The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

Thrunting Grounds

Rhythms of Research • 58 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Network Security Forensics Threat Detection Cybersecurity
  1. Not all observables listed in threat intel reporting should be labeled as 'IOCs', as many of them don't indicate compromise.
  2. The distinction between IOCs and non-IOCs in threat hunting can help make threat intel reports more actionable for organizations.
  3. Differentiating between internally-focused threat detection (IOCs) and externally-focused threat hunting (exothrunting) observables can enhance threat detection efforts.
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Oracle-based Conditional payments on Bitcoin

LN Markets’ Newsletter • 58 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🕹 Technology Encryption Cryptocurrency Bitcoin Payment
  1. Oracle-based Conditional payments introduce a new way to handle conditional payments on Bitcoin by using oracles to attest to real-world events, allowing contracting parties to claim funds based on these attestations.
  2. Conditional payments rely on a third party for attestation, but in Oracle-based payments, the third party only attests events and does not execute contracts, improving security and trust in the process.
  3. Verifiable witness encryption plays a crucial role in setting up Oracle-based Conditional payments, ensuring that contracting parties can trust the oracle's attestations and claim funds accordingly.

The Drowning Billionaires and the Expanding Circle

Confidence Interval • 58 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality
  1. Some people find it immoral for billionaires to pay large sums for luxury experiences when the money could be used to do good elsewhere.
  2. The concept of Effective Altruism emphasizes the idea of making sacrifices to help those in need, even if it means forgoing luxury experiences.
  3. Expanding our circle of sympathy to understand and respect different ways people choose to spend their money is important.

Bug Report

Software Engineering Tidbits • 58 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Code Reviews Software Engineering
  1. Recommend following a 'Help me Help you' approach in software engineering
  2. In bug reports, provide clear title, priority, severity, repro steps, expected result, actual result, and additional details for easier resolution
  3. Consider adding valuable information like screen recordings and detailed context in bug reports for the engineering team

How to handle an IT escape room

Bad Software Advice • 82 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Workplace culture Problem Solving Organizational Behavior Software Development IT Management
  1. Working in IT can feel like being in an escape room, where you face unexpected challenges and obstacles every day.
  2. There is often tension between teams, like developers and IT, due to their different goals and priorities.
  3. To solve problems, it's important to be creative and strategic, whether by asking for help or figuring out other ways to get the job done.

They Lied About Afghanistan. They Lied About Iraq. And They Are Lying About Ukraine.

The Chris Hedges Report • 349 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
🌐 International Politics War Military Diplomacy NATO
  1. The U.S. public is being manipulated into funding endless wars with false narratives.
  2. Wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Ukraine have exposed lies behind justifications and promises of victory.
  3. The war industry profits while the public suffers, and the real enemy lies in the militarization driven by the industry.

How to Embed a Substack Form in Your WordPress Site

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 119 implied HN points • 01 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Content creation Social media Online Publishing Digital Tools Web Development
  1. You can easily add a Substack sign-up form to your WordPress site. This helps more people subscribe to your newsletter directly from your website.
  2. Setting it up is straightforward if you have a Substack account. Just copy some code from Substack and paste it into your WordPress site.
  3. Testing the setup is important to confirm everything works well. After you add it, try signing up yourself to see how it looks.

News You Need To Know Before Money2020: Goldman & Apple Hit With CFPB Enforcement Actions

Fintech Business Weekly • 104 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
💰 Finance Lending Fintech Banking Regulation Credit
  1. Goldman Sachs and Apple have to pay nearly $90 million due to issues with how they handled customer complaints about the Apple Card. They didn't follow the rules about resolving billing errors and misleading customers about financing options.
  2. The final open banking rule is now in place, but it faces a legal challenge from big banks who argue it could increase fraud and harm consumer data safety. This rule aims to give consumers more control over their financial data.
  3. SoLo Funds, a peer-to-peer lending service, is facing a lawsuit for allegedly misleading customers about loan costs. The company has been criticized for operating without the necessary licenses and using confusing practices.

Is Stripe expensive, or is Adyen cheap?

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 28 Feb 25
💼 Business Investments Sales Startups Finance Economics
  1. Startups are growing faster than ever, hitting $5 million in annual revenue quicker than before. This shows that today's startups have better opportunities and strategies to scale up.
  2. Self-driving technology is making great progress, with companies like Waymo doubling their paid rides in less than a year. This suggests that self-driving cars are becoming more reliable and popular.
  3. Comparing Stripe and Adyen reveals that Stripe is investing heavily in future growth while Adyen focuses on efficiency and profits. This difference shows how each company has its own strategy to succeed in the market.

Erdmann Housing Tracker, 2024 in Review (January to June)

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 84 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
💰 Finance Market Analysis Real Estate Housing Market Investment Strategies Economic Policy
  1. High housing costs are mainly due to a lack of supply rather than too much demand. Cities are struggling to provide enough homes for their growing populations.
  2. Homeownership continues to decline because of demographic shifts and a severe housing shortage. Many people are forced to share living spaces instead of owning their own homes.
  3. There is a belief that adding more housing will lead to lower prices, but it often results in the opposite effect. More housing can create a sense of instability in the market, making things feel worse for current residents.

The only path to transmit knowledge

Mon0’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Logic Methodology Epistemology Metaphysics Ethics
  1. STEM fields believe knowledge should follow a clear path: define terms, state propositions, and verify them. It's all about structure and clarity.
  2. Philosophers often use complicated language, which can make their ideas hard to understand. This creates a gap between STEM and humanities, where definitions aren't always clear.
  3. Some writers may choose to be vague or complex to engage readers or seem profound. However, this can confuse people instead of helping them learn.

Toward Prosocial Tech Design Governance

techandsocialcohesion • 39 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Tech governance Social Impact Design principles Regulations Inclusivity
  1. Technology governance often focuses on harmful digital content, but there is a need to shift focus towards the design of technology to address harmful content creation incentives.
  2. It is crucial to move beyond content governance and prioritize tech design governance to encourage prosocial behavior and diminish harmful actions on tech platforms.
  3. Prosocial tech design governance entails incentivizing and regulating tech products to amplify positive behaviors, emphasizing the importance of tech designs in shaping human behavior.

Of Agents and Agency

Gradient Ascendant • 7 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Human factors AI Ethics Autonomy AI Robotics
  1. LLMs and agents produce helpful outputs, but those outputs are tools — first drafts or prototypes — that almost always need verification and editing before they become real solutions.
  2. Real agency comes from expertise, and AI won’t give you that for free; treating AI outputs as finished products often creates the illusion of agency and leads to mistakes.
  3. For people with expertise, AI agents are powerful force multipliers, and although future planning agents might coordinate sub-agents more reliably, for now AI mainly accelerates expert work rather than replacing it.

The History and Evolution of Open Table Formats - Part I

Practical Data Engineering Substack • 2 HN points • 15 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Big Data Database Systems Data Engineering Data Management
  1. Open Table Formats have changed how we store and manage data, making it easier to work with different systems and tools without being locked into one software.
  2. The transition from traditional databases to open table formats has increased flexibility and allowed for better collaboration across various platforms, especially in data lakes.
  3. Despite their advantages, old formats like Hive still face issues like slow performance and over-partitioning, which can make data management challenging as companies grow.

The consulting grass needs watering to be greener

Kenny’s Sub • 39 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
💼 Business Freelancing Consulting Entrepreneurship Strategy Design
  1. Freelancing allows for more control and fulfillment in your work. You can choose projects that excite you instead of being stuck in a regular job.
  2. It's important to build strong relationships and always keep your pipeline full. Referrals can greatly help in getting new clients and sustaining your business.
  3. Shifting your mindset about value and time is crucial. It's about delivering impact, not just billing hours, and you can charge for the value you bring.

Jobs and Opps at ITV, Journo Resources, Marie Claire UK, MyLondon, and Many, Many More 🐈‍⬛

Journo Resources - The Opportunities • 99 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
💼 Business Events Journalism Communications Media Marketing
  1. Jobs and opportunities in journalism are available at various companies like ITV, Marie Claire UK, and MyLondon.
  2. Trusting your past self's decisions can lead to unexpected but rewarding experiences.
  3. Events and workshops offer valuable insights, such as breaking into higher-paying branded content work.

Console #162 - Interview with Michal of Keycloak - Open Source Identity and Access Management

Console • 354 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Open Source Community Interview Software Development Programming
  1. Keycloak is an Open Source Identity and Access Management solution for modern applications and services.
  2. Keycloak receives extensive community contributions, aiding its evolution and features.
  3. Contributing to Keycloak involves hands-on experience, writing relevant tests, and engaging with the issue tracker.

Workplace AI just had a terrible week

Make Work Better • 92 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Innovation Ethics AI Workplace
  1. Microsoft's Copilot AI has faced serious criticism recently, with many users finding it unreliable and disconnected from actual business needs. Less than 4% of IT leaders reported that it provided significant value, raising concerns about its effectiveness.
  2. There are issues with Copilot accidentally accessing and sharing sensitive company information. This has created trust problems, as employees worry about privacy and data security.
  3. Next year, companies are moving towards 'agentic AI', where AI not only assists but takes on tasks autonomously. This shift aims to improve efficiency, but it's crucial to ensure these systems remain secure and trustworthy.

Secure Machine Learning

Gradient Flow • 199 implied HN points • 16 Jun 22
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Data Privacy Open Source Business Intelligence
  1. Data privacy and security are crucial in machine learning, especially while data is being used; a new open-source library is making Secure Multi-Party Computation more accessible.
  2. Business Intelligence tools help non-programmers analyze data for strategic decisions, with modern tools allowing for advanced analytics and modeling capabilities.
  3. Identifying data startups with real market traction is essential; choosing companies founded post-2006 coincides with the rise of big data technology like Hadoop.

Revise and resubmit

SuperJoost Playlist • 79 implied HN points • 24 Aug 23
💼 Business Gaming Industry Market Trends Acquisitions
  1. Microsoft has submitted a revised proposal to buy Activision Blizzard to address concerns from the UK's competition regulator.
  2. Ubisoft has secured cloud gaming rights to Activision titles from Microsoft, potentially impacting the gaming market.
  3. There is a shift in the European games market dynamics due to financial challenges facing major game makers like Embracer.

Vulnerability Management and Developer Toil

Resilient Cyber • 119 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Data Analysis Software Vulnerabilities Cybersecurity Developers
  1. Vulnerability management is crucial for security but often overwhelms developers with too much information. It’s important to focus on vulnerabilities that really pose a risk, instead of just following strict checklists.
  2. The number of vulnerabilities has exploded in recent years, but most are never exploited. Organizations need better ways to prioritize which vulnerabilities to address based on actual risk, rather than just severity scores.
  3. Security teams should work more closely with developers to reduce friction and support their efforts. Improving communication and providing context can make security a partner, not a blocker.

The misguided yearning for a better plan

Wednesday Wisdom • 104 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Engineering Management Execution Education Incentives
  1. Having a better plan isn't the solution; it's all about how well you execute the plan you have. Good results come from good execution, not just a fancy plan.
  2. Many people look for secret techniques to improve, but the truth is that everyone knows what to do. The problem is usually that they just aren't doing it well.
  3. Instead of searching high and low for a better plan, focus on improving how you do what you're already doing. Making small changes in execution can lead to big improvements.

The myth of technological inevitability

The Future, Now and Then • 229 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Science Artificial Intelligence Policy Innovation Ethics
  1. Technological change is perceived as inevitable and can happen in regulated or new industries.
  2. The concept of heroic scientists driving innovation is unrealistic and scientific progress is a slow, collaborative process.
  3. The public sector plays a significant role in shaping the direction of scientific progress and technological advancement, impacting the pace and outcomes.

Three traits of the software engineers that are promoted fastest[Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Career growth Software Engineering Communication
  1. Top engineers integrate feedback to grow faster by seeking and incorporating detailed feedback, and following up on the impact.
  2. Top engineers prioritize their time by focusing on high-return activities and ruthlessly assessing what is worth pursuing.
  3. Top engineers communicate effectively by articulating the 'why', avoiding jargon, tailoring messages to the audience, and sharing updates regularly.

And the antidote to polarization is... deliberative tech

techandsocialcohesion • 19 implied HN points • 26 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Peacebuilding Social media AI Democracy
  1. Deliberative technology, enhanced by AI, can foster inclusive public discourse by bringing together diverse perspectives to tackle shared challenges.
  2. Deliberative technologies enable dynamic exchanges that go beyond traditional polls, allowing participants to refine solutions collaboratively.
  3. The integration of AI in deliberative tech not only streamlines processes but also amplifies democratic participation, navigates polarization, and reveals common ground for more effective solutions.

10 Years of Solo Consulting (Part 2)

burkhardstubert • 79 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
💼 Business Strategy Career Entrepreneurship Pricing Consulting
  1. It's important to charge more for strategic advice compared to implementation work. Clients often don't realize the value they get from your expertise, so it's beneficial to price according to the value you create.
  2. Using productized services can save time and increase income. These services combine a standard product with a small amount of customization for each client, allowing you to charge more consistently.
  3. Setting your own payment terms can lead to better cash flow and less hassle. By charging clients upfront or setting clear rules about payments, you can avoid the stress of late payments and complicated contracts.

How to build an AI agent that turns your blog posts into Linkedin posts

Market Curve • 28 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Marketing Workflows Content creation AI Automation
  1. You can use an AI agent to automatically turn your blog posts into LinkedIn posts in just a few seconds. This saves you time and helps you share content without extra effort.
  2. To set up this system, you need to connect tools like n8n and Firecrawl to scrape your blog content and then send it to an AI to create LinkedIn posts.
  3. The process is designed for beginners, so you won’t need any coding skills. Just follow the simple steps to create a working workflow.

Customer Courtship: Sampling

The Polymerist • 66 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
💼 Business Supply Chain Customer Relations Product Development Chemical Industry Marketing Strategies
  1. Sending product samples to customers can be a complex and crucial part of building a business relationship. It's like dating, and both parties need to understand what they want out of the relationship.
  2. Understanding how customers intend to use your product is vital. Knowing their goals will help you tailor your product to meet their needs effectively.
  3. Getting feedback from customers after they test your samples is important. This feedback may lead to modifications and adjustments, which can take time and resources to implement.

New launches (part 1) - private capture, phantom pricing

Cobie • 171 implied HN points • 19 May 24
🔮 Crypto Tokenomics Investing Valuation Market Trends
  1. New token launches are tough to invest in because a lot of the price discovery happens in private markets, leaving regular investors with less opportunity. It's important to do your homework before jumping in.
  2. Higher valuations for new tokens now reflect more demand in the market, but many of these valuations don’t match the actual value of the tokens. It's key for investors to look deeper into the numbers behind the hype.
  3. Buyers should be cautious with low-float tokens, as they can be more easily manipulated. Understanding the float, FDV, and market demand is essential before investing.