The hottest Software Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Age of Incumbents

Investing 101 • 133 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Data AI Market Competition Software
  1. Technology as an asset class is relatively new in the stock market, with tech companies now dominating market capitalization.
  2. The age of dynamic dinosaurs is here, with established tech companies evolving and becoming more challenging to displace.
  3. Big markets attract big attention, but distribution is key for success in tech, as seen with companies like Microsoft leveraging built-in distribution for products like Teams.

LLM Links, 2/15

In My Tribe • 182 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Robots Software Language Models
  1. Bill Gates supports building general-purpose humanoid robots capable of multiple tasks, modeling them after people.
  2. Mark McNeilly predicts that AI will seduce humans rather than destroy us, leading to a decline in human interaction.
  3. There is potential to use large language models for tasks like contract reviews in legal and financial sectors, but resistance to fully relying on AI in certain professions may persist.

☞ The Spreadsheet is a Simulation Machine

Cabinet of Wonders • 87 HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Software Digital Tools Computer Science Innovation
  1. Spreadsheets are powerful simulation machines that allow users to build little worlds, play with scenarios, and predict the future.
  2. Spreadsheets are widely used in various fields such as small businesses, hedge funds, and biology laboratories due to their power, transparency, and ease of use.
  3. The act of creating and modifying a spreadsheet is akin to world-building, where users can manipulate data, test different parameters, and see how systems respond.
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Can AI power nudgeware?

12challenges • 85 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Challenges Interoperability
  1. Nudgeware is a concept of software empowering users to make better decisions without restricting choice.
  2. AI has the potential to enhance nudgeware by interpreting, aligning with, and acting as an agent for human intentions.
  3. Challenges to implementing AI-powered nudgeware include high development costs, limitations of existing software, and increased risks associated with AI control.

Kernel Bypass with Solarflare

Low Latency Trading Insights • 196 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Networking Hardware Software APIs Latency
  1. Solarflare specializes in high-performance, low-latency networking solutions like NICs used in data centers and financial services.
  2. Solarflare provides hardware such as Flareon adapters and XtremeScale NICs for high-speed networking.
  3. Software offerings from Solarflare like Onload and TCP Direct provide APIs for accelerated network performance and lower latency.

A World without C

Deus In Machina • 72 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Languages Innovation Legacy
  1. The push towards memory-safe languages like C++ over C is gaining attention due to concerns about software security, especially in critical systems like government infrastructure and services.
  2. C's simplicity and widespread usage make it a common choice for interlanguage bindings, but its simplicity can also lead to challenges in areas like memory management and handling large projects.
  3. While C has a rich history and legacy, there is growing discussion about the potential for newer languages like Zig to eventually replace C in its core functionalities, driven by advancements in the programming landscape.

452: Constellation Software's Big Win, Big Tech Deep Value, Excel Era, TikTok & Bytedance, Herb Kelleher, LEGO, DALL-E 3, and Melatonin

Liberty’s Highlights • 589 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Software AI Generative AI Financials Entertainment
  1. Consider replacing habits rather than trying to stop them cold turkey.
  2. Big Tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta collectively generated impressive operating cash flow over the past decade.
  3. Be cautious with melatonin supplements as their actual content may vary significantly from what is labeled.

jDeploy vs jpackage

jDeploy Newsletter • 84 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Tools Deployment
  1. jpackage is an official tool for bundling Java apps, dependent on platform tools, and useful for creating app bundles for Mac, Windows, or Linux with embedded Java runtime.
  2. jDeploy is an open source tool that can build and deploy app bundles for all platforms from any platform, offering a smaller app bundle size, auto updates, and deployment through GitHub or npm.
  3. Use jpackage for app store distributions, while jDeploy is great for easy deployment, auto-updates, and quick distribution of internal utilities or PoC apps.

SDL Tutorial Part 1: Opening A Window

Deus In Machina • 108 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Tutorial
  1. The tutorial provides a cheat sheet for essential SDL functions like initializing, creating a window, rendering, and cleaning up.
  2. The tutorial gives practical code examples for opening a window in SDL2, emphasizing error handling for function calls.
  3. It emphasizes the importance of clearing the screen with a color to prevent interference between frames and discusses the choice between SDL and Raylib for game development.

Rethinking Public Procurement

Arpitrage • 574 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
💼 Business Costs Infrastructure Software Reform
  1. Government procurement often involves unnecessary costly requirements and limited bidder outreach, leading to high expenses and poor quality outcomes.
  2. High infrastructure costs in the US are exacerbated by procurement problems and a legal system that limits state power.
  3. Failure in government procurement, like outdated unemployment insurance systems, results in costly software upgrades and limited benefits for recipients.

THINK's Lightspeed C

Computer Ads from the Past • 512 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Computers Programming Software Tech Companies Computer History
  1. Lightspeed C was a C programming language software developed in the mid-1980s for Atari systems and Macintosh computers.
  2. Clearstar Softechnologies created Lightspeed C for Atari systems in 1985, and the company was later purchased by Omega Soft in 1988.
  3. THINK Technologies released Lightspeed C for Mac and later renamed it to THINK C in the mid-1980s, receiving positive reviews for its speed and user-friendliness.

Software Maker 3CX Was Compromised in First-of-its-Kind Threaded Supply-Chain Hack

Zero Day • 1139 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Software Supply Chain Malware
  1. Hackers compromised a software maker by embedding malware in another company's program, leading to a chain of infections.
  2. This breach shows the potential for threaded supply-chain hacks to infect multiple software suppliers and customers.
  3. Financially motivated North Korean hackers were behind the attack on 3CX and it's recommended that compromised software be deleted immediately.

Transforming biomanufacturing using software with Martin Permin

Axial • 52 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Software Data Analytics AI Synthetic Biology
  1. Software and data analytics are being used to transform biomanufacturing, making it easier to control the complex variables involved in producing biological products.
  2. Invert, founded by Martin Permin, integrates with bioreactors and databases to help biomanufacturers manage and optimize their data using AI and analytics.
  3. Invert's platform streamlines bioprocessing by providing tools to plan experiments, monitor processes, analyze results, model scale-up, and collaborate with partners.

Essays the size of cathedrals

Escaping Flatland • 1002 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
📚 Literature Essays Software
  1. Essays and code can intersect, blurring the lines between them.
  2. Projects like interactive visualizations and spaced repetition software show this intersection.
  3. The borderland between essays and code is an underexplored space that offers intriguing possibilities.

Groq, Gemini, and 10x improvements

Artificial Ignorance • 67 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Chips Software AI Applications
  1. Adding 10x capacity to a system unlocks new capabilities and prevents breaking, leading to fundamental changes.
  2. Gemini 1.5's 10x larger context window enables tasks like analyzing entire codebases, filtering massive datasets, and potentially building AI with better memory.
  3. Groq's custom AI chips achieve lightning-fast token generation, paving the way for real-time AI conversations, enhanced data handling, and possible use in finance, medicine, and robotics.

NeoDesk, the Desktop Alternative for the Atari ST

Goto 10: The Newsletter for Atari Enthusiasts • 137 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software Operating System Hardware
  1. NeoDesk was a desktop alternative for the Atari ST with enhanced features and better functionality.
  2. Key features of NeoDesk included improved memory usage, custom app icons, better window handling, and desktop background picture.
  3. NeoDesk versions like 3 and 4 continued to enhance functionality with features like low-resolution support, draggable dialog boxes, and drag-and-drop file launching.

How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Chemical Industry

The Polymerist • 116 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Data Management R&D
  1. Companies in the chemical industry can benefit from AI tools to improve efficiency and profitability.
  2. AI tools are becoming more accessible for functions like customer relationship management, inventory management, and data organization.
  3. While AI won't replace R&D functions, it can significantly enhance productivity and help companies stay competitive in specialized chemical sectors.

The Software Slog

Buck on Software • 884 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Software Tech industry Venture Capital SaaS Investing
  1. The software industry may be facing a period of slow growth and low returns, akin to a tiring and boring slog.
  2. Consensus estimates predict a rebound in SaaS growth, resembling past historical market cycles.
  3. Zombie SaaS companies, sustained by oversized funding, create challenges for non-zombie competitors in terms of price competition and talent acquisition.

Unity changes: why PC & console devs feel like the 'ugly duckling'

The GameDiscoverCo newsletter • 393 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Software Platforms Market Trends
  1. Unity announced changes to its game engine license pricing model based on 'number of installs of your game'.
  2. Unity's engine business for PC/consoles is less important financially compared to its mobile ads/mediation division.
  3. The new pricing model by Unity has caused dissatisfaction among developers, especially PC and console developers.

The desktop and its disappearance

Kosmik’s Newsletter • 98 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Computers Software Web Cloud
  1. The development of the desktop metaphor started with making computers more approachable and user-friendly.
  2. Over time, the desktop evolved to include features like Mission Control to help users manage an increasing number of apps and files.
  3. Advancements in web technologies have led to a shift towards cloud-based desktop environments like Kosmik 2.0, offering users a more flexible and productive digital habitat.

A reactionary take on memory safety

lcamtuf’s thing • 42 HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Security Programming Government Software Coding
  1. Memory safety in programming languages like C and C++ is a significant issue due to the risk of buffer overflows and other coding errors.
  2. Although there is a push to adopt memory-safe languages like a mandate from The White House, the practicality and necessity of such a move is questionable.
  3. Challenges in enforcing a complete shift to memory-safe languages include the limited exposure of critical code to attacks and the fact that other security vulnerabilities are more common in causing breaches.

Concept design in three easy steps

Subconscious • 710 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🕹 Technology Design Software Apps Concepts Engineering
  1. View software design as shaping functionality, understand what it should do first before how it does it or how it looks.
  2. Break down app functionalities into modular concepts, each with its own behavior and actions, combine existing concepts creatively.
  3. Design concepts to function independently, sync actions to ensure smooth interaction, focus on how concepts fit together to improve usability.