The hottest Engineering Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Undeveloping conviction

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 05 Sep 22
🕹 Technology Innovation Engineering Problem Solving User Experience Programming
  1. New ideas offer fresh perspectives because you come in without much attachment. This freedom helps in finding solutions to complex problems, whether in life or work.
  2. As you invest time and energy into a solution, it can create a heavy inertia that makes it hard to change courses, even if the solution isn't ideal.
  3. It's important to allow some doubt and explore different options. This can lead to better solutions, as trying new approaches helps you discover alternatives you might not have considered.

A guide to Chaos Engineering [Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 30 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Engineering AI Tech Companies Chaos Engineering Programming
  1. Chaos Engineering involves testing a system by simulating real-world failures to build confidence in its resilience.
  2. Implementing Chaos Engineering helps in foreseeing and addressing problems before deployment, improving overall product reliability.
  3. To implement Chaos Engineering, build a hypothesis of normal system behavior, simulate failures, and automate experiments to run continuously.

Manager or short order cook?

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
💼 Business Management Quality Assurance Organizational Behavior Leadership Engineering
  1. Organizations often say they value things like quality, but they might not really mean it. It's important to see if they make real choices based on those values.
  2. If engineers are just completing tasks without context, it can hurt quality and user experience. This 'short order cook' approach can lead to many problems.
  3. When interviewing or leading, ask if engineers can delay releases for quality issues. It’s a good way to understand how much the organization cares about quality.
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New tools or old?

Sunday Letters • 79 implied HN points • 17 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Engineering Tools Coding Research Development
  1. It's important to learn new tools and technologies to keep growing. Having a variety of skills helps you adapt to changes in your field.
  2. While it's good to be comfortable with familiar tools, relying on them too much can make you stuck. Balance old and new tools to stay current and efficient.
  3. Look for tools that work well together and can be reused. This way, you can get more value out of what you learn and build over time.

October 2024 Update

Maker News • 7 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Electronics DIY Projects Gadgets Engineering Software
  1. This October update includes fun Halloween-themed projects like a DIY smart pumpkin and an anti-social pumpkin.
  2. There are interesting articles to read about reverse engineering tech like a fighter plane's indicator and headphones.
  3. The update encourages sharing the newsletter with friends and highlights various tech projects to explore.

Sort Product Update – July 2024

Database Engineering by Sort • 7 implied HN points • 01 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Data Management Engineering Product Updates Best Practices
  1. Sort now has a Change Requests feature that lets users propose fixes to their data, similar to GitHub's Pull Requests. It's designed to help teams review and apply changes easily.
  2. Users can safely make changes to their Postgres databases using this new feature, which is great for managers and tech leads.
  3. The Sort platform has also seen improvements, including bug fixes and updated pricing to reflect its features better.

Writeup System Design — Backend for Google Photos[Systems Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 24 Jul 22
🕹 Technology System Design Backend Interviews Engineering
  1. To ace System Design Interviews, read/watch more system design mock interviews on YouTube, engineering blogs, and learn about important technologies/concepts.
  2. When designing a system like the backend for Google Photos, start with domain analysis, note requirements (functional and non-functional), expected load/performance, and user profiles for valuable solutions.
  3. Engage with the content you find helpful by liking, sharing, and offering feedback to creators. It helps them reach more people and improve their work.

Can AGI destroy us without trial & error?

First principles trivia • 39 implied HN points • 13 Jun 22
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Robotics Simulation Engineering Computing
  1. AGI development faces challenges in translating from a computer-based system to independently-operating physical entities, requiring decades of complex R&D
  2. Historical examples show that novel engineering, especially without a basis of previous work, takes significant time, even for AGI with higher intellect
  3. Human scientific progress evidences challenges and limitations in advancing technology efficiently, potentially slowing AGI's ability to advance rapidly

Three Dimensions of Developer Productivity

Engineering Enablement • 31 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Developer Productivity Software Development Engineering Metrics
  1. Developer productivity can be conceptualized through three dimensions: Velocity, Quality, and Satisfaction.
  2. Leaders should clarify their goals for measuring productivity by considering stakeholders, level of measurement, and time period.
  3. Transitioning from dimensions to selecting metrics can be done using the Goals, Signals, Metrics approach.

Which derivative are you?

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 10 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Productivity Mathematics Management
  1. Derivatives help us understand how things change over time. The first derivative tells us how fast something is changing, while the second shows how that rate of change is changing.
  2. In conversations about technical issues, we often focus on the current situation. Instead, we should look at how we can improve that situation over time.
  3. Thinking about changes as derivatives can help us tackle complex problems. By considering not just the current state but how to change it over time, we can better manage projects.

Don't lie to the computer

Sunday Letters • 79 implied HN points • 21 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Software Programming Design Algorithms Engineering
  1. Lying to computers can lead to big problems. Computers take everything at face value and won't understand when you're not being honest.
  2. This can happen in many areas, like bug reporting or software design. For example, making up a fake bug level instead of addressing real issues is misleading.
  3. It's easy to want to cut corners to save time, but being dishonest can cause issues down the line. Just like in personal relationships, honesty is usually the best policy.

Google Developer shares How to become a 10x Engineer[Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 26 Jun 22
🕹 Technology Engineering Productivity Career growth Skill development Interdisciplinary
  1. 10x engineers focus on mastering tools they know, but balancing that with exploring new technologies can lead to career growth.
  2. Being a good coder isn't just about coding more; thoughtful consideration, communication, and engaging with stakeholders are vital.
  3. Avoiding constant context switching, deep work blocks, and using the F.R.E.E framework (Focus, Results-Oriented, Efficiency, Empathy) can boost productivity.

No smooth discontinuities

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 22 May 22
🕹 Technology Software Development Innovation Engineering Disruption Progress
  1. It's tough to make a big change in software if you're only trying to improve things a little at a time. Sometimes you need to take a big leap to really disrupt the norm.
  2. Incremental progress can help lead to new inventions, but after a big jump, you still have to do a lot of smaller work to make it successful.
  3. Embrace some chaos and messiness in your work. Sometimes these messy moments can lead to amazing results and breakthroughs.

SaaS tiered pricing: why do it & its implications to engineering

Brick by Brick • 27 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Engineering Features
  1. SaaS companies often use tiered pricing with free, middle, and high tiers to attract different customer segments.
  2. Each tier serves a purpose: free for lead generation, middle as the anchor attracting most customers, and high for generating the most revenue.
  3. Assigning features to pricing tiers has implications on product development, requiring deliberate assignment, modular implementation, and robust analytics.

How Netflix handles it operations[System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 04 Apr 22
🕹 Technology System Design Engineering Interview Preparation Tech Tools
  1. Good systems are created using a top-down approach, focusing on important decisions with the highest ROI, especially in limited time/resource scenarios like interviews.
  2. Understanding recent tools and technologies is crucial for systems design, different from Leetcode-style problems.
  3. Thinking from multiple perspectives such as developer, investor, and user is key to mastering systems design, helping to tackle complex questions effectively.

Three-Bucket Framework for Engineering Metrics

Engineering Enablement • 38 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Metrics Engineering Leadership Productivity Development
  1. Deciding what metrics to track and report to stakeholders is a common challenge for engineering leaders.
  2. Reframing the problem and using a three-bucket framework can help in choosing relevant engineering metrics.
  3. The three buckets for engineering metrics include business impact, system performance, and developer effectiveness.

Bonus post - Noisy Monitors

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 07 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Engineering Software Team Management Product Development Signal Processing
  1. Noisy monitors can create problems for engineering teams. They get too many alerts that can drown out the important signals, making it hard to focus on real issues.
  2. Accumulating unresolved bugs and warnings can lead to confusion. Teams might ignore older and less critical issues, which can mask newer problems that need attention.
  3. It's important to maintain discipline and organization in monitoring systems. Just like a chef cleans his kitchen daily, teams should regularly tidy up their alerts and processes to stay effective.

How did places like Bell Labs know how to ask the right questions?

FreakTakes • 30 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Engineering Research Innovation Systems Engineering Telecommunications
  1. New science orgs should aim to combine the positive aspects of both applied and basic research.
  2. Applied and basic research distinctions are sometimes arbitrary, with some projects blurring the lines between the two.
  3. Institutions like Bell Labs successfully managed research by selecting profitable courses that satisfied both basic and applied research needs.

Everything Wrong With: "Illumina: The Measurement Monopoly" Part 4/8

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 10 Dec 23
🔬 Science Biology Chemistry Physics Engineering Technology
  1. The term 'TechBio' may seem superficial, but technology development in biology is complex and involves a mix of disciplines.
  2. The first qPCR machine from 1992 involved intricate instrumentation like photomultiplier tubes and a variety of electronic components.
  3. The development of technology in biology requires navigating complexity and balancing biochemistry and detection techniques to meet market demands.

Worse is better

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 31 Oct 21
🕹 Technology Software Design Engineering User Experience Simplicity Innovation
  1. Simplicity in software design is really important. When software is simple, it’s often easier for users to understand and use.
  2. Many engineers feel pressure to add more features, which can make software more complex. This push for complexity can lead to better options for users who prefer easier solutions.
  3. Sometimes, simpler software can outperform more complex systems. Users appreciate clear and easy-to-use options, leading to the idea that 'worse is better'.

Episode 37: Better Built By Burkhard

burkhardstubert • 19 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Hardware Software Engineering User Interface Development
  1. Choosing the wrong hardware, like an outdated HMI terminal, can lead to costly delays and complications in projects. It's important to think carefully before making these choices.
  2. Sticking with old software can create big problems. It can require more workarounds and ultimately slow down production, affecting overall business performance.
  3. Investing a bit more money upfront in quality hardware and software can save a lot of time and money in the long run. Planning ahead leads to easier work later.

Why didn't DeepMind build GPT3?

Root Nodes • 26 HN points • 27 Feb 23
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Research Innovation Engineering
  1. OpenAI released impressive products like GPT3, Dalle-2, and ChatGPT, reshaping perceptions of machine learning capabilities.
  2. GPT3 lacked a clear evaluation metric, diverging from past AI challenges like Go or Protein Folding.
  3. OpenAI's focus on building practical AI systems led to a different team structure and innovation strategy compared to academic machine learning.

The Sky is NOT the Limit 🧑‍🚀🌍🚀

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 20 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Space Exploration Startups Innovation Aerospace Engineering
  1. India is making impressive strides in space exploration. It's clear that the country has the potential to reach new heights.
  2. Skyroot Aerospace has made history by launching India's first private rocket into space. This marks a significant change in India's space journey.
  3. The startup landscape in India is likened to a rocket launch due to its challenges and risks, but success is possible.

An Fc engineering approach that modulates antibody-dependent cytokine release without altering cell-killing functions

Axial • 7 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research Engineering Antibodies Immunotherapy
  1. An innovative Fc engineering approach can adjust antibody-dependent cytokine release without impacting cell-killing functions. This shows that manipulating cytokine release independently is possible.
  2. Different IgG isotypes have varying abilities to stimulate proinflammatory cytokine release. This indicates the importance of isotype selection beyond just cytotoxicity.
  3. Engineering antibodies to selectively engage FcγRs can potentially enhance immune responses. This opens up new possibilities for optimizing antibody immunotherapies against cancer.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #60

Creative Destruction • 9 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Consumption Engineering Degrowth
  1. The Slow Revolution is about embracing a lifestyle with enoughness and meaningful nourishment.
  2. Viewing our consumption habits as a form of addiction sheds light on the need for a therapeutic approach to promote sustainable living.
  3. Degrowth Engineering suggests reimagining how engineers design products within the limits of economic, human, and ecological needs.

The 11th MUTCD is Exactly What We Should Expect...

Exasperated Infrastructures • 7 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
📰 News Transportation Policy Safety Engineering Autonomous Vehicles
  1. The 11th edition of the MUTCD addresses the need for updated road safety measures but lacks clear accountability processes.
  2. The controversial '85th percentile speed trap' rule in the MUTCD has received criticism for rewarding law-breaking behavior.
  3. The new version of the MUTCD includes factors like pedestrian activity in speed limit determinations, but lacks clear definitions and enforcement mechanisms.

Roadways for People: Rethinking Transportation Planning and Engineering

Exasperated Infrastructures • 12 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Engineering Community Engagement Urban Development
  1. Transportation planning needs to prioritize community input and engagement to build successful projects.
  2. Traditional linear planning methods may not consider the holistic impact on communities.
  3. Effective transportation projects require rethinking project goals to focus on safety, dignity, and community needs.

Naming Things

The 418 • 1 HN point • 06 May 24
🕹 Technology Coding Software Development Naming Conventions Programming Engineering
  1. Good names are crucial in programming as they become the building blocks of our shared tools, maintaining order and helping us recall resources.
  2. Well-named things should be SEO-friendly, follow conventions, be concise but meaningful, consider collisions, guessable, and even bring a smile.
  3. Injecting humor or cleverness into naming can add personality and help with team bonding, as well as make code memorable.