The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

Covidnomics

Diane Francis • 359 implied HN points • 12 Aug 21
💼 Business Remote work Labor Market Economic Trends Workplace culture Public Health
  1. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how we work. More people are preferring remote work, leading to changes in workplaces and housing preferences.
  2. Many workers are quitting their jobs to prioritize safety and better work-life balance. This trend is forcing companies to adapt by offering flexible work options.
  3. Labor has gained more power, pushing for better pay and working conditions. This has led to higher wages and changes in benefits across various industries.

My Markdown personal management system

normality’s Substack • 3 HN points • 25 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Productivity Documentation Management
  1. This personal management system uses plain text in Markdown format, making it easy to use and modify. You can adjust it to suit your own workflow without getting overwhelmed.
  2. It provides flexibility while still offering helpful structure, so you can prioritize your tasks effectively. You can customize it to include sections for today, this week, and even future tasks.
  3. Though it's a personal tool, it can help you keep track of your projects and milestones. You can also use it to document completed tasks, which can be handy for remembering what you’ve accomplished.

Navigating the AI Jungle - Chat Bots

Erik Explores • 61 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Tools Machine Learning Applications User Experience
  1. There are many AI tools available, and it can be confusing to choose the right one. It's helpful to rely on personal experiences to see which tools work well.
  2. OpenAI's ChatGPT is popular for its good interface and features, like voice chat, which makes learning interactive and fun.
  3. DeepSeek allows for using AI models directly on your computer, giving flexibility, but it's important to choose the right model for your specific task.

Transformer^2: Self-adaptive LLMs

Gonzo ML • 63 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Development Machine Learning Data science Computing Artificial Intelligence
  1. Transformer^2 uses a new method for adapting language models that makes it simpler and more efficient than fine-tuning. Instead of retraining the whole model, it adjusts specific parts, which saves time and resources.
  2. The approach breaks down weight matrices through a process called Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), allowing the model to identify and enhance its existing strengths for various tasks.
  3. At test time, Transformer^2 can adapt to new tasks in two passes, first assessing the situation and then applying the best adjustments. This method shows improvements over existing techniques like LoRA in both performance and parameter efficiency.

Sunday Letter - let's leave the typewriter behind

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Collaboration Documents Applications AI User Experience
  1. Documents have changed a lot, but they still feel stuck in the past, like from the typewriter days. We need to rethink how we create and interact with documents to make them more useful and dynamic.
  2. AI can help us create smarter, more interactive documents that understand our needs. Instead of just being static text, documents could be live conversations that adapt to what we want.
  3. It's time to move beyond old ideas of fixed applications. We should expect software to understand us better and respond to our needs in a more flexible way, just like we would have a conversation.
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Patience

We're Gonna Get Those Bastards • 6 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
📖 Philosophy Patience Self-Improvement Virtues Investing Relationships
  1. Patience is an important virtue that can help you manage frustrating situations better. Instead of getting angry, try to remind yourself that you can wait and things will likely work out in the end.
  2. In both investing and personal relationships, being patient often leads to better outcomes. Rushing things usually creates more stress and can stall progress.
  3. When faced with difficulties, remember that things won't last forever. It's okay to feel pain but focusing on the present can help you get through tough times more easily.

The aim of maximising happiness is doomed to fail as a public policy

Optimally Irrational • 79 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Utilitarianism Public Policy Cognitive Science Happiness Ethics
  1. Aiming to make everyone happy through public policy might not work. Happiness is not a simple thing that can just be increased.
  2. People adapt to their situations quickly, which means that any increase in happiness usually fades back to a normal level. This makes it hard to keep happiness growing over time.
  3. Happiness is often more about feeling good in the moment than about long-term goals. People might even choose challenging paths because they bring deeper satisfaction, rather than just chasing fleeting feelings of joy.

The Hagakure #86: One Job

The Hagakure • 61 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💼 Business Strategy SaaS Startups Management Leadership
  1. Giving control to your team is important, but first, you need to make sure they understand their tasks clearly. This way, people can make better decisions without relying on just one person.
  2. To help your team succeed, they need competence in their roles. This includes being good at problem-solving, communication, and understanding processes.
  3. As a leader, your job is to create a clear vision and help develop your team's skills. This allows everyone to work better together and feel more empowered.

How Taiwan became Arrakis

Deep Into The Mundane • 17 HN points • 20 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Economics Semiconductors Manufacturing Innovation Research
  1. Taiwan's TSMC is crucial to the global economy, producing chips for major tech companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla.
  2. ASML, a Dutch company, has a monopoly on EUV lithography machines, a key technology for chip manufacturing, with machines costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
  3. TSMC's innovative 'pure-play foundry' model, led by visionary Morris Chang, revolutionized chip manufacturing, emphasizing collaboration with designers and avoiding competition with customers.

Introducing Orchestra: rapidly Build and Monitor Data and AI Products

The Orchestra Data Leadership Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Data Management Cloud Computing Data Visualization Software Engineering Artificial Intelligence
  1. Launching a free tier for Orchestra, a tool to build and monitor data and AI products, offering a lightweight approach to improving business value and AI integration.
  2. Addressing the challenges faced by data teams in balancing business value and software engineering best practices through tools like Nessie, dbt, and emerging 'as-code' BI platforms.
  3. Providing an end-to-end platform with features like declarative pipelines, data quality monitoring, granular alert control, and asset-based data lineage to empower data teams in accelerating their initiatives.

How Implicit Biases Compound for Aspiring Executives

The Uncommon Executive • 19 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Career Advancement Inequality Bias Diversity Leadership
  1. Affinity bias, confirmation bias, and negativity bias combined create a self-fulfilling loop that can hinder career progression for minorities.
  2. Implicit biases often show up in actions not taken or opportunities not given, making them challenging to identify and address.
  3. Small biases, left unchecked, can compound over time and lead to lack of diversity at the executive level, making it crucial for both current and aspiring leaders to actively combat biases.

Mining stocks could sync up with bitcoin rally soon?

Miner Weekly • 19 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💰 Finance Hardware and Infrastructure News Investing Market Analysis Regulation News Corporate News
  1. Bitcoin set an all-time high after more than 840 days, while mining stocks have lagged behind, presenting a history of this disconnect.
  2. Mining stocks mostly underperformed compared to bitcoin, with many still down over 60% from their highs in November 2021.
  3. Historical data shows that mining stocks have often trailed behind bitcoin's return to all-time highs, but when the full bull run returns, they have the potential to outperform.

The Unbundling of Retail

Equal Ventures • 59 implied HN points • 23 Jan 23
💼 Business Operations Retail E-commerce Startups Investment
  1. Economic fundamentals in retail are shifting, highlighting the limitations of a direct-to-consumer-only strategy.
  2. Traditional principles like vertical integration may not always lead to better outcomes in the retail industry, as seen with several DTC brands.
  3. Outsourcing non-core functions and embracing the 'Great Unbundling' can help emerging brands achieve economies of scale and operational excellence in the retail sector.

Under the microscope: Omakase! Savers (Saturn)

Rings of Saturn • 29 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Hardware Nostalgia Entertainment Gaming Software Development
  1. Omakase! Savers is a fun adventure game for the Sega Saturn released in 1996. It involves three girls who gain special powers to battle ghosts.
  2. The game allows players to use special names to unlock benefits like boosting character stats or accessing different episodes.
  3. There is also a hidden debug mode in the game that lets players change settings and access cutscenes, which can be useful for anyone interested in translating or modifying the game.

The Relief And Horror That Renting Is More Financially Sound Than Buying

Good Reason • 199 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
💰 Finance Personal Finance Real Estate Investing Wealth Housing
  1. Renting is now more financially sound than buying due to high mortgage rates and home prices.
  2. Renting may save money now, but high rents are still a burden on many, making it hard to save for a home in the future.
  3. The current housing situation reflects negatively on society, with both buying and renting becoming expensive options.

The Cost of Costing Nothing

Pedram's Data Based • 20 implied HN points • 03 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Innovation AI Data Workplace Ethics
  1. People are sharing AI-generated content too easily, and it puts the burden on others to process or analyze it. This means we often have to work harder to make sense of information that was just tossed our way.
  2. The rise of AI can lead to a situation where the hard work of thinking and analysis is passed off to others. It creates a culture where people want recognition for quick results without truly putting in the effort.
  3. While AI can be helpful as a tool for brainstorming or research, relying on it completely can diminish the quality of work. It's important to still put in personal effort and have good taste in what information we share with others.

Imposter Syndrome

Fish Food for Thought • 21 implied HN points • 06 Aug 25
💼 Business Leadership Psychology Management Workplace culture Mental health
  1. Imposter syndrome is when people doubt their success and feel like they don't deserve it. This feeling can happen to anyone, regardless of their achievements.
  2. Many leaders struggle with imposter syndrome because there's no one right way to lead. Every leadership style works differently, and it's easy to doubt yourself by comparing to others.
  3. To overcome imposter syndrome, it's important to focus on your strengths and how your unique leadership style helps your team succeed, instead of trying to copy someone else's approach.

This Week in Marketing - Netflix Ads, Meta vs Unoriginal Content & AI Agents for Business & Companionship

The Social Juice • 24 implied HN points • 20 Jul 25
💼 Business Marketing Advertising Technology Trends Media
  1. YouTube and Meta are cracking down on spam and unoriginal content to improve user experience. This means creators need to focus on producing unique and valuable content.
  2. Netflix is planning to double its ad revenue and introduce interactive ads in the future. This shows their strong commitment to expanding their advertising strategies.
  3. AI companions and tools like ChatGPT are becoming more common in marketing and entertainment. They can help engage users in new, innovative ways.

UX Roundup: UXR Theater | App Overload | Less Is More | Illustrations vs. Photos | Problem vs. Solution | Centralized AI | Recognition vs Recall | Google Growth | Sovereign AI | Agentic Browsers

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 23 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence UX Design Usability testing Web Development Product Design
  1. User experience can be improved by simplifying designs and removing unnecessary features. This means users can focus better on their tasks without distractions.
  2. Recognizing a user's problem is more important than sticking to a specific solution. The goal should always be to address what the user truly needs.
  3. The trend of having too many apps can make it harder for users to navigate. It's important to create a cohesive experience instead of making users juggle multiple tools.

✅ Hacking AI in PR: using AI tools to write a press release

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 99 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
💼 Business AI Tools Digital Transformation Marketing Public Relations Innovation
  1. AI tools can help speed up tasks in public relations, like writing press releases. They make it easier to summarize information and generate content.
  2. While AI can do a lot, it still needs human oversight. The outputs can be rough and may require changes to make them useful.
  3. It's important for PR teams to explore how AI can work in their daily tasks. By testing tools together, teams can find the best ways to use AI effectively.

Using AI to build a robust testing framework

Inside Data by Mikkel Dengsøe • 24 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development AI Data Analytics Machine Learning Data Engineering
  1. It's important to establish a solid testing strategy for data models. Focus on verifying what can be objectively checked, keeping tests clear and manageable.
  2. Testing should prioritize sources and the transformations that impact data the most. Don't repeat tests for unchanged fields; it's better to test only what really matters.
  3. For final metrics, shift the focus from basic checks to business-specific assumptions. Use adaptive monitors for outliers instead of hard-coded limits to ensure flexibility.

The power of yes

Sunday Letters • 179 implied HN points • 07 Aug 22
💼 Business Collaboration Teamwork Negotiation Leadership Communication
  1. Saying 'yes, and...' helps create better conversations and collaboration. It opens up more possibilities instead of shutting them down.
  2. In negotiations, aiming for a quick agreement might seem good, but exploring deeper can lead to greater benefits for both sides.
  3. A 'yes' mindset encourages listening and empathy, helping everyone involved to find better solutions together.

What happens if we apply KCOR to financial markets?

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 2 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
💰 Finance Portfolio Management Asset management Risk management
  1. A fully algorithmic, long-only U.S. large-cap equity strategy was derived from the KCOR framework and designed for low turnover, no leverage, and tax efficiency with only two tunable parameters.
  2. A 2000–2025 hypothetical backtest shows very large compounded returns and final equity growth, but it also involved extreme volatility, deep drawdowns, and the results are unaudited and not guaranteed.
  3. Live trading began with preliminary gains but the track record is short, the strategy remains high-risk and may underperform, and any investment interest is being directed to accredited or qualified investors only.

Don't panic

Sunday Letters • 139 implied HN points • 14 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Innovation Job Market AI Software Startups
  1. Tech industries go through cycles of success and downturns, and it's normal for this to happen over time. Don't get too worried; things will recover again.
  2. Even though there are doubts about new technologies like AI, they can lead to significant advancements and solve real problems for people. Focus on what can be created, not just the challenges.
  3. Downturns can help companies become better and more disciplined. When money is tight, it encourages innovation and addressing genuine needs rather than just quick gains.

A fresh newsletter series: Developer GTM

Developer GTM – by Calyx Consulting • 19 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Interviews Newsletter Content Marketing
  1. Developer GTM newsletter series will provide insights and guidance from experienced operators in the developer space.
  2. The newsletter will feature interviews with leaders in community management, DevRel, marketing, and more, offering valuable advice and strategies.
  3. The content aims to help businesses refine their developer go-to-market strategies and accelerate growth by learning from industry experts.

Ready, set..... not ready?

techandsocialcohesion • 19 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Transparency AI Social media Elections Policies
  1. Social media platforms are not well-prepared for the upcoming elections, scoring below 62% in terms of election readiness.
  2. Many platforms lack policies to stop the spread of manipulated content like deepfakes and to prevent micro-targeting of AI-generated political ads.
  3. There is a lack of transparency regarding platforms' performance, enforcement of policies, and safety teams, raising concerns about their effectiveness in maintaining election integrity.

Can dissipating energy be profitable ?

GEM Energy Analytics • 79 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
💼 Business Economics Energy Investment Market Analysis Renewables
  1. Dissipating energy can actually be a business opportunity, especially when there's a lot of renewable energy that needs to be used quickly. This could be done by creating heat with electricity.
  2. The European power markets show that there is potential to earn money by providing flexible energy solutions, such as using heaters or other simple devices to quickly use excess electricity.
  3. A smarter way to approach energy dissipation is to use the heat generated from electricity for useful purposes, like district heating, instead of just wasting it.

DRAFT: Notes: What Is the Techno-Optimist Slant on “AI”?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 169 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Tech industry Digital Transformation AI Data Analysis
  1. Very large-scale, high-dimension regression and classification analysis will be game-changing, transforming bureaucracy to algorithms with significant impacts across sectors from finance to healthcare.
  2. Natural-language interfaces to databases may be challenging to control but offer more intuitive access to vast information repositories, potentially enhancing user efficiency.
  3. Autocomplete technology provides substantial time savings for white-collar workers, illustrating the significant productivity boost modern technologies can offer.

What Crypto Can Teach Us About A.I. Hype

The Digital Anthropologist • 39 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Crypto Artificial Intelligence Industry Privacy Ethics
  1. The cryptocurrency industry's hype turned out to be largely a pyramid scheme, showing lessons to be learned for the Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) hype.
  2. Over-hyping A.I. can lead to disillusionment and hinder real progress, similar to what happened with crypto hype.
  3. To navigate the A.I. landscape better, companies should focus on tangible benefits, avoid over-promising, and incorporate human-centered approaches like Microsoft and Apple.

Hierarchy in Virtual Worlds

Philip’s Newsletter • 27 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Virtual Worlds Emergence Simulation Design
  1. Emergent hierarchies in nature show that complex structures develop over time, not from pre-set rules. This is like how multicellular life forms from simple atoms without a planned hierarchy.
  2. Second Life aimed to create a virtual world with simple rules that could naturally lead to complexity. It recognized the importance of allowing hierarchy to develop rather than forcing it.
  3. Today's technology allows for computers to simulate complex systems, which might help create virtual worlds that can mimic life and develop hierarchies on their own.

Jobs and Opps at openDemocracy, BBC Science Focus, FITV, PinkNews, and Many, Many More 🎄

Journo Resources - The Opportunities • 39 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
💼 Business Journalism Digital Media Jobs Writing
  1. The post shares job opportunities at various organizations including openDemocracy, BBC Science Focus, and more.
  2. There was a festive Christmas party held for the Journo Resources team to celebrate and connect in person.
  3. The newsletter is a thank you to the team for their hard work and vision for a better media landscape.