Alex C

Eng Manager @GoodwaterCap,
Ecommerce, Machine Learning, Recommender Systems,
ex @Meta, @StitchFix, @IPSY, @OneKingsLane, @Wanelo,
@UCBerkeley

[Paul Graham @paulg]

The reason AI coding works so well is that the source code of the median app was already slop before LLMs.

[Alex C @alkchen]

"True fulfillment comes from embracing deep commitments and community." 📘 Just read 'The Second Mountain' by David Brooks. A transformative take on finding meaning beyond self-interest. #TheSecondMountain #DavidBrooks #Community #Purpose

[Alex C @alkchen]

The real measure of any time management technique is whether or not it helps you neglect the right things. http://127.0.0.1:8000/ideas/four-thousand-weeks-oliver-burkeman-2420

[Alex C @alkchen]

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.” — Ernst F. Schumacher

[Alex C @alkchen]

“Simplicity is a great virtue but it requires hard work to achieve it and education to appreciate it. And to make matters worse: complexity sells better.” — Edsger W. Dijkstra

[Alex C @alkchen]

Productivity is a trap. Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed, and trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster. @fourthousandwks @oliverburkeman
https://t.co/ce9QrDNSgb

[Paul Graham @paulg]

I retweeted this because I don't want to believe it. It's therefore important to investigate this phenomenon, because I probably have a bias against seeing it.

[Alex C @alkchen]

I am still not convinced that Chat interface is the ultimate form for LLM, still waiting for its kill application to arrive.

[Alex C @alkchen]

I would trust LLM more as a language processing later than a knowledge base.

[Alex C @alkchen]

The Lean Startup methodology, while innovative, has limitations in strategy, MVP focus, innovation, and growth, leading to the rise of the 'Deliberate Startup' approach for more holistic, strategic startup success.

https://t.co/J4TjxChINA

[Alex C @alkchen]

Managers must balance company goals with team growth, mastering coaching alongside directing and evaluating, to empower teams and drive success.
https://t.co/DHLH77nJkI

[Fareed Zakaria @FareedZakaria]

America’s top universities should abandon their long misadventure into politics, retrain their gaze on their core strengths and rebuild their reputations as centers of research and learning.

My take:

[Paul Graham @paulg]

This startup's revenue graph is the best illustration I've seen of the overnight success that takes years. The graph goes almost vertical at the start of 2023, six years in.

[Alex C @alkchen]

"There's No Such Thing as Business Ethics" simplifies ethics to one principle: Treat others as you want to be treated. This Golden Rule applies equally in business and personal life, advocating for universal respect and fairness.
https://t.co/Dvw01leVFb

[Alex C @alkchen]

Buying a car at the end of 2023, especially in December, is advised due to high manufacturer and dealer incentives, ample inventory, and the anticipation of higher interest rates in 2024. This period is optimal for both new and used car purchases.
https://t.co/7T1S7DZzeB

[Alex C @alkchen]

A product exhibits network effects when more users directly enhance its value, creating a cycle where growth fuels utility and vice versa, leading to high user retention and viral expansion. #NetworkEffects #TechInsights

[Alex C @alkchen]

"It's like a man riding a lion. People think, 'This guy's brave.' And he's thinking, 'How the hell did I get on a lion, and how do I keep from getting eaten?"

https://t.co/mG8gznmKEc

[Alex C @alkchen]

"Software engineering at its core a job that involves thinking and the ability to convert that thinking into meaningful code that a machine will understand."
https://t.co/faIMugG4yf via @ashishbhatia

[Alex C @alkchen]

TLDR: The real challenge in software development is design, not coding. Low Code tools oversimplify by focusing on coding difficulty. Proper design is key, and no tool can skip that step without risking poor outcomes. #SoftwareDevelopment #DesignVsCoding

https://t.co/8Q3eQgBZ2M

[Paul Graham @paulg]

I gave a talk about startups to 14 and 15 year olds, and their questions afterward were better than I get at top universities. I puzzled over this, then realized why. Their questions were motivated by genuine curiosity, rather than to make some kind of comment or to seem smart.