the end product...
Roberto Vitillo's...
The costs of microservices
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page...
over a year ago
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page Javascript application, for example - it…
Noahpinion
My sci-fi novel recommendations
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
12 months ago
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
Noahpinion
Chinasplaining will backfire
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
9 months ago
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
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…
Inverted Passion
Why you will skim this article
Most likely, you’re going to read this sentence and hit the back button. Still here? Good, then...
a year ago
Most likely, you’re going to read this sentence and hit the back button. Still here? Good, then you’re likely to scan through a few paragraphs in this article and then give up. (Unless, you’re a long-time reader and trust that my writing is worthy of your time. More on this...
Rest of World -...
Using automation to fight misinformation, starting with a menstrual health chatbot
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and...
6 months ago
Swapneel Mehta is the founder of the Simppl research collective, a group of students and professional programmers working on automated social media tools.
Rest of World -...
What Elon Musk’s new biography leaves out
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
a year ago
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
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.
David Perell
What Networks Whisper
Every city changes you. San Francisco tells you to be powerful, LA tells you to be famous, Boston...
over a year ago
Every city changes you. San Francisco tells you to be powerful, LA tells you to be famous, Boston tells you to be smarter, and New York tells you to be richer. In the words of Paul Graham, “every city whispers something.” So when you choose to live in a city, you’re also...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Search and the social graph
Google has created a multibillion-dollar economy based on keywords. We use keywords to find things...
over a year ago
Google has created a multibillion-dollar economy based on keywords. We use keywords to find things and advertisers use keywords to find…
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.
haseeb qureshi
Another decade
I recently turned 30. When the decade began in 2010, I was still 20, a professional poker player, a...
over a year ago
I recently turned 30. When the decade began in 2010, I was still 20, a professional poker player, a college dropout, and deeply unhappy. What did I believe I’d be doing a decade later? I don’t think I knew, only that I definitely wouldn’t be playing poker anymore. I’d be doing...
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.
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)
Working Theorys
The Lost Sense
OR: The Marginalization of "Touch" in a Digital World
3 months ago
OR: The Marginalization of "Touch" in a Digital World
Noahpinion
Maximum Canada is happening
Canada has a nation-building population strategy. Does America?
a year ago
Canada has a nation-building population strategy. Does America?
Rest of World -...
The company building AI dubbing that preserves original voices
Seamus McAteer, the founder of Speechlab, discusses AI-generated speech and the importance of...
a year ago
Seamus McAteer, the founder of Speechlab, discusses AI-generated speech and the importance of translating accents.
Rest of World -...
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.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The inevitable showdown between Twitter and Twitter apps
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve...
over a year ago
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve similar functions for the user. Famous…
Noahpinion
A Nobel for the big big questions
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
2 months ago
Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson win a prize for their grand unified theory of development.
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
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
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
Noahpinion
Interview: Heather Boushey, economist and member of the Council of Economic Advisers
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
a year ago
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some lessons learned
Note: Google was kind enough to invite me to give a short talk at their Zeitgeist conference earlier...
over a year ago
Note: Google was kind enough to invite me to give a short talk at their Zeitgeist conference earlier this week. It was a really interesting…
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.
Rest of World -...
The startup offering free toilets and coffee for delivery workers — in exchange for their data
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard...
8 months ago
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard and Movistar, who in turn offer workers their services.
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.
Steve Blank
Before there was Oppenheimer there was Vannevar Bush
I just saw the movie Oppenheimer. A wonderful movie on multiple levels. But the Atomic Bomb story...
a year ago
I just saw the movie Oppenheimer. A wonderful movie on multiple levels. But the Atomic Bomb story that starts at Los Alamos with Oppenheimer and General Grove misses the fact that from mid-1940 to mid-1942 it was Vannevar Bush (and his number 2, James Conant, the president of...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Rot Economics - An Interview With MIT's Daron Acemoglu
Want to listen to this interview instead? Download the latest episode of Better Offline! You can...
5 months ago
Want to listen to this interview instead? Download the latest episode of Better Offline! You can listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you can insert an RSS feed.
Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing Daron Acemoglu — one of the world’s most
Rest of World -...
Jumia Food’s shutdown left hundreds of drivers jobless, unable to withdraw earnings
Former gig drivers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda are still feeling the pinch after Jumia Food...
8 months ago
Former gig drivers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda are still feeling the pinch after Jumia Food abruptly exited seven African markets.
AVC
Noya
Six months ago, I wrote about Direct Air Carbon Capture and ended with this: I remember hearing that...
a year ago
Six months ago, I wrote about Direct Air Carbon Capture and ended with this: I remember hearing that “we’ve spent hundreds of years taking carbon out of the ground and putting it into our atmosphere and we are going to spend hundreds of years taking carbon out of the atmosphere...
Platformer
Here come the ChatGPT bans
Blocked in schools, forbidden at a machine learning conference. What should OpenAI do about it?
a year ago
Blocked in schools, forbidden at a machine learning conference. What should OpenAI do about it?
Devmoh
3 key tips for maximum impact, and the myth of the "lazy" Big Tech Engineer
On forums with startup-heavy presences, it’s a common occurrence to sing about the downfall of FAANG...
a year ago
On forums with startup-heavy presences, it’s a common occurrence to sing about the downfall of FAANG and the uselessness of Big Tech for an engineer’s career. This specific tweet went viral recently and I wanted to do a little deep dive on the underlying implications of it:
Rest of World -...
How Careem went from Pakistan’s ride-hailing leader to stuck on the sidelines
After falling from dominance, Careem is experimenting — from corporate rides to price bidding — to...
6 months ago
After falling from dominance, Careem is experimenting — from corporate rides to price bidding — to maintain its presence in Pakistan.
Rest of World -...
How WhatsApp ate the world
WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more.
a week ago
WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more.
Working Theorys
Angel Investing | Theory No. 28
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
11 months ago
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
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…
Noahpinion
What drove Asian and Hispanic voters to the right in 2024
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
a month ago
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
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…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it...
9 months ago
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it reliably. There are also tons of people who would like to work in such a role but they are hard to find as there is no generally accepted job title. Seems like a huge opportunity if...
Rest of World -...
Bringing the Philippines’ beloved mom-and-pop stores into the 21st century
Local startups are working to digitize sari-sari shops, or convenience stores, which are a large...
5 months ago
Local startups are working to digitize sari-sari shops, or convenience stores, which are a large part of the Philippine retail industry.
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...
Noahpinion
Why rabbits?
Towards a better, floofier world.
a year ago
Towards a better, floofier world.
Noahpinion
If Trump loses the election, our nation can finally rest
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
a month ago
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Venture Capital Squeeze
over a year ago
Noahpinion
In which British writers scold America on trade
If you don't acknowledge the point of tariffs, how can you hope to criticize them?
7 months ago
If you don't acknowledge the point of tariffs, how can you hope to criticize them?
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
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Technology predictions
For those of us in the prediction business, it’s sometimes useful to go back and read past...
over a year ago
For those of us in the prediction business, it’s sometimes useful to go back and read past predictions to try to discern patterns in what…
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...
Rest of World -...
The viral AI portrait app sweeping across China
Miaoya, which means "fabulous duck" in Chinese, charges users $1.40 to generate AI portraits that...
a year ago
Miaoya, which means "fabulous duck" in Chinese, charges users $1.40 to generate AI portraits that many say are shockingly accurate.
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.
tomcritchlow.com
Narrative Aircover & Compound Narrative
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able...
11 months ago
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Noahpinion
The U.S. needs to pay more attention to electronic warfare
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
3 months ago
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
Essays - Benedict...
The AI summer
Hundreds of millions of people have tried ChatGPT, but most of them haven’t
been back. Every big...
5 months ago
Hundreds of millions of people have tried ChatGPT, but most of them haven’t
been back. Every big company has done a pilot, but far fewer are in
deployment. Some of this is just a matter of time. But LLMs might also be a
trap: they look like products and they look magic, but...
Internal Tech Emails
Jeff Bezos on acquiring Ring
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
over a year ago
To be clear, my view here is that we're buying market position – not technology.
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.
Nothing Human
Prayer over a new smartphone
Hello, phone. For many years, starting today, you will be my most loyal companion and my most...
a year ago
Hello, phone. For many years, starting today, you will be my most loyal companion and my most treasured possession. I will feel your weight in my pocket every moment of every day, a presence as constant as my breath. The muscles and bones of my hand, arm, and shoulder will deform...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Business development: the Goldilocks principle
Background: At Hunch, we switched our focus (“pivoted“) about 14 months ago from B2C to B2B. Over...
over a year ago
Background: At Hunch, we switched our focus (“pivoted“) about 14 months ago from B2C to B2B. Over that time, we pitched over 500 potential…
Working Theorys
Explain It Like I'm One of You
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
8 months ago
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
Rest of World -...
The Indian EV startup navigating short-lived government subsidies
Prashant Vashishtha is the founder and chairman of Sokudo Electric India.
5 months ago
Prashant Vashishtha is the founder and chairman of Sokudo Electric India.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
The Rot-Com Bubble
If you enjoy this post, why not subscribe to my podcast Better Offline? This week's a two parter...
6 months ago
If you enjoy this post, why not subscribe to my podcast Better Offline? This week's a two parter that further expands on the Rot-Com Bubble, coming out Wednesday and Friday.
The noxious growth-at-all-costs mindset of the Rot Economy sits at the core of every issue that I'
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Yahoo should invest in products, not advertising
For 10 years, Yahoo was my default home page. Now I can barely stand using the site. I still use...
over a year ago
For 10 years, Yahoo was my default home page. Now I can barely stand using the site. I still use it for Finance and Flickr, but that’s it…
Internal Tech Emails
Facebook vs. TikTok | Elon Musk emails Tesla's board
Today we see a shift towards social media products serving as “discovery engines.”
over a year ago
Today we see a shift towards social media products serving as “discovery engines.”
Noahpinion
A better way to build a downtown
It's time to learn a Japanese word: "zakkyo".
2 months ago
It's time to learn a Japanese word: "zakkyo".
Noahpinion
Trump and inflation
There are several good reasons to be worried.
6 months ago
There are several good reasons to be worried.
Noahpinion
Insurance companies aren't the main villain of the U.S. health system
It's mostly the providers overcharging you, not the middlemen.
a week ago
It's mostly the providers overcharging you, not the middlemen.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pitch yourself, not your idea
There is a widespread myth that the most important part of building a great company is coming up...
over a year ago
There is a widespread myth that the most important part of building a great company is coming up with a great idea. This myth is reflected…
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #2: Volume Discounts
The volume-related pricing system explained
9 months ago
The volume-related pricing system explained
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Virtual reality: a new creative medium where the default state is belief
The holy grail of virtual reality, the one that’s always been out of reach until now, is presence....
over a year ago
The holy grail of virtual reality, the one that’s always been out of reach until now, is presence. In the VR community, “presence” is a term…
Rest of World -...
WhatsApp voice notes are revolutionizing farming in Senegal
For farmers in Senegal who struggle to read or write, sending voice notes has unlocked a new world...
a year ago
For farmers in Senegal who struggle to read or write, sending voice notes has unlocked a new world of collaboration across the industry.
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...
Working Theorys
Word Association Fame
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
9 months ago
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
Noahpinion
Did immigration bring down inflation?
I'm highly skeptical of this theory, but it's still quite interesting.
9 months ago
I'm highly skeptical of this theory, but it's still quite interesting.
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s “TikTok nun” is bringing Catholicism to the masses
Sister Cattaneo has gained 200,000 followers through cumbia dances, influencer collabs, and...
2 months ago
Sister Cattaneo has gained 200,000 followers through cumbia dances, influencer collabs, and preaching
Blog posts of...
Why the future needs a brandname.
There is a disenchantment in our generation. We are still sitting on our lonely planet without space...
over a year ago
There is a disenchantment in our generation. We are still sitting on our lonely planet without space travel nor flying cars or at...
Paul Graham: Essays
The Real Reason to End the Death Penalty
over a year ago
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for...
11 months ago
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for recommendations. The algorithm has been gamed to death. Just in the past two days I’ve asked GPT for recommendations on 2 high ticket decisions (job board in specific region,...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pivoting into a new corporate structure
This hasn’t happened to me, but I keep hearing stories about situations like the following: 1)...
over a year ago
This hasn’t happened to me, but I keep hearing stories about situations like the following: 1) startup raises a seed financing round while…
Rest of World -...
The deepfake election nightmare hasn’t happened. Singapore still wants to ban them
Following South Korea’s lead, Singapore intends to ban deepfakes ahead of upcoming elections,...
4 months ago
Following South Korea’s lead, Singapore intends to ban deepfakes ahead of upcoming elections, despite concerns of curbing freedom of speech.
Steve Blank
Even the Smartest VCs Sometimes Get it Wrong – Bill Gurley and Regulated Markets
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at...
a year ago
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at the All-In Summit that was really two talks in one. The first part was railing against the consequences of regulatory capture on innovation and a second part, about the...
Rest of World -...
This renewable energy startup helps companies decarbonize across the Pacific
Bor Hung Chong from Nefin Group discusses green energy solutions beyond solar panels.
a year ago
Bor Hung Chong from Nefin Group discusses green energy solutions beyond solar panels.
Stephen Diehl
From Adjunctions to Monads
over a year ago
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.
Business Brainstorms
Feedback panel SaaS, gift ideas, selling futures, industrial grade calendaring, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “An idea for an AI tool I'd love to use — I upload chat...
Tech + Economics +...
Bootstrapped to death: why America’s favourite saying is strangling mobility
The old saying goes that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps
- if they work hard...
11 months ago
The old saying goes that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps
- if they work hard enough. There's this pervasive and poisonous idea that
success or failure rests solely on the individual and their effort. And if
you don't make it, if you don't lift yourself out...
Rest of World -...
Amazon needs to be clear about removing items on behalf of authoritarian governments
It's too easy to quietly order the removal of pages or products.
a year ago
It's too easy to quietly order the removal of pages or products.
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
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...
Blog posts of...
Startup Mentoring Sessions: How to be a decent, maybe even good startup mentor.
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in...
over a year ago
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in this article I got personally at...
Stephen Diehl
FTX: Greed, Grift and Grandiosity
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Between failure and Facebook
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The...
over a year ago
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The programmer had just graduated from college and…
Rest of World -...
Nigerian tech workers are going remote, and pricing out locals in smaller cities
Tech workers are leaving Lagos and Abuja — the country’s economic and political hubs, and flocking...
a year ago
Tech workers are leaving Lagos and Abuja — the country’s economic and political hubs, and flocking to cities like Ibadan, Jos, Benin City, Uyo, and Osogbo.
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?
Noahpinion
Announcing the winners of our semiconductor policy contest!
Some good ideas in here.
2 months ago
Data Boutique
Web Scraping Legal Context
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
a year ago
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s dating app for people who want to stop dating and get hitched already
What started out as a matchmaking WhatsApp group has turned into a popular dating app with over 2.1...
a year ago
What started out as a matchmaking WhatsApp group has turned into a popular dating app with over 2.1 million recorded matches and 44 marriages.
Rest of World -...
The man leading Kenyan content moderators’ battle against Meta
Nathan Nkunzimana claims Meta and Sama fired content moderators for protesting working conditions...
a year ago
Nathan Nkunzimana claims Meta and Sama fired content moderators for protesting working conditions and demanding the right to unionize.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Gadgets and Computers
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you...
over a year ago
From Benedict Evans’ Cars as Feature Phones: This is a common theme in many classes of device: you start with a product that has a few…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What jobs are users hiring your product to perform?
One of Clay Christensen’s favorite concepts is that instead of dividing your customers into segments...
over a year ago
One of Clay Christensen’s favorite concepts is that instead of dividing your customers into segments and asking which features each segment…
Tom Blomfield
Startup Series Part 1: Interviewing Engineers
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and...
over a year ago
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and philosophies. This is a positive thing for the ecosystem - just as new software tools mean it’s simpler and cheaper to start a company, these methodologies allow first-time entrepreneurs...
SatPost by Trung...
The Psychology of Disneyland
From Walt Disney's original vision to Imagineering to pricing strategy.
a year ago
From Walt Disney's original vision to Imagineering to pricing strategy.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Don’t shop your term sheet
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination,...
over a year ago
There are all sorts of protocols in the VC world. Most of them make sense upon further examination, but if you’re a first time entrepreneur…
Rest of World -...
Clickwork in Brazil: A mom balancing endless gigs with childcare
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job...
a year ago
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job consisting of hundreds of quick, repetitive tasks.
SatPost by Trung...
SpaceX's 5-Step Design Process
How rapid failure and iteration will get Starship to orbit and beyond.
a year ago
How rapid failure and iteration will get Starship to orbit and beyond.
Rest of World -...
Tears of a get-rich-quick guru
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur...
a year ago
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur fantasy.
Rest of World -...
Mexico City has an earthquake alarm system. Millions trust an app more
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s...
a year ago
SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s loudspeakers.
Tech + Economics +...
Red state politics are too much of a headache for tech.
Is the Texas boom town of Austin losing its luster?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, investors...
a year ago
Is the Texas boom town of Austin losing its luster?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, investors and startup founders alike
flocked to the Texas capital, attracted to the lower cost of living,
“hip” lifestyle and business-friendly environment (i.e. no state income
...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How Aristotle Created the Computer
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world....
over a year ago
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world. Originally published by The Atlantic…
Rest of World -...
A traveler’s dream: Cash-free payment systems link up across Southeast Asia
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s...
a year ago
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s for locals only.
haseeb qureshi
The Life and Death of Plasma
By Haseeb Qureshi and Ashwin Ramachandran
It was August 2017. The price of Ether was near an all...
over a year ago
By Haseeb Qureshi and Ashwin Ramachandran
It was August 2017. The price of Ether was near an all time high, the Ethereum blockchain was exploding with usage, and the chain was buckling under the ever increasing demand. Researchers and developers were frantically searching for new...
AVC
Voice Input
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use...
a year ago
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use voice input regularly. I would guess that maybe 10 to 20% of smartphone users are using voice input regularly. That’s a guess based on absolutely no data other than observing...
SatPost by Trung...
5 Good Evergreen Podcasts
Baller topics include food, explorers, record labels, Vietnam War films and iconic sounds.
a year ago
Baller topics include food, explorers, record labels, Vietnam War films and iconic sounds.
Noahpinion
Why you should not ignore economists
They aren't always right, but they almost always have something important to add.
3 months ago
They aren't always right, but they almost always have something important to add.
Rest of World -...
The political power of an unlikely Tesla factory
How Elon Musk plays politicians from Monterrey to Buffalo.
a year ago
How Elon Musk plays politicians from Monterrey to Buffalo.
Rest of World -...
The Chinese app where women socialize over their menstrual cycles
On Meet You, women track, discuss, and pray for their periods.
a year ago
On Meet You, women track, discuss, and pray for their periods.
Rest of World -...
AI’s “tech tsunami” is coming for call center workers
The Philippines’ 1.6 million outsourced workers fear they may soon be automated out of a job.
a year ago
The Philippines’ 1.6 million outsourced workers fear they may soon be automated out of a job.
Working Theorys
The 20/20 Workweek | Theory No. 26
The 40-hour, 80-hour, and 4-hour workweek are out. What comes next?
11 months ago
The 40-hour, 80-hour, and 4-hour workweek are out. What comes next?
Rest of World -...
Ride-hailing drivers in Nigeria are suffering after government triples fuel prices
Uber and Bolt drivers say the fuel subsidy removal has put them at risk of losing their livelihoods.
a year ago
Uber and Bolt drivers say the fuel subsidy removal has put them at risk of losing their livelihoods.
Rest of World -...
Instagram helps Brazilians dodge a national sales ban on vapes
As Brazilian law clashes with Meta’s policies, illegal vapes flood social media and the streets.
2 months ago
As Brazilian law clashes with Meta’s policies, illegal vapes flood social media and the streets.
Aaron's Essays
Goodbye YC
I sent this email to the whole team at YC yesterday:
When I joined YC 7.5 years ago, there weren’t...
over a year ago
I sent this email to the whole team at YC yesterday:
When I joined YC 7.5 years ago, there weren’t many people around. PG and Jessica were still running things. We had offices in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and on Kearny street, but they were nearly always empty. The only meeting...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
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 -...
At home with Asia’s shopping influencers
In Vietnam, Pakistan, and Indonesia, three livestreamers build well-paid but precarious careers.
a year ago
In Vietnam, Pakistan, and Indonesia, three livestreamers build well-paid but precarious careers.
AVC
What Happened In 2023
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending...
11 months ago
I like to bookend the New Year holiday with two posts, one looking back at the year that is ending (What Happened) and one looking forward to the year ahead (What Will Happen). This is the first of these two posts. The second one will run tomorrow. I ended my What Will Happen In...
Dustin Curtis
Luxury for everyone: thoughts on Vision Pro and Apple's DNA
In 2009, Microsoft released an enormous 200lb coffee table with an embedded 30-inch touchscreen...
7 months ago
In 2009, Microsoft released an enormous 200lb coffee table with an embedded 30-inch touchscreen called Surface. Although the iPhone had been around for a little while, the larger screen made Surface feel absolutely futuristic: in the Photos app, you could toss around pictures...
Ed Zitron's Where's...
We're Watching Facebook Die
In the first quarter of 2024, Meta made $36.45 billion dollars - $12.37 billion dollars of which was...
6 months ago
In the first quarter of 2024, Meta made $36.45 billion dollars - $12.37 billion dollars of which was pure profit. Though the company no longer reports daily active users, it now uses another metric: “family daily active people.” This number refers to “registered and logged-in
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...
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
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to conduct a system design interview
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview....
over a year ago
The system design interview is a great way to assess the seniority of a candidate in an interview. You can find a lot on the Internet on how…
tomcritchlow.com
Becoming Creative
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few...
a year ago
I just launched a new thing (the NEW MBA) so starting and launching is on my mind. Here are a few links that I deeply love about starting, finishing and promoting creative acts…
Rest of World -...
Meet the Nigerian YouTuber bringing a positive lens to African stories
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
a year ago
With 600,000 subscribers, Tayo Aina is one of Africa’s most prominent creators.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#32)
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area...
8 months ago
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area "progressives", and cancer detection
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Steve Jobs single-handedly restructured the mobile industry
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the...
over a year ago
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the history of business: he single-handedly…
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
Essays - Benedict...
Ways to think about a metaverse
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean?...
over a year ago
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean? If we strip away the noise, what can we say about
this, and what can we predict?
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…
Noahpinion
California needs real math education, not gimmicks
A guest post by Armand Domalewski.
a year ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski.
SatPost by Trung...
11 types of cross-industry innovation
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
a year ago
PLUS: AI spam, Disney vs. BuzzFeed.
Steve Blank
How To Find Your Customer In the Dept of Defense – The Directory of DoD Program Executive Offices
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to?...
3 months ago
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to? How do you get their attention? How do you know if they have money to spend on your product? It almost always starts with a Program Executive Office. The Department of Defense (DoD)...
Rest of World -...
New data reveals exactly when the Chinese government blocked ChatGPT and other AI sites
Rest of World received exclusive access to a platform that tracks patterns and timing of Chinese...
3 months ago
Rest of World received exclusive access to a platform that tracks patterns and timing of Chinese online censorship.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
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
Paul Graham: Essays
Can You Buy a Silicon Valley? Maybe.
over a year ago
Noahpinion
There's not that much wealth in the world
A little-understood fact.
5 months ago
A little-understood fact.
Internal Tech Emails
Samsung vs. iPhone | Elon Musk's schedule
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority",...
over a year ago
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority", all created by the, "passionate, tireless, perfectionist..." The point here is that there is an unintended benefit for Apple, since the external messages by 3rd parties are all...
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
It’s hard to believe today, but 10 years ago Wikipedia was widely considered a doomed experiment…
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and...
over a year ago
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and controversies, but for the most part it…
Noahpinion
Will Elon Musk kill Substack?
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
a year ago
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
Rest of World -...
How Shein and TikTok Shop are trying to shake the ‘Made in China’ reputation
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
a year ago
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
Rest of World -...
Why Southeast Asia became a spyware hotspot
A new Amnesty International report raises difficult questions.
7 months ago
A new Amnesty International report raises difficult questions.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why is enterprise tech so far behind consumer tech? Because it can be.
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my...
over a year ago
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my opinion, enterprise technology is WAY behind…
Noahpinion
Don’t Rock the Vote
Democrats are the party that benefits from low voter turnout. They just don’t know it yet. (Guest...
5 months ago
Democrats are the party that benefits from low voter turnout. They just don’t know it yet. (Guest post by Wally Nowinski)
Rest of World -...
Half of Singapore’s e-commerce scams now happen on WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram
After a 50% increase in scams in 2023, Singapore authorities say Meta isn’t doing enough to stop the...
5 months ago
After a 50% increase in scams in 2023, Singapore authorities say Meta isn’t doing enough to stop the explosion in fraud.
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
AVC
The New York Tech Sector
The New York Times had a piece yesterday suggesting that tech will no longer be a growth engine for...
a year ago
The New York Times had a piece yesterday suggesting that tech will no longer be a growth engine for NYC and the surrounding metro area as it has been for the last twenty years. I am not going to link to the piece because it is behind a paywall but if you want to read […]
Internal Tech Emails
Mark Zuckerberg: "Ship the app"
I think it's a really big deal that we ship this photos app quickly.
2 months ago
I think it's a really big deal that we ship this photos app quickly.
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.
Unpacked
Meta, News Outlets and the Canada Online News Act
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which...
a year ago
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which will force tech giants (predominantly Meta and Google) to pay news organizations in Canada for content that is shared on these platforms. The foundational premise of the law is...
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...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🛰️ Starlink Plus
2 months ago
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?
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s far-right front-runner is not the crypto candidate fans think he is
Milei’s plans for the dollarization of Argentina’s economy might even depress crypto adoption.
a year ago
Milei’s plans for the dollarization of Argentina’s economy might even depress crypto adoption.
Paul Graham: Essays
Five Questions about Language Design
over a year ago
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.
Nothing Human
Against Positive-Sum Thinking
why conflict is necessary
a year ago
why conflict is necessary
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Samsung’s predicament
In the past year, Samsung went from being a moderately successful electronics manufacturer to the...
over a year ago
In the past year, Samsung went from being a moderately successful electronics manufacturer to the leading non-iOS mobile device maker…
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