The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
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Bi-Weekly Notes

Rethinking Software • 49 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Agile Methodology Project management Software Development Team Collaboration
  1. Agile is all about being flexible and responding to changes quickly, rather than trying to predict everything in advance. It helps teams deal with unexpected challenges effectively.
  2. Good teamwork means collaborating and helping each other out. If you get stuck on a project, it’s important to ask your teammates for support instead of trying to figure everything out alone.
  3. Building software is unpredictable, so it’s best not to set strict deadlines and feature lists. Trying to rush or add more people won't necessarily speed things up, and can often make things worse.

The Startup CEO Mindset

Tech Ramblings • 59 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
💼 Business Management Startups Leadership Mindset Entrepreneurship
  1. The Stockdale Paradox teaches us to balance hope with reality. It's important to stay realistic about challenges while maintaining confidence in future success.
  2. Startup founders should always face the truth about their situation. Acknowledging difficulties is key to making smart decisions and moving forward.
  3. Optimism is good, but it shouldn't blind you to the hard work needed to succeed. Continuous effort and execution are essential for long-term growth.

I still miss you, StumbleUpon

The Rectangle • 56 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Digital Trends Internet Online Culture Social media
  1. StumbleUpon was a fun tool to discover interesting websites, making time online feel valuable. The internet has changed a lot since then, and it’s hard to find that same kind of exploration now.
  2. Big social media sites have taken over the internet, making it feel less diverse. While there are more websites, we mostly stick to a few major platforms instead of exploring niche interests.
  3. To bring back the spirit of discovery, we need to move away from big networks. Engaging with small communities and personal projects online can give us a richer experience.

Walter and other stories

Gradient Ascendant • 11 implied HN points • 26 Aug 25
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Cultural impact Software Research
  1. A new paper was written about teaching a small AI model to be good at social media in a way that could help with real-world problems. This AI, called Walter, aims to improve the quality of journalism through better writing.
  2. The author recently started a job at Meta Superintelligence, but clarifies that their personal opinions on AI won't reflect the company's official stance. They have also written several research papers this year, highlighting a shift in their work focus.
  3. The culture in the AI field is heavily influenced by academic traditions, unlike other software industries. The author speculates about whether this close connection to academia was inevitable for AI, and suggests that future advancements could come from new ideas.
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More thoughts on 6th generation projects

TP’s Substack • 43 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Defense Engineering Military Aerospace Innovation
  1. The J-36 aircraft is designed to handle very high power demands for its various technologies, like radar and electronic warfare. This means it needs advanced electrical systems to support all its capabilities.
  2. The J-36 is a multi-role aircraft that acts as a central hub, coordinating various other unmanned vehicles and aircraft during missions. This makes it a crucial part of modern combat strategies.
  3. With its potential long range and high speed, the J-36 can launch attacks from great distances while remaining hard to detect. It's designed to be a tough target for enemies, making it a valuable asset in air operations.

Inertia Creeps

Kneeling Bus • 185 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Self-driving cars Transportation Mobile technology
  1. Driving in Los Angeles is time-consuming and inconvenient for everyone, regardless of wealth.
  2. Transport options like ridesharing apps have transformed urban travel and made distant places more accessible, albeit at a higher cost.
  3. Advancements in transportation technology suggest a future where travel becomes a space of its own, separate from the physical world we traverse.

Shen Jianguang on Five Major Misunderstandings of China’s Fiscal Stimulus Package

Pekingnology • 52 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
💰 Finance Market Analysis Investment Strategies Fiscal policy Debt Management
  1. The fiscal stimulus package in China is larger than it seems. It includes various measures that could lead to significant economic support, potentially amounting to 20% of the GDP.
  2. Debt replacement efforts will not only improve local government finances but also allow for more government spending. This shift can help stimulate the economy by boosting aggregate demand.
  3. The package aims to help local governments, which can indirectly benefit businesses and households too. Increased spending can stimulate consumption and support recovery in multiple sectors.

Using :has() pseudo-class to style parent elements

Perspectiv | LAB • 2 HN points • 21 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Web Development CSS Accessibility Design Patterns
  1. The :has() pseudo-class in CSS lets you style a parent element based on its child elements. This means you can change how a parent looks if it has kids that meet certain criteria.
  2. One practical use is to display error messages more clearly. You can make a parent element look different, like changing colors, when there's an error message inside it.
  3. This technique also helps with accessibility. You can use it to highlight parent elements for users who may need visual signals, based on child elements with special attributes.

The Capitalist Crisis

America in Crisis • 59 implied HN points • 31 Jan 23
💰 Finance Inequality Economy Financialization Stock Market Economic Policy
  1. The capitalist crisis is linked to a drop in capital productivity, which can indicate an unhealthy capitalist system due to factors like inequality affecting demand and economic output.
  2. High levels of inequality can lead to a shortage of demand, causing a decline in capital productivity and contributing to a capitalist crisis.
  3. Financialization of the economy and the shift from stakeholder capitalism to shareholder primacy culture can impact business investment decisions, distribution of profits, and even wage disparities in the financial sector.

The thing about stocks and interest rates…

Jon’s Newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
💰 Finance Corporate Earnings Economic Indicators Interest Rates Market Trends Investments
  1. Interest rates are a big deal for the stock market, and higher rates can make investors nervous about how companies will perform. Stock prices might drop if rates keep rising.
  2. Although stocks have bounced back from lows, past market losses have affected confidence. Some experts think the economy is in decent shape, which could help weather rate increases.
  3. Bear markets usually last a while after the last rate hike, suggesting tough times ahead. But this bear market started before the first rate hike, which is something to consider for those hoping for a quicker recovery.

Google DeepMind's AI playbook for engineering at hyperspeed | Philipp Schmid

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Innovation Development Engineering AI
  1. AI is changing how engineers work and learn. It's making it easier for new people to start coding and improving team collaboration.
  2. Using AI tools effectively requires continuous learning and adapting. Engineers should stay open-minded and embrace new technology to thrive.
  3. There's still a gap between what leaders expect from AI and what developers actually experience. Just adding AI doesn't guarantee better productivity, so thoughtful integration is key.

The State of Data Testing in 2024: Why We Still Have Broken Windows

Inside Data by Mikkel Dengsøe • 49 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Business Intelligence Analytics Data Quality
  1. Data teams are overwhelmed by too many alerts from test failures. This leads to important issues being overlooked.
  2. It's crucial to focus on the right tests that have significant business impact rather than just mechanical tests. This means deeper insights into the data are needed.
  3. Sharing the responsibility for data quality across teams can improve the situation. When everyone understands their role, issues are resolved faster.

Revisiting 2024 Predictions

next big thing • 44 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
💼 Business Consumer behavior Market Analysis Tech Trends Startups Venture Capital
  1. Venture capital is expected to pick up in 2024 as many companies seek funding to survive and grow. More startups could get funded, especially those in AI, but some may struggle to raise money.
  2. AI technology saw incredible growth in 2024, with many new applications becoming popular. Despite some challenges, AI became a huge part of tech this year.
  3. There are hopeful signs for real-world uses of crypto, as new applications are being built. With better technology and user needs, crypto could see significant adoption this year.

Congrats to the July Ronin Discord Reward Winners!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🔮 Crypto Gaming Blockchain Web3 Rewards Community
  1. The Ronin Discord rewards the most active and helpful members each month with RON tokens. It's a great way to encourage community engagement.
  2. Winners need to share their Ronin Wallet address in the community rewards channel to receive their tokens. It's important to do this before the deadline!
  3. All community members can earn rewards by participating. Engaging positively in the Discord makes you eligible for monthly rewards.

The Recursive Function Template[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 12 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Software Coding Recursion Interviews Tutoring
  1. The recursive function template provides a step-by-step guide to solving recursive problems, helping you avoid overwhelm and work through coding challenges smoothly.
  2. The template includes key components like checking termination cases, processing outcomes, handling recursive cases, and resetting side effects, making problem-solving structured and manageable.
  3. Isolating recursion into helper functions improves code organization, and future Technique Tuesdays may cover the power of helper functions in depth.

Any Cables Monthly #6

AnyCable Broadcasts • 39 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Ruby Web Development Programming
  1. Stimulus Reflex team commits to collaborating with Rails and Hotwire to enhance the ecosystem and bring better tools for developers.
  2. Turbo Boost libraries by Nate Hopkins aim to supercharge web applications development with Turbo by introducing commands, streams, and reusable behaviors.
  3. The use of gRPC technology in AnyCable, powered by technology like grpc_kit and griffin, provides a promising alternative to the traditional gRPC implementation in Ruby.

Welcome to Ronin, Treasure!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🕹 Technology AI Gaming Crypto NFTs Blockchain
  1. Customizable AI agents are now available on Ronin, allowing players to create unique agents that can assist in games like Fishing Frenzy.
  2. You can spawn your AI agent by connecting your Ronin Wallet and using $MAGIC tokens. It's simple to set up, just follow the steps online!
  3. In addition to gaming, these agents can do research and gather information about crypto and NFTs, making them smart helpers in the digital space.

4-Day Week Report, Childcare Skill,3 Baby Japanese Towns, Book Updates | #281

Boundless by Paul Millerd • 52 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
💼 Business Labor Economics Workplace Trends Book Publishing
  1. Germany's experiment with a four-day workweek showed that people felt they were working more intensely but did not see a drop in revenue or profit. Most participants preferred this new schedule and wanted to continue it.
  2. A new study indicates that a strong job market is leading to less skilled workers in childcare, making it harder to find quality care. This problem is contributing to families struggling to find suitable childcare options.
  3. In a Japanese town, nearly half of the residents have three or more kids due to supportive policies like free healthcare for children and subsidized school meals. This highlights a successful approach to encourage higher birth rates.

Another Follow-Up Against Agglomeration

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 105 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💰 Finance Construction Economics Mortgage Income Housing
  1. The mortgage crackdown post-2008 led to a housing shortage, impacting construction of single-family homes in different cities.
  2. There is a correlation between the drop in construction activity after 2008 and metro area incomes, where lower income areas experienced a greater decline.
  3. Trends suggest housing constraints may lead to higher incomes, impacting new single-family home construction and mortgage lending standards across different cities.

Extraterrestrial Governance

Skeptic • 42 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Governance Ethics Human nature Society Exploration
  1. As we start living on other planets, we need to figure out how to govern ourselves there. This means thinking about the best way to make decisions and keep everyone safe.
  2. Direct democracy sounds good for a small group, but as the population grows, we might need more rules and systems to handle conflicts. Balancing freedom and order will be a big challenge.
  3. We can learn from Earth's history and societies to create better systems on other planets. Sharing resources, cooperating, and having good leadership are crucial for survival and success.

The best behavioral frameworks for creating great products

The Kahneman Bot • 39 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Behavioral Science Product Development User Behavior Psychology
  1. Behavioral frameworks play a crucial role in product development by focusing on influencing user behavior and decision-making.
  2. Frameworks like EAST, Hooked, and Influence offer practical guidelines for improving products by making actions easy, attractive, and timely.
  3. Models like COM-B and Fogg's Behavior Model help product teams consider the wider environment and factors influencing user behavior.

Fableborne Season 3 is LIVE!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 49 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Gaming NFTs Mobile Rewards
  1. Fableborne Season 3 is now available! This game mixes strategy and action, letting you raid players and earn rewards.
  2. You can earn special rewards like Fortune Keys by completing quests and buy Fortune Passes to unlock more goodies inside the game.
  3. Building a strong kingdom is key! Customize your defenses and level up to better protect your resources and stand against other players.

Building a Compliance and AppSec Program for a Federal Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Resilient Cyber • 59 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
🕹 Technology DevOps Cloud Computing Cybersecurity Software Development Compliance
  1. Building a compliance and AppSec program for a federal Platform-as-a-Service is challenging. It's important to understand which security controls can be inherited by development teams.
  2. Scaling the compliance program across multiple teams can lead to unique challenges. It's crucial to onboard each team effectively while minimizing their workload.
  3. Developers need support in balancing security and compliance with their work. Educating auditors about cloud practices is also important for smoother collaboration.

Run Your Own Race

Fish Food for Thought • 18 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
💼 Business Strategy Marketing Customer Service Product Development Entrepreneurship
  1. Focus on what your customers really need instead of just copying competitors. This helps create unique value and builds customer loyalty.
  2. Understand that just because something works for another company doesn't mean it will work for you. Your strategy should be based on your own customers' reality.
  3. It's important to say 'no' to ideas that don't align with your core purpose. Staying focused on your goals will help you create real value over time.

UX Roundup: AI Music | Humans Impolite to AI | Subscriptions vs. Social Media | AI vs. Search

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 5 implied HN points • 10 Nov 25
🕹 Technology User Experience Music Social media Search AI
  1. People are usually more polite and clear when talking to humans compared to AI. This shows that AI chatbots need to learn from how we communicate with them.
  2. Subscribing to newsletters is better than relying on social media for good content. Often, the best work doesn't get enough attention on social platforms.
  3. AI answers are becoming more popular than traditional search engines. Many people prefer getting information directly from AI instead of clicking on links.

When Technology Disrupts Society, What Happens? Part 1

The Digital Anthropologist • 59 implied HN points • 19 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Innovation Economics Politics Society Creativity
  1. Revolutionary technologies throughout history have led to significant societal changes, impacting economic systems, politics, culture, and social structures.
  2. Current technology disruptions include challenges in political systems, creative fields, rule of law, economics, commerce, financial systems, and social structures.
  3. Despite the current turmoil caused by technological disruptions, history shows that after periods of turbulence, societies often enter a Golden Age of settling new norms and behaviors.

Why reward models are key for alignment

Democratizing Automation • 110 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Models Datasets Tools AI
  1. Reward models provide a unique way to assess language models without relying on traditional prompting and computation limits.
  2. Constructing comparisons with reward models helps identify biases and viewpoints, aiding in understanding language model representations.
  3. Generative reward models offer a simple way to classify preferences in tasks like LLM evaluation, providing clarity and performance benefits in the RL setting.

More color on the inevitable rent boom of the 2010s.

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 105 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
💰 Finance Rent Inflation Home Prices Real Estate
  1. The clampdown on mortgage lending in 2008 led to unprecedented rent inflation, reinforcing the relationship between home prices, rent ratios, and access to credit.
  2. The natural experiment since 2008 confirmed that cutting off mortgage access lowered price/rent ratios substantially, leading to collapse in construction and significant rent increases. This situation may have reached a point where new homes could be constructed again on a larger scale.
  3. A regressive rise in home prices occurred post-2008 due to a credit shock affecting existing home values and necessitating a rise in land rents to induce new construction. This situation highlights the impact of housing shortages on rent inflation and home values.