The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

Cult DAO: Decentralization, Disruption and Developing teh ReVoLuTion

sonsofcrypto • 19 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🔮 Crypto Decentralization Blockchain Cryptocurrency Innovation
  1. Cult DAO aims to challenge existing financial and political systems by promoting decentralization, freedom, and equality.
  2. Cult invests in projects that further decentralization and empower the majority, limiting the influence of deep-pocketed entities.
  3. Projects like Revolt, The Rug Game, and Modulus showcase Cult's commitment to innovative governance mechanisms and decentralized systems.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Twitter, Threads, and the misunderstood nature of engineering

Midnight Manager • 19 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Social media Complex Systems Engineering
  1. Predictions in the heat of the moment may not always be accurate, it's better to avoid making them.
  2. Complex systems engineering involves problem-solving, invention, and durable product creation, not immediate catastrophic failures if work stops.
  3. Building and managing internet-scale systems like Twitter is extremely challenging due to the complexity of relationships between system components.

The Matrix That Eats People

Tessa Fights Robots • 69 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Spirituality Reality Consciousness Existence Identity
  1. Our society is depicted as a man-eating machine, preying on people's energy and diverting focus to artificial spirits.
  2. Young people's energy often gets consumed by societal norms and expectations, leading them away from meaningful pursuits.
  3. We are interconnected beings existing in multiple dimensions, influenced by various energy fields around us, guiding us to reflect on our true selves and purpose in a complex world.

Understanding the Tech Crash [Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 14 May 22
💰 Finance Personal Finance Economy Career growth Stock Market Investing
  1. The value of stocks dropping doesn't mean the company is losing cash; it's about stock prices. The business and cash flow are different.
  2. Economic cycles like hiring freezes are common; industries go through ups and downs.
  3. Despite tech slowdowns, opportunities exist; focus on developing skills and profile to thrive.

The Long Game 170: Genomics, Embryo Selection, Expectations, Taking Yourself Seriously

The Long Game by Mehdi Yacoubi • 2 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Data science Health tech Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology Startups Product Strategy
  1. Embryo selection is extremely high-stakes, so companies must have honest marketing and solid science. If you see fake reviews, copied research, or basic methodological errors, be very skeptical and don't trust them with decisions about future children.
  2. Set deliberately low expectations so small improvements feel like wins and bad news feels normal. Controlling your expectations reduces unnecessary suffering and helps you appreciate progress.
  3. Stop waiting for life to happen and take yourself seriously by choosing a direction and acting on it. Real progress comes from responsibility, risk, and doing more than what feels safe.

Self-Improving AI Coding Agents in 5 Minutes

Retrieve and Generate • 11 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🕹 Technology AI Software Coding Automation Development
  1. AI coding agents can struggle with tasks and make mistakes. It's not just the AI's fault; many parts of the system can contribute to these errors.
  2. You can help your AI coding agent improve itself by capturing its logs, asking it to find errors, and fixing those issues. This process can make the agent more reliable and faster.
  3. Running specific benchmarks regularly can help track your AI's performance over time. This way, you can spot any problems early and improve the system continuously.

Fight to Repair Daily: August 19, 2022

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 21 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Right-to-repair
  1. Cybersecurity in agtech, highlighted by the John Deere hack, is crucial with leading companies like John Deere being continuously targeted by hackers.
  2. The right-to-repair movement benefits users by allowing for easier and more affordable repairs, while companies may need to adapt to maintain profitability.
  3. Ownership of products is evolving, with subscription-based services becoming more common, raising questions about what consumers truly own when they purchase hardware.

Improving factor returns through structural factors

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
💰 Finance Asset management Quantitative finance Asset allocation Portfolio Construction Investment strategy Risk management
  1. Reported factor returns are partly driven by changing valuation multiples, not just fundamentals; removing those valuation effects reveals a structural premium that better reflects underlying, fundamental-driven returns.
  2. Valuation-driven revaluation effects shrink over longer horizons, so structural factor returns become more important for long-term investors and should guide long-term factor weightings.
  3. Constructing multi-factor portfolios using structural premiums improves expected long-term performance versus conventional approaches, though investors will still experience realized valuation swings that cannot be hedged.

Standardized usability questionnaires: which one to use?

UX Psychology • 79 implied HN points • 16 Dec 21
🕹 Technology Metrics Usability User Experience Research
  1. Standardized usability questionnaires have many advantages like objectivity, reliability, and validity.
  2. There are various post-test standardized usability questionnaires available, such as QUIS, SUMI, PSSUQ, SUS, and SUPR-Q, each with unique features and applications.
  3. Choosing the right questionnaire depends on factors like the nature of the project, stage of research, goals of the study, and budget limitations.

💰 On Your Personal Factory, Leveraging the Internet and New Ways to Earn.

Day One • 59 implied HN points • 30 May 22
💼 Business Productivity Personal Development Marketing Entrepreneurship
  1. Take care of your body by prioritizing things like drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, and maintaining good work posture.
  2. Focus on creating systems that support your productivity and well-being, as the 'factory' that builds your work is crucial.
  3. Consider leveraging tools like Refind for content curation, and apps like Sweatcoin to earn from daily activities like walking.

We don’t need data contracts

davidj.substack • 71 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Data Contracts Data Transformation Data Management
  1. Data teams face challenges when separated from product engineering, leading to loss of metadata and concerns about data quality. Data contracts can help address these issues by defining the nature, completeness, and format of shared data.
  2. Integrating data professionals within product teams can enhance understanding and usage of data, reducing the need for separate contracts. This approach allows for direct-to-consumer, organic data processes.
  3. Centralized data platform teams can establish common standards and infrastructure, enabling embedded data personnel in product teams to work efficiently. This collaborative model streamlines data transformation and enhances data accessibility.

I don't think there's a conspiracy among AI scientists to trick the public into thinking AI might kill everyone

Philosophy bear • 121 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Beliefs Existentialism
  1. Senior AI scientists emphasize the importance of addressing AI risks alongside other societal risks.
  2. There are doubts about whether AI scientists have ulterior motives in expressing concerns about AI risks.
  3. Even if the likelihood of AI risks is low, the potential consequences are severe enough to warrant serious attention and action.

Predictable Chaos: Trump’s Tariffs and the Fragility of Global Supply Chains

Gad’s Newsletter • 23 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
💼 Business Economic Impact Market Analysis Corporate strategy Trade policy Supply Chain
  1. Tariffs can hurt both businesses and consumers by increasing costs, leading to higher prices for goods. Companies that depend on global supply chains may struggle to adapt to these changes.
  2. Supply chains are fragile and can get disrupted easily. When one part faces issues, it can affect the entire chain, leading to bigger economic problems.
  3. Flexibility in supply chains is important. Businesses need to have options for different suppliers and production routes to handle unexpected changes and avoid significant losses.

Regime is Collapsing

Malt Liquidity • 31 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
💰 Finance Economics Regulations Investing Market Trends Wealth Management
  1. Market regimes change, and recognizing this can help avoid losses. Just like in a movie, understanding what's real can prevent you from getting stuck in a bad situation.
  2. Recent changes in government policies and market behavior mean it's time to rethink traditional investing strategies. You should consider how different sectors will perform under new rules.
  3. Inflation impacts wealth distribution, and predicting its effects is crucial. Adjusting investment strategies to navigate inflation and potential downturns is important for healthier future markets.

What's wrong with JUST generating text?

John Ball inside AI • 1 HN point • 31 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Computing Development Software AI Engineering
  1. Text generation alone isn't enough; it needs to convey real meaning. Without meaning, responses can be confusing or untrustworthy.
  2. Future digital assistants should focus on Natural Language Understanding to provide clearer, more useful answers. This will help developers create better, more reliable bots.
  3. Many generative AI models struggle with context and can produce incorrect information. Solutions involving deeper comprehension of language are needed to address these issues.

Read code when you're somber

CodeFaster • 72 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Music
  1. Reading code while feeling somber can match personal experience and enhance focus.
  2. Having a specific playlist of somber, melodic music for coding tasks can be effective.
  3. Consider supporting reader-supported publications by becoming a subscriber.

How I Keep Up With AI (Without Losing My Mind)

Building Rome(s) • 9 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Program Management Education Workflows Learning AI
  1. Staying updated on AI is important for progress, but you don't need to know every detail. Just focus on what matters for your work and growth.
  2. A good learning method includes quick updates, deep dives into interesting topics, and casual exploration during downtime. This keeps learning flexible and easy.
  3. Curiosity is key! Experiment with different learning sources and techniques until you find what works best for you.

Let's add a whole bunch of simplicity

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 15 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Product Development User Experience Code Quality Software Design
  1. Simplicity is about removing complexity, not adding it. We often think we can just make things easier, but the reality is that we have to eliminate the complicated parts.
  2. To create simplicity, we should clearly define our goals. Understanding exactly what we need to do helps us focus and decide what to avoid.
  3. Finding the simplest version of a project may mean letting go of features you like. It's important to be disciplined and recognize that simplifying can sometimes feel uncomfortable.

#101 - How AI Is Supercharging the Demand for Product Managers

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 23 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
💼 Business Market Trends Product Management AI Impact Software Development
  1. AI is changing how software is developed, making coding faster and easier. This shift requires more skilled product managers who can focus on what to build rather than just how to build it.
  2. Product managers are becoming key players as products get more complicated. They need to manage different technologies and ensure that everything works well together to meet user needs.
  3. As AI tools handle more routine tasks, product managers will have a bigger role in driving innovation and defining new products, ensuring that technology advancements translate into meaningful solutions.

Why Prompt Engineering Has Little To Do With Engineering

Teaching computers how to talk • 68 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Behavioral Psychology Science fiction AI Engineering
  1. Large language models behave like beings rather than things, displaying strange characteristics.
  2. Instructing models doesn't involve coding; it's about guiding their actions and understanding their behavior, akin to convincing a stubborn teenager rather than traditional engineering.
  3. Similar to Isaac Asimov's fictional robots, large language models can interpret instructions in unforeseen ways, implying a need to humanize and understand them for effective interaction.

Building Exceptional Code: 6 Not So Simple Steps To Make Code Simple

Weekend Developer • 19 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Refactoring Design Patterns Software Development
  1. Understand the principles like Single Responsibility, Don't Repeat Yourself, Dependency Inversion, and Separation of Concerns to write modular and reusable code.
  2. Modularize your code by breaking it into smaller, focused modules, think of them as Lego blocks. Favor composition over inheritance for flexible and loosely coupled designs.
  3. Write testable code by isolating dependencies, mocking external dependencies, keeping methods small, and following Test-Driven Development. Apply design patterns judiciously and continuously refactor to improve code quality.

UX Roundup: Jakob Keynote Video | University Courses | 8 Uses of AI for UX Design | Museum Usability

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 32 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Applications UX Design User Research
  1. AI is becoming a major force in UX design, helping teams work faster and more efficiently. It's taking over mundane tasks, allowing designers to focus on more important work.
  2. Educational programs are starting to include AI in their UX courses, preparing future designers for the changing landscape of the industry. This is a positive step for those looking to enter the field.
  3. Good usability in places like museums can greatly improve visitor experience. Clear signage and easy navigation are key factors in making sure everyone enjoys their visit.

Substack Creator Studio FAQ

Substack • 57 implied HN points • 07 May 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Subscription services Social media Content creation Digital Media
  1. Substack Creator Studio helps video creators build subscription communities. It connects creators directly with their fans and helps them grow their presence.
  2. Selected creators get expert advice, media exposure, and personalized support to ensure their success. It's a great chance for them to showcase their content.
  3. Only U.S.-based creators can apply, and there's an emphasis on engaging with subscribers through the Substack platform. It's important for creators to make Substack their main base for content.

Challenging and Probing Desires

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 09 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Self-reflection Mindfulness Personal Growth Social Dynamics
  1. It's important to balance listening to your desires while still being responsible for yourself. You can enjoy things but should also reflect on what you really need.
  2. Being open and sharing about ourselves can create a better dynamic in teams. When someone is vulnerable, it inspires others to be the same.
  3. Asking deeper questions in conversations can lead to more meaningful connections. Instead of sticking to surface-level topics, try to explore stories that matter to the other person.

On 2020: Year Review+Giveaway

Day One • 159 implied HN points • 29 Dec 20
💼 Business Community Skill development Relationships Marketing Entrepreneurship
  1. Success in 2020 depended on setting up the right systems, like tech skills for online earning.
  2. Being part of supportive communities helped people achieve their goals this year by providing motivation and learning opportunities.
  3. Building strong relationships, both virtual and physical, was crucial for success and personal growth in 2020.

The Modern Data Stack is Dead, Long Live the Modern Data Stack - Part 2

davidj.substack • 107 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Semantic Layers Data Stack Orchestration Consumption
  1. The modern data stack is evolving with new tools and options for data architecture.
  2. Key trends include the focus on data ingestion and telemetry, improved orchestration tools, and advancements in compute engines.
  3. Data consumption is being enhanced through self-serve AI capabilities, BI tools, and free-form analyst tools, all sitting on a semantic layer.

Open Source: Another Value Proposition

Systems Approach • 117 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Open Source Education Cloud Services Networking Software
  1. Open source software is integral in today's tech marketplace and has a quantifiable value proposition in business settings.
  2. Understanding complex systems like cloud networks or 5G is enhanced by open source software, allowing for deep conceptual learning.
  3. Open source software not only provides educational value but also leads to innovation and empowerment, even though its funding can be challenging.