The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

The Offense-Defense Balance Rarely Changes

Maximum Progress • 294 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity AI AI Impact
  1. The offense-defense balance in technology, like cybersecurity, has remained stable despite technological advancements.
  2. Historical evidence shows that major technological revolutions have not significantly shifted the offense-defense balance.
  3. The distinction between attackers and defenders is not always clear in practice, impacting the balance of power in offense and defense.

You're so smart

Becoming Noble • 398 implied HN points • 07 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Religion Ideas Existence Ethics Morality
  1. The author highlights the importance of encouraging readers to engage in thoughtful discussions and voice their opinions.
  2. There is a discussion on academia's need for a more formal network and standards, similar to a sacred order, to enhance knowledge sharing.
  3. The post delves into the complexities surrounding AI and how it impacts society biologically and socially, urging a deeper understanding of the system's dynamics.

Artificial Intelligence is ushering in a new era of web scraping possibilities

The Orchestra Data Leadership Newsletter • 79 implied HN points • 14 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Web scraping Data Engineering APIs
  1. Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing web scraping by offering accelerated development processes and increased adoption of scraping use-cases in Data.
  2. The complexity of parsing HTML and the challenges associated with web scraping, such as changing schemas, time durations, and legality, can be mitigated with AI-enabled tools.
  3. AI-enabled web scraping tools like Nimble and Diffbot provide reliable solutions for efficiently extracting data from the internet and handling challenges like managing proxies and optimizing scraping speed.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Wrapping the Year for the Cyber 150

The Security Industry • 25 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Venture Capital Startups Data Analytics Mergers Market Growth
  1. A data-centered ranking of mid-size cyber firms (50–500 employees) surfaces the fastest-growing vendors and is a practical starting point for investors.
  2. Most of the listed companies kept expanding—121 grew in the past year—and the group attracted heavy venture funding, with 39 firms raising over $4B in 2025 and $11.5B raised in total.
  3. Some firms graduated out of the mid-size category by exceeding 500 employees, while 29 companies saw headcount declines in 2025, often because they were acquired.

Figma S-1 Breakdown

Tanay’s Newsletter • 195 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
💼 Business Finance Growth Marketing Startups Technology
  1. Figma took its time, focusing on building a great product before pushing for profits. This approach paid off as it grew into a major player in design tools.
  2. Figma has successfully expanded beyond just design, offering multiple tools for the entire product development process. Many of its users are now benefiting from various products within the platform.
  3. While Figma is doing well financially, there are concerns about how AI will change the design landscape. The company sees both risks and opportunities with AI, aiming to integrate it effectively into their tools.

The Otonomist - January 2024 Issue

The Otonomist • 239 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🔮 Crypto
  1. The January issue of The Otonomist covers a beginner's guide to crypto, providing insights on terms and experiences.
  2. An article in the newsletter raises concerns about Central Bank Digital Currencies, emphasizing the risks of surveillance and control.
  3. A guest post discusses the role of AI in selecting investments, showcasing a new perspective on the art of startup investing.

Disillusioning the Magic of the fork System Call

Confessions of a Code Addict • 649 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Computer Science Programming Software Operating Systems
  1. The fork system call creates a new process that is a copy of the parent process, but each can follow a different path after the call. This is why a program can behave differently depending on which process it is in.
  2. When the fork call is made, the operating system needs to return distinct values to both the parent and child processes. The kernel sets the return value for the child process to 0, while the parent gets the child’s process ID.
  3. System calls are handled in the kernel, which means understanding their low-level operations helps us see how programming languages like C manage processes, revealing the complexity hidden behind simple function calls.

ResiDay 2025

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 63 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
💼 Business Market Trends Investment strategy Housing supply Real Estate Economic Policy
  1. Home prices naturally stay stable unless there's a major supply crisis. In supply-constrained markets, like big cities, families end up paying more to avoid moving away.
  2. Cities facing housing shortages have been made worse by things like a lending clampdown and recent pandemic supply issues. This has raised rents everywhere, especially in poorer neighborhoods.
  3. The current housing situation might lead to a never-ending construction boom, which could help lower prices over time. However, this will create both opportunities and challenges for investors.

Tech journalists that hate tech

Machine Learning Everything • 459 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Innovation Journalism Criticism Tech Culture
  1. Some tech journalists seem to focus only on the negative aspects of technology and businesses. This makes their articles feel less relevant to people who actually care about tech advancements.
  2. Independent tech commentators are becoming more popular because they show a real passion for their subjects. They talk about technology in a way that's exciting and authentic, unlike some critics.
  3. Criticism of tech leaders often lacks balance, focusing only on their flaws without acknowledging their successes or innovations. This one-sided view can lead to a misunderstanding of the tech industry.

☞ "The Magic of Code" and the Humanistic Computation Project

Cabinet of Wonders • 254 implied HN points • 09 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Education Computing Humanities Artificial Intelligence Community
  1. The project focuses on viewing computing as a humanistic art, aiming to blend technology with liberal arts education. This approach hopes to deepen our understanding of code and its impact on society.
  2. There's excitement about developing educational programs like courses and workshops to discuss these ideas more widely. Building a community of people with similar interests is also a goal.
  3. A new book titled 'The Magic of Code' has been released, which explores these themes and is part of the broader Humanistic Computation Project.

The Most Important Meeting of Your Year

DruGroup • 79 implied HN points • 14 May 24
💼 Business Leadership Management Organizational Culture Meetings Diversity
  1. The nominating committee is super important because it decides who will lead in the future. The people you choose will shape the agenda and priorities for your group.
  2. Having a diverse group of nominees is crucial. It helps ensure that the leadership reflects different backgrounds and perspectives, making the organization stronger.
  3. Leading a nominating committee well can make a big impact. If you prepare properly and focus on the right issues, you'll set your organization up for success for a long time.

Rust vs Python. Problem statement & Python impl

Art’s Substack • 79 implied HN points • 14 May 24
🕹 Technology Benchmarking Tools Performance Comparison Programming
  1. Porting a system from Python to Rust led to a significant cost reduction of 1400 times, increased pipeline success rate from 85% to 99.88%, and decreased data availability time from 10 hours to less than 15 minutes.
  2. Moving from reading everything into memory to streaming fashion and eliminating the intermediate JSON format were key improvements in the data processing system.
  3. Python's interpreted nature, dynamic typing, GIL limitations, and multiple packaging options can pose challenges in production systems, making it a less ideal choice for certain needs.

How to talk to your family about AI

CB • 658 implied HN points • 03 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Communication AI Family
  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly advancing and evolving, with technologies like GPT-3 capable of impressive tasks that were inconceivable just a few years ago.
  2. The pace of AI development is swift, resembling the early stages of a major technological revolution like the industrial revolution but progressing much faster.
  3. Individuals, including families, should pay attention to and brace for the transformative impacts AI will bring, even though predicting the exact outcomes is challenging.

Cringe communication on LinkedIn. Yay, 🙌 or Nay? 🙅‍♀️

Business & Marketing with Nika • 19 implied HN points • 04 Aug 24
💼 Business Social media Communication Branding Professionalism Marketing
  1. Communication on LinkedIn has shifted from formal to casual. It’s now common to see memes and selfies, which can feel a bit cringe.
  2. Being informal can help break the ice, but it’s important to maintain a professional image. Be careful when being casual, especially with potential clients or employers.
  3. When using LinkedIn, think about the tone you want to use. Make sure it fits your audience, and be aware of how your communication style might affect future interactions.

Fintech: Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners secures $250MM for minority RIA investments

The Fintech Blueprint • 196 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
💰 Finance Fintech Wealth Management Private Equity
  1. Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners secures $250MM for minority RIA investments
  2. Rise Growth Partners focuses on acquiring a 30% stake in RIAs with $1B - $5B in AUM
  3. Competition is fierce in the RIA minority investing space with players like Constellation Wealth Capital and Merchant Investment Management

Stop Arguing, Start Debating

The Breaking Point • 239 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Decision-making Corporate culture
  1. Debating involves prepared discussions, clear decision-making frameworks, and open-mindedness to change opinions.
  2. Arguing results in repetitive discussions, lack of agreement, side factions, and revisiting decisions without objective reasoning.
  3. Monitoring if a team is debating or arguing is crucial to ensure effective teamwork and progress towards goals.

Happy 1st Birthday, GPT-4

Marcus on AI • 1383 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics Applications Progress Competition AI
  1. There seems to be a possible plateau in GPT-4's capability, with no one decisively beating it yet.
  2. Despite challenges, there has been progress in discovering applications and putting GPT-4 type models into practice.
  3. Companies are finding putting Large Language Models into real-world use challenging, with many initial expectations proving unrealistic.

Checking in on Twitter

Read Max • 2186 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Tech industry Competitors Social media
  1. The state of Twitter following Elon Musk's acquisition is still uncertain, with questions about website functionality, business sustainability, and user engagement remaining unanswered.
  2. Although Musk announced plans to eliminate the block function on Twitter, it seems like a questionable idea that may not actually materialize.
  3. Changes in Twitter's culture have been observed, with a shift towards tech industry influencers, impacting the dynamics of stories and discussions on the platform.

Update: I've moved from Substack to beehiiv

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 23 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
💼 Business Growth Publishing Platforms Subscriptions Creator Economy Marketing Distribution
  1. The newsletter has moved from Substack to beehiiv, and all past and future issues are now hosted on the new site.
  2. Subscribers who signed up on or before December 31, 2025 were automatically migrated, and the newsletter URL did not change.
  3. The Substack archives will remain available for now but won’t get new posts, and you should reach out via email or LinkedIn if you run into any issues.

Evals Startups Are Not Enterprise Ready

Enterprise AI Trends • 253 implied HN points • 08 Jun 25
🕹 Technology AI Software SaaS Open Source Enterprise
  1. Evals platforms may not be enterprise ready yet, as they often just repackage simpler tasks rather than offering real value. It's better to explore free open-source options first.
  2. The market for evals is crowded and competitive, leading to similar features across different products. This makes it a buyer's market, with pricing being more important than unique capabilities.
  3. Using open-source tools can provide most features needed without locking you into one vendor. Building internal capabilities first can help avoid future complications when needing to switch providers.

The real "Year of The Linux Desktop"...

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 574 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Computing Open Source Software Hardware Operating Systems
  1. The Linux desktop is becoming more popular and user-friendly. More people are starting to see it as a viable alternative to other operating systems.
  2. New software and updates are making Linux easier for everyone to use. People don’t need to be experts anymore to enjoy its benefits.
  3. Community support and resources for Linux are growing. This means users can get help and share ideas more easily.

The Who and Why of Spacetech Investments

Space Ambition • 119 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
💼 Business Investments Venture Capital Startups Technology Sectors
  1. Interest in spacetech is growing fast, with many venture capital firms looking to invest. This area is part of a larger category called deeptech, which is seen as complex and risky.
  2. Investors are drawn to spacetech for its long-term potential, much like investing in successful tech companies in their early days. They want to be part of something big that could change the future.
  3. Despite a recent drop in overall investment activity, specialist funds are still eager to invest in spacetech. They see value in supporting innovative sectors that could lead to significant advancements.

1st Look at Local Housing Markets in December

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 23 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
💰 Finance Local Markets Inventory Market Data Housing Market Real Estate Mortgages
  1. 2025 saw one of the weakest years for existing home sales since 1995 and could be the lowest year on record since then.
  2. Early December data show a small year‑over‑year rise in sales in early‑reporting markets, but new listings fell about 9.6% while active inventory climbed about 12.7%.
  3. Compared with December 2019, new listings and sales are much lower (new listings down about 28%) while inventory is much higher in most areas, and mortgage rates around 6.25% in Oct–Nov likely restrained buyer activity.

Specialization and Interdisciplinarity: Beyond Memory

The Memory Palace • 99 implied HN points • 23 Apr 24
📖 Philosophy Knowledge Cognition Specialization Memory
  1. Specialization in fields like the philosophy of memory can lead to growth and deeper understanding, but it may also risk limiting broader explorations. It’s important to balance focus with the desire to explore new ideas.
  2. Interdisciplinary work can enrich research by bringing in diverse perspectives and expertise. Collaborations across different fields can lead to new insights that wouldn't be possible in isolation.
  3. Memory connects with many other cognitive and emotional processes in complicated ways. To really understand memory, researchers need to look beyond just memory itself and consider its interactions with different aspects of life.

Spotify, Revolut and the rise of the Super Sub

Department of Product • 393 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
💼 Business Market Trends Product Launch Analytics Subscription Tech
  1. Some tech companies are experimenting with higher-priced subscription tiers to offer new features to exclusive users.
  2. Revenue generation is a key focus for many product teams, leading to new pricing strategies.
  3. Pricing experiments like launching super premium subscriptions are worth monitoring for trends in the industry.

Nelnet Shows Some Skin

Mindset Value • 393 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
💰 Finance Valuation Investments Asset management
  1. Nelnet's book value has grown consistently and it has never had a losing year, which is impressive.
  2. Nelnet is undervalued as its book value does not reflect the true value of its businesses and investments.
  3. Nelnet's investments in companies like ALLO, solar energy, and HUDL show potential for significant growth and increased value.

The Complexity Illusion.

Prime Cuts Newsletter • 393 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Existence
  1. We are moving through space at incredible speeds, yet it doesn't impact our daily lives.
  2. Life may seem complex with advancements and new research, but at the core, it remains simple.
  3. Despite the appearance of increasing complexity, focus on making simple moves in life.

AI as Symptom and Dream

SCIENCE GODDESS • 393 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Community Workforce Ethics
  1. Many AI researchers are calling for a pause in advanced AI research due to concerns about potential apocalyptic scenarios.
  2. There is a need to question the motives and proposed solutions of prominent AI organizations and figureheads.
  3. Ethical considerations around AI should focus on issues like worker exploitation and power concentration, rather than just sensationalized fears of AI surpassing humanity.

Institutional Investors and Cannabis

Mindset Value • 393 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
💰 Finance Financial Analysis Investing Market Trends Institutional Investors
  1. Institutional investors have not yet significantly entered the cannabis space, despite recent positive industry developments.
  2. Institutions will focus on understanding unit economics and demanding better disclosure from cannabis companies before investing.
  3. Growth, balance sheet risk, and interstate commerce concerns are some key factors institutions will weigh before entering the cannabis market.

L.E. Memo | The End of Thrift

Lewis Enterprises • 393 implied HN points • 07 May 23
💼 Business Economics Wealth Management Market Analysis Investing Finance
  1. Public markets offer an egalitarian opportunity for individuals to invest in top companies.
  2. Private capital is dominating the economy post-2000, offering advantages like less governance and disclosure.
  3. The growth of private equity has led to a decline in public market assets, impacting savers and increasing challenges for individual investors.