The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category
UX Psychology 119 implied HN points 26 Jan 24
  1. Online reviews offer easy access to real user feedback, going beyond predefined questions and providing insights into user profiles and product features that traditional research may miss.
  2. Large datasets from online reviews allow for analysis at a vast scale, enabling the discovery of weak signals affecting small user subsets that traditional research could overlook, especially in companies with limited research budgets.
  3. Sentiment analysis of online reviews can uncover user frustrations, needs, and pain points, helping identify where experiences fall short of expectations and providing insights into specific features and aspects of the user experience.
The AI Frontier 59 implied HN points 18 Apr 24
  1. Customers who have experience with AI products often have a better understanding of what to look for. They know what works and what doesn't, so they can more easily evaluate new AI tools.
  2. The quality of data is super important for AI performance. If the data is good, the answers will be better, so paying attention to data quality is key.
  3. Expectations around AI products can be tricky. Some people think AI is not useful, while others expect it to know everything. It's important to set clear expectations about what AI can do.
ChinaTalk 340 implied HN points 10 Dec 24
  1. Export controls on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) are making it harder for China to develop its AI technology. This could slow down China's progress in creating advanced AI chips.
  2. HBM is super important for AI because it helps process data faster and more efficiently. Most AI chips, like those from Nvidia, need HBM to work well.
  3. Chinese companies are currently behind in HBM production and advanced packaging technology. Without catching up in these areas, their AI chip industry might struggle in the future.
The Beautiful Mess 793 implied HN points 17 Mar 24
  1. Having firsthand experience is crucial in understanding product concepts, like observing failed launches or successful market fit.
  2. Seeing a team hit dead ends before succeeding can encourage more leeway for experimentation and resilience.
  3. Direct access to customers, effective team dynamics, and confronting false assumptions can greatly impact decision-making and product success.
One Useful Thing 861 implied HN points 08 Feb 24
  1. Gemini Advanced is a GPT-4 class model, offering strengths and weaknesses compared to other advanced AI models.
  2. Gemini Advanced reveals the potential for emergent properties in large AI models, showing hints of 'ghosts' or unique intelligence.
  3. Google's Gemini Advanced hints at a future where AI serves as powerful integrated personal assistants, differentiating itself from other AI models.
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QTR’s Fringe Finance 26 implied HN points 04 Dec 25
  1. Words need stable, conventional meanings so people can communicate clearly; changing meanings without warning just creates confusion and wastes time.
  2. People and institutions sometimes redefine words deliberately to mislead or to make bad policies sound virtuous, using moral-sounding terms to win support.
  3. If you use a word in a new way, say so up front and be consistent; correcting a wrong common usage is fine, but it should be done clearly so discussion can move on.
Venture Curator 179 implied HN points 21 Nov 23
  1. Startups like Airbnb, Coinbase, and Stripe succeeded by challenging existing players and aiming to do things 10 times better, turning competition into inspiration.
  2. Successful founders like those of Airbnb and Stripe ignored naysayers and pursued their wild ideas, pushing through doubt and expert skepticism.
  3. Timing, unique ideas, and unexpected market sizes played key roles in the success stories of startups like Airbnb, Stripe, and Coinbase, showing that unconventional approaches can lead to great outcomes.
Why is this interesting? 361 implied HN points 21 Nov 24
  1. In 1968, two important events changed how we see the world: the first photo of Earth from space and the first GUI demo. These moments helped people appreciate our planet's beauty and encouraged new ways of interacting with technology.
  2. Earthrise promoted environmental awareness, leading to events like the first Earth Day, while the GUI made computers more accessible for everyday use. Both advancements reshaped human perspective and knowledge.
  3. Technology has evolved, but many interfaces still use linear designs, which limit our ability to manage complex information. To improve, we might need to look toward using curves like nature does for better efficiency.
The Otonomist 379 implied HN points 29 Jun 23
  1. Smart contracts can prevent disputes in business dealings by enforcing agreements through code.
  2. The Marshall Islands DAO LLC is a unique legal entity blending aspects of DAOs and LLCs.
  3. Efforts are being made to educate lawmakers and the wider community on the importance of digital assets in promoting democracy.
The Orchestra Data Leadership Newsletter 79 implied HN points 18 Mar 24
  1. CEOs are moving away from hiring full data teams and are opting for small consultancies to set up their data stack, reducing risk and cost.
  2. One-person data teams in startups face overwhelming responsibilities, leading to chaos and potentially costly decisions.
  3. New technologies like Orchestra help single-person data teams maintain visibility and orchestration without expensive tools, accelerating the data value businesses receive.
Logging the World 378 implied HN points 09 Nov 22
  1. The author is considering moving their content from Twitter to Substack due to recent changes in Twitter's policies, like the requirement to pay for Twitter Blue to avoid shadowbanning.
  2. The author has enjoyed interacting with people on Twitter but feels unsupported by the platform.
  3. Despite not planning to leave Twitter completely, the author is exploring other platforms like Substack for long-form content.
Art’s Substack 39 implied HN points 24 May 24
  1. In Rust, sending futures between threads safely can lead to compilation errors. This can happen when sharing mutable data across threads that must be protected with a Mutex.
  2. The issue with sending futures between threads safely is due to the fact that futures in Rust are required to implement the 'Send' trait. Problems arise when trying to hold a MutexGuard across an await, causing the future not to be Send.
  3. To resolve issues related to sending futures between threads safely in Rust, one solution is to explicitly introduce a scope to handle locking and unlocking of the MutexGuard around the await, ensuring that the future is 'Send'.
Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots 59 implied HN points 18 Apr 24
  1. ServiceNow is using a method called Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to help transform user requests in natural language into structured workflows. This aims to improve how easily users can create workflows without needing deep technical knowledge.
  2. By using RAG, they want to reduce 'hallucination', which is when AI generates wrong or irrelevant info, and make the AI more reliable. This is important for gaining user trust in AI systems.
  3. The study also suggests future improvements, like changing output formats for efficiency and streamlining processes so that users can see steps one at a time, making it easier to follow along.
Jérôme à Paris 267 implied HN points 10 Feb 25
  1. Contracts for Difference (CfDs) let wind projects offer lower prices compared to Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). This is because CfDs reduce the perceived risk for lenders.
  2. Merchant projects that sell directly on the spot market are risky and harder to finance. Investors need to bet on high and unstable prices to make profits, which might not always work out.
  3. Using CfDs provides more price stability for consumers compared to relying solely on PPAs. This helps ensure lower and more predictable electricity costs over time.
Import AI 159 implied HN points 11 Dec 23
  1. Preparing for potential asteroid impacts requires coordination, strategic planning, and societal engagement.
  2. Distributed systems like LinguaLinked challenge traditional AI infrastructure assumptions, enabling local governance of AI models.
  3. Privacy-preserving benchmarks like Hashmarks allow for secure evaluation of sensitive AI capabilities without revealing specific information.
Data at Depth 59 implied HN points 18 Apr 24
  1. Documenting and analyzing your journey as a creator can help identify patterns of growth and areas for improvement, like diversification across social media platforms.
  2. Engaging in strategic thinking, research, and creation can lead to significant accomplishments, such as getting articles published and boosted, validating your skills as a writer.
  3. When using tools like GPT-4 for tasks like title generation, it's crucial to validate their output externally to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
Am I Stronger Yet? 282 implied HN points 30 Jan 25
  1. DeepSeek's new AI model, r1, shows impressive reasoning abilities, challenging larger competitors despite its smaller budget and team. It proves that smaller companies can contribute significantly to AI advancements.
  2. The cost of training r1 was much lower than similar models, potentially signaling a shift in how AI models might be developed and run in the future. This could allow more organizations to participate in AI development without needing huge budgets.
  3. DeepSeek's approach, including releasing its model weights for public use, opens up the possibility for further research and innovation. This could change the landscape of AI by making powerful tools more accessible to everyone.
The Pole 199 implied HN points 31 Oct 23
  1. Making money by selling to your audience is more lucrative than relying solely on ad revenue on YouTube
  2. Focusing on a specific niche makes marketing and positioning videos easier, but finding a balance is crucial to avoid burnout
  3. Understanding the value of your audience, such as their purchasing power, is essential for creating valuable content and solving pertinent problems
The Social Juice 19 implied HN points 21 Dec 25
  1. TikTok will be sold to or controlled by US owners to avoid a ban, but the deal is controversial and could create new problems.
  2. Meta is tightening what creators can post — Instagram limits hashtags to five and Facebook is testing fees for sharing links — while the company faces scams, ad-fraud accusations, and regulatory pressure.
  3. Platforms are competing over video and podcasts: Netflix is signing video-podcast deals and YouTube is expanding podcast/TV features, forcing advertisers and creators to rethink where they distribute and buy podcast ads.
Mindful Modeler 199 implied HN points 31 Oct 23
  1. Don't let a pursuit of perfection in interpreting ML models hinder progress. It's important to be pragmatic and make decisions even in the face of imperfect methods.
  2. Consider the balance of benefits and risks when interpreting ML models. Imperfect methods can still provide valuable insights despite their limitations.
  3. While aiming for improvements in interpretability methods, it's practical to use the existing imperfect methods that offer a net benefit in practice.
More Than Moore 280 implied HN points 29 Jan 25
  1. ASML had a great Q4 in 2024, with revenue hitting €9.3 billion, which is a 28% increase from the previous year. This makes it their highest earning quarter ever.
  2. The company shipped a total of 132 lithography machines in Q4, marking a strong demand for their products. They even sold their first High-NA EUV systems during this time.
  3. For 2025, ASML expects to continue growing with projected revenue between €30 billion and €35 billion. They are optimistic about increased sales in the AI chip market.
UX Psychology 218 implied HN points 13 Oct 23
  1. Measurements of user experience are expanding beyond just functionality and usability to include social dimensions, reflecting the importance of catering to users' social needs and interactions in digital products.
  2. Key social factors like self-expression, social learning, relatedness, communication, and social approval significantly impact user engagement, highlighting the need to address these aspects in UX design.
  3. Newly developed Social UX Scales, such as Identification, Social Interaction, Social Stimulation, and Social Acceptance, offer tools to effectively measure and improve social aspects of modern technology experiences.
Intercalation Station 139 implied HN points 24 Jan 24
  1. The use of machine learning and adaptive experimental design is revolutionizing battery technology for more efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy storage solutions.
  2. Machine learning enhances consumer electronics by optimizing battery life and performance, showing practical benefits in devices like smartphones and electric vehicles.
  3. The combination of machine learning and adaptive experimental design leads to quicker research and innovation in battery technology, making advancements more tailored, responsive, and impactful across industries.
Jakob Nielsen on UX 137 implied HN points 19 Jun 25
  1. You have a short window to adapt your career before AI changes everything. It's important to start learning new skills now rather than relying on old methods.
  2. Embrace the idea of inventing your own future. Instead of waiting to see how AI will impact jobs, actively work on creating new ways to integrate AI into your work.
  3. Focus on developing key human skills like agency, judgment, and persuasion. These skills will be crucial as AI takes over routine tasks and collaboration becomes more essential.
Generating Conversation 256 implied HN points 20 Feb 25
  1. Using AI like LLMs isn't unique anymore. Just having AI in your product doesn't really set it apart from competitors.
  2. To really stand out, focus on making a great user experience and integrating your product into how users already work. This makes your tool more valuable and hard to replace.
  3. Data is crucial for AI. It's not just about having lots of data; it's about using it smartly over time to improve your product and understand your users better.
The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao 117 implied HN points 27 Jan 24
  1. Exploring new frontiers in international business can be attractive and rewarding.
  2. Venturing into diverse cultures and challenging environments can lead to unique business opportunities.
  3. Engaging in frontier markets requires a tolerance for risk but offers potential for personal growth and financial gain.
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter 399 implied HN points 23 Oct 24
  1. Semafor has grown significantly in just two years, with over 80 staff members and 750,000 newsletter subscribers. They stayed focused on key topics, keeping their costs low while attracting a valuable audience.
  2. Costco's magazine is more popular than many big-name publications because it delivers useful tips and highlights its vendors. It shows how a focused approach can yield success.
  3. Political Wire's successful subscription model offers extra content and perks for loyal readers. Building a strong community can really help in retaining subscribers.
Generating Conversation 280 implied HN points 30 Jan 25
  1. AI is a big change in technology, similar to how the printing press changed information sharing. It will automate some jobs but also create many new opportunities.
  2. As AI makes tasks cheaper and easier, more people will want to use these services. This means new demands and markets will open up that we didn't see before.
  3. For AI to be successful, it needs to work well with what businesses are already doing, and building trust with customers is very important.
Alex's Personal Blog 131 implied HN points 24 Jun 25
  1. Stablecoins have some big problems that could make them fail as a trustworthy form of money. They don't always act like regular money should, which can confuse users.
  2. One major issue is that different stablecoins can trade at different values, just like different brands of the same product. This makes it hard for people to think of them as interchangeable.
  3. Despite their problems, stablecoins are still popular in places where local money is unstable. People keep using them, but we need to be careful about how they are designed and regulated.
Fight to Repair 118 implied HN points 25 Jan 24
  1. The fight for the right to repair is closely tied to the fight against monopolies. Companies like Apple use control over repairs to limit competition and maximize profit.
  2. Monopolies can hinder a circular economy by prioritizing profit over repairability. The push for a real circular economy requires challenging traditional capitalist notions.
  3. Legislation like the Digital Markets Act can help combat the restrictive practices of monopolies and create a more repair-friendly future. Advocating for right to repair policies and regulations is crucial in this fight.