The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

Principles and pragmatism

CB • 1777 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Principles Existentialism Responsibility Idealism Pragmatism
  1. It's important to balance ideals and pragmatism to create valuable work. Having ideals without practical implementation is self-centered, while being solely pragmatic can lead to lack of direction.
  2. Embracing the discomfort of integrating ideals and practicality is necessary for achieving greatness. This path may not guarantee success, but avoiding it can lead to mediocrity.
  3. Pursuing ideals can uncover unexpected practical solutions, while building practical things can reveal profound ideal truths. The challenging path is often the most rewarding one.

Here’s the startup I’ve been looking for

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Public Markets Infrastructure Space Startups Artificial Intelligence Cloud Venture Capital
  1. A cheap hobby-tier PaaS like Railway makes it easy for independent creators to one-click host and publish AI-built personal apps, which could surface a lot of homebrew "shovelware" into the open.
  2. OpenAI is hunting roughly $50 billion at a $750–830 billion valuation, giving it a huge war chest but betting on continued hypergrowth to justify the high multiples and cover big cash burn.
  3. Anthropic’s new constitution treats Claude as possibly having functional emotions and wellbeing, signaling that companies are starting to design policies and products around AIs that behave like they have feelings.

Under the microscope: Road Rash 3D & Road Rash Jailbreak (PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn • 58 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Cheat Codes Reverse Engineering Retro Gaming Gaming
  1. In Road Rash 3D, certain player names trigger strcmp checks that activate cheats — for example, IBaChtR gives $33,333 and unlocks all bikes, while MACVVASM and _33333 provide subsets of those effects.
  2. In Road Rash Jailbreak you open a hidden cheat textbox by highlighting Options → Multiplayer and holding L1+L2+R1+R2+Left then pressing X, and entering codes like KLFSDA, CMB, BDK, and FDMFG unlocks mode settings or grants four nitros.
  3. Looking at the PlayStation BIOS string-comparison calls and the game code lets you verify and discover real, working cheats and clarifies how to enter ones that online lists describe poorly.

The Second Gemini

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2374 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Tech Trends AI Software Innovation Research
  1. Google's Gemini Flash 2.0 is faster and smarter than previous versions, making it a strong tool for those who want quick assistance and information.
  2. Deep Research is a new feature where users can get detailed reports based on multiple websites; it's useful but still needs improvement in accuracy and relevance.
  3. Projects like Astra and Mariner are experimental tools that aim to enhance user experience by providing real-time assistance and better interaction through voice and web browsing.

Ticker Take: a weekly newsletter on investing.

Jon’s Newsletter • 159 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
💰 Finance Stock Market Investing Economic Trends Dividends Billionaires
  1. AI is really changing the game for billionaires, with many seeing huge increases in their wealth this year. Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, has gained $65 billion thanks to this trend.
  2. Investors are seeing big changes in the stock market due to AI. Companies tied to AI are outperforming others significantly, which hasn't been seen since the dot-com boom.
  3. Dividends are an important part of investing, and there are companies that have been paying them for over 100 years. These can be good long-term investments since they show a commitment to returning value to shareholders.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Open Thread 382

Astral Codex Ten • 1170 implied HN points • 19 May 25
🕹 Technology Innovation Research Startups Software AI
  1. There are meetups happening this week in Oxford, Shanghai, and Austin where people can connect and share ideas.
  2. A few fellowships are available for those interested in AI safety and reasoning, with opportunities to work and collaborate in the Bay Area.
  3. Grants are being offered for projects that explore how AI can support open inquiry, encouraging creative and innovative approaches.

Augmented Coding Technique: Copy From Simpler Language

Software Design: Tidy First? • 994 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software Development Tools Programming Languages Data Structures Coding
  1. When building complex software, it's crucial to manage complexity by tackling one piece at a time. Trying to do everything at once can lead to confusion.
  2. Using clear outcomes and defined tests can help guide the development process and keep it on track. This way, you can focus on specific tasks without adding unnecessary requirements.
  3. Autonomous coding tools can be useful, but they work best on tasks that are straightforward. If a task is too complicated, it might overwhelm the tool and cause more problems.

SVB

Market Sentiment • 1552 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
💼 Business Banking Finance Economics Investing Startups
  1. Understanding the different sides of risk is crucial - the likelihood of getting hit, the average impact, and the extreme consequences.
  2. Banks operate by lending out deposits at higher rates to make profits, but this system poses the risk of bank runs.
  3. SVB's rapid collapse was triggered by increased stress, a market sell-off, and a loss of customer confidence due to poor communication.

TBM 358: The Genius of SVPG

The Beautiful Mess • 1190 implied HN points • 16 May 25
💼 Business Leadership Corporate strategy Product Management Organizational development Change Management
  1. The SVPG approach to change is effective because it gives leaders a way to improve their product practices without losing face. It helps them take action while feeling confident in their leadership.
  2. For change agents within a company, who you are and how you say things really matters. Sometimes, your message might not be heard because of who you are, so timing and framing are important.
  3. Making big changes in an organization is tough and messy. Real change often requires removing hidden barriers and understanding that success doesn't just come from having a good plan; it's about navigating complex situations.

State of the Future! Part Deux

Let Us Face the Future • 714 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI Infrastructure Energy Data Centers Semiconductors
  1. The future of technology is all about connectivity between different sectors like energy, mining, and semiconductors. It's not just about one area, but how they all work together.
  2. Scaling AI is a big focus, and over the next few years, we'll see major advancements in AI models. These models will require massive amounts of power and new infrastructures to support them.
  3. For AI to be widely accepted, we need to prioritize security, privacy, and fairness. This means creating accessible and trustworthy systems for everyone.

In defense of vibes-based evaluations

The AI Frontier • 79 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Evaluation Metrics Data Analysis User Experience AI Research Product Development
  1. Vibes-based evaluations are a helpful starting point for assessing AI quality, especially when specific metrics are hard to define. They allow for initial impressions based on user interactions rather than strict guidelines.
  2. Customers often have unique and unexpected requests that can't easily fit into predefined test sets. Vibes allow for flexibility in understanding real-world usage.
  3. While vibes are useful, they also have downsides, like strong first impressions and limited feedback. A mix of vibes and structured evaluations can provide a better overall understanding of an AI's performance.

Introducing AIP-003 and Voting Delegation!

The Lunacian • 230 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
🔮 Crypto Digital Assets Decentralization Blockchain Governance Investing
  1. AIP-003 is a proposal to stake about 2,829.43 ETH from the Axie Treasury to generate extra income for the community. If it passes, it could earn around $200,000 per year.
  2. The new Voting Delegation feature lets users share their voting power with others easily. This helps more community members participate in decisions, even if they're unable to vote themselves.
  3. To pass AIP-003, a supermajority of 66% YES votes is needed, and each user is capped at 10% Voting Power. This ensures that all voices are considered in the decision-making process.

The Progression of the ARC-AGI Frontier

Human Programming • 25 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Research Trends Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Benchmarks Model Evaluation Computer Vision
  1. The ARC benchmark has evolved and different solution families have led the frontier over time; early winners used program-search while recent progress comes from LLM-based pipelines that rely on synthetic pretraining, test-time fine-tuning, and augmentation/voting tricks.
  2. High leaderboard scores don’t mean AGI because teams can exploit pretraining, dataset leakage, or massive compute to solve benchmarks; true general intelligence would quickly and cheaply solve newly released ARC tasks without prior exposure.
  3. Commercial LLMs currently drive most top results and improvements in base models lift many approaches, but hybrid methods like program synthesis and symbolic reasoning remain promising, and upcoming refreshed benchmarks will reveal whether LLMs truly generalize.

What's up Python? A new Windows installer, ruff will type check, Pypi quarantines...

Bite code! • 1957 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Security Open Source Development Programming Software
  1. PEP 773 is proposing a new way to install Python on Windows. It aims to simplify the installation process by using one tool for all versions and making it easier for users to manage them.
  2. Ruff, a popular linter, is getting a type checking feature added soon. This change will help improve Python's type checking and make it more user-friendly.
  3. Pypi has introduced a quarantining system for potentially harmful projects. This will block access to projects suspected of containing malware without completely removing them, allowing for better security.

Movers, Shakers, & Money Makers (8/5)

Human Capitalist • 119 implied HN points • 06 Aug 24
💼 Business Freelancing Workforce Insights Executive Changes Employment Trends Job Market
  1. Many people switch jobs frequently, which shows how dynamic the job market is. Keeping track of these changes can help companies and recruiters find top talent.
  2. Some job changes were from traditional sectors like news to tech-focused roles. This highlights how industries are blending and evolving.
  3. Freelancing is on the rise, and there are many reasons people are opting for this kind of work. This trend can change how businesses approach hiring and project work.

Vulnerability Exploitation in the Wild

Resilient Cyber • 79 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Risk Assessment Vulnerability Management Software Development Data Analysis Cybersecurity
  1. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) helps predict how likely a software vulnerability is to be exploited. It provides a score, so organizations can focus on the vulnerabilities that really matter.
  2. Most vulnerabilities that are reported, about 94%, aren’t even exploited in real life. This means organizations waste a lot of resources on vulnerabilities that pose no threat, highlighting the importance of focusing on the ones that are actually exploited.
  3. The EPSS tool works better than older systems like the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). It helps organizations prioritize their efforts because it brings more efficiency in vulnerability management.

My afternoon with The Rizzler

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 2955 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Content creation Digital marketing Cryptocurrency Social media Product Development
  1. The Rizzler is a popular third grader who went viral on social media and maintains a normal life despite his fame. His dad supports him but has no plans to push a long-term online career for him.
  2. Using tech like 'dumb phones' won't solve problems with technology use; people need to learn how to manage their time and choices better instead. It’s more about personal control rather than blaming gadgets.
  3. Sam Altman is trying to make an eye-scanning orb a reality for verifying identities with AI, although it's facing challenges like getting people to use it. They're now offering delivery for these orbs, similar to food delivery.

I have free will?

bookbear express • 704 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Human experience Metaphysics Ethics Existentialism
  1. It's easy to get caught up in what’s going wrong in our lives instead of focusing on all the good things we have. Practicing gratitude can shift our mindset and help us appreciate what we have more.
  2. Relationships can bring joy, but they also come with doubts and fears. Being present and open instead of overthinking can help us truly experience love and connection.
  3. Gratitude involves being open to new experiences and remembering the good moments in life. It reminds us that while we may have struggles, there’s always beauty to find.

Do we need the Lakehouse architecture?

VuTrinh. • 399 implied HN points • 20 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Data architecture Cloud Storage Data Management Machine Learning Analytics
  1. Lakehouse architecture combines the strengths of data lakes and data warehouses. It aims to solve the problems that arise from keeping these two systems separate.
  2. This new approach allows for better data management, including features like ACID transactions and efficient querying of big datasets. It enables real-time analytics on raw data without needing complex data movements.
  3. With the help of technologies like Delta Lake and similar systems, the Lakehouse can handle both structured and unstructured data efficiently, making it a promising solution for modern data needs.

Latency is a silent killer.

System Design Classroom • 299 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🕹 Technology Performance Tuning Software Engineering System Design Error Handling
  1. Getting timeouts right is important. If you wait too long, your system slows down, but if you timeout too fast, you might miss a successful call.
  2. Circuit breakers help manage failures. They quickly stop requests to a failing service, allowing your system to recover faster.
  3. Bulkheads keep parts of your system separate. If one part fails, the others keep working, preventing a complete shutdown of the system.

What I Read This Week...

Chamath Palihapitiya • 1159 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Tech Medicine Politics Business
  1. Anduril's new autonomous fighter jet has significant advantages over legacy missile systems.
  2. Novo Nordisk paid U.S. doctors to promote its obesity drugs to tackle the global obesity epidemic.
  3. Huawei supports smaller companies in the semiconductor supply chain to build a self-sufficient chip network in China.

Aenean Money

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 904 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🔮 Crypto Finance Bitcoin Economics Decentralization
  1. Money is a tool for exchange and social cooperation. It helps us trade goods and services efficiently, but it can also be corrupting.
  2. Aenean Money aims to blend the positive aspects of past monetary systems while avoiding their flaws. It should be a trustworthy and resilient form of money that everyone can use.
  3. Bitcoin is seen as a leading candidate for Aenean Money because it has unique features that might solve many current economic problems. It operates without central control and reflects real-world value through energy expended in its creation.

Pssst! Medium Will Soon Have 1 Million Paying Members and More Insights You Need to Know

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 819 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Demographics Startups E-commerce Marketing Digital Media
  1. Medium is gaining popularity with over 100 million readers and is about to hit 1 million paying members. This shows it has a strong audience for writers.
  2. The main age group using Medium is 25 to 34 years old, with more male users than female users. Understanding the audience can help writers connect better.
  3. Technology is the most popular topic on Medium, with lots of articles written about it. Writers should consider focusing on trending subjects to engage with readers.

Do you have career blues?

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1474 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
💼 Business Personal Development Career development Professional Growth Job Satisfaction Career Change
  1. Career blues are real and can leave you feeling tired, unfulfilled, and restless.
  2. Regularly reevaluate your job and career options to ensure you're in the best possible position.
  3. Explore different avenues like public speaking, newsletters, contracting work, and advising to complement your full-time job and avoid career stagnation.

Rebuilding Google Maps

Elizabeth Laraki • 659 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Web Development Interface Design Software Engineering Product Design
  1. Google Maps had to change a lot because it was getting too complicated with too many features. The team decided to redesign it so users could find what they needed easily.
  2. The redesign focused on making the map easier to use by creating one main search box instead of many tabs for different tasks. This helped simplify the user experience.
  3. It's important for products to keep evolving. By regularly checking how users interact with the product and making improvements, it can grow and stay relevant.

Yes, AI really can be used to tackle potholes

Odds and Ends of History • 2077 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Public Services Data Infrastructure AI Innovation
  1. AI can help local councils find and fix potholes more efficiently. It uses cameras and algorithms to spot problems without needing workers to stop and inspect manually.
  2. The technology can identify not only potholes but also other issues like broken signs and overgrown vegetation. This means councils can be proactive in road maintenance.
  3. Using AI for road maintenance can save time and resources for councils. This allows them to collect useful data and prioritize repairs better, despite limited budgets.

Can China’s AI IPOs give OpenAI and Anthropic courage?

Alex's Personal Blog • 98 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
💼 Business M&A IPOs Startups Artificial Intelligence Markets Cybersecurity Technology
  1. A new image-editing feature in a popular AI model let users alter others' photos and led to sexualized deepfakes, sparking global backlash and showing that weak safeguards can cause big regulatory and reputational damage.
  2. The U.S.'s aggressive action against Venezuela's leader signals rising geopolitical tension that could push technology markets and supply chains to split into competing blocs over time.
  3. Strong investor interest in Chinese AI IPOs like Z.ai and MiniMax could encourage American AI labs to try public listings too, since U.S. labs generally have more revenue and need fresh capital.

Recent Learnings from Silicon Valley.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 42 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership Culture Strategy Innovation AI Product Workforce
  1. Mission-driven leaders win long term: people and companies led by purpose rather than short-term profit are more likely to endure setbacks, attract talent, and create outsized impact.
  2. Culture and stakeholdering are active choices: strong, widely shared beliefs about behavior and cross-functional relationship-building beat directives, so leaders must build belonging and bridge silos to enable reinvention.
  3. Embrace AI and reinvent now: a fusion workforce of humans and agents, plus advances in AI-driven medicine and interfaces, will reshape products, go-to-market models, and the skills needed, so organizations must learn, unlearn, and redesign their work today.

Quant Letter: February 2026, Week-1

The Parlour • 34 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
💰 Finance Quant Finance Algorithmic Trading Machine Learning Financial Data
  1. Cutting-edge AI methods are moving fast into finance, with advances like improved limit-order-book forecasting, quantum-classical RL, GANs for market data, and finance-focused LLMs showing big performance gains.
  2. Open-source tools and frameworks are accelerating experimentation and deployment, from Rust/Python alpha libraries and LLM trading frameworks to adaptive agent code and Paper-with-Code projects for continuous learning.
  3. There’s a growing emphasis on robustness and understanding market effects, with work on interpretable/verifiable trading, statistically faithful data generation, microstructure modeling, and studying endogenous volatility.

"I am rich and have no idea what to do with my life"

Erik Torenberg's Thoughts • 2108 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
💼 Business Personal Finance Career Change Self-discovery Work-life balance Entrepreneurship
  1. Having a lot of money doesn't always bring happiness or purpose. It's common to feel lost even when you're financially secure.
  2. It’s important to confront your insecurities and challenges head-on. Personal growth often happens when we face difficult times.
  3. Learning for the sake of enjoyment, like studying physics, can be fulfilling. Sometimes, it's fine to not have a big plan and just focus on what makes you happy.

How I Work

Venture Prose • 918 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
💼 Business Training Communication Style
  1. The person prefers email as their main form of communication and has a structured work schedule with specific meeting times.
  2. They are dedicated to training, spending around 15 hours per week on cycling, and prioritize family time.
  3. Their work style focuses on efficiency, belief in founders, and a preference for email communication over other mediums.

Welcome to Asimov's Addendum

Asimov’s Addendum • 79 implied HN points • 31 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Human Values AI Ethics Corporate Governance Algorithm Design Robotics
  1. Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics were a starting point for thinking about how robots should behave. They aimed to ensure robots protect humans, obey commands, and keep themselves safe.
  2. A new approach by Stuart Russell suggests that robots should focus on understanding and promoting human values, but they must be humble and recognize that they don’t know everything about our values.
  3. The development of AI must consider not just how well machines achieve goals, but also how corporate interests can affect their design and use. Proper regulation and transparency are needed to ensure AI is safe and beneficial for everyone.