Max Bélanger

Dropbox builder. Bear hunter. Petit Prince.

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@henrikberggren @jenny_wen @embirico @srochiramani 👋

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@jamesacowling @existentializzm omg

[Bennett Brownlow @bennettbrownlow]

I worked with Dropbox to bring on Cursor in early 2025. One interesting fact - the size of their monorepo pushed us to improve our infra in ways that have since helped hundreds of customers with similar (and much larger) scale work with Cursor. https://t.co/vdBFvdeTYw

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@jamesacowling @RhysSullivan some of us keep the monitors, like a shrine to our past work selves

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@zeeg fake news

[Andrea Pfundmeier @A_Pfund]

We’ve implemented end-to-end encryption at Dropbox. Want to learn more about the rationales behind some of our decisions? Have a look at our deep dive where we discuss algorithms, threat model and much more. #encryption #dropbox https://t.co/fRg8A2w1N0

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@rsms @krzyzanowskim https://t.co/EWuccqa0Z7
this is quite cool! cc @indygreg

[Dropbox @Dropbox]

Say goodbye to additional encryption services. We’re adding another layer of protection for your content by launching advanced key management and seamless end-to-end encryption that’s natively integrated in Dropbox. Sensitive and confidential files can only be accessed by those you authorize. https://t.co/JWRg3QKbKI

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@drewhouston @robfreudenreich @A_Pfund ❤️ congrats @robfreudenreich @A_Pfund!

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

some huge new features coming to dropbox: end-to-end encryption all the way to the sync engine. seamless, real-time coauthoring in microsoft office.

these were a long time coming and i’m super proud of the team.

[Drew Houston @drewhouston]

Proud of the @Dropbox team for delivering powerful new features around organization, sharing, and security. Now for your most important files, you can add an extra layer of encryption that only you control.

[ayman nadeem @aymannadeem]

why does Waterloo churn out top tech talent? Sure, it's the 6 mandatory internships over 5 years, non-stop, without a break. but there's more beneath the surface:

1. humility over prestige: beyond the mechanics or rigor of the program, all Canadian universities are public, and there is not as much status variance between them, leading to lower egos than what you might encounter at top US institutions (Harvard/MIT, etc). waterloo isn't prestigious in the same way, you're not fed the message you're elite by any means. instead, you're in a non-glamorous, math-heavy program on a campus that looks like a dark, dilapidated, snow-covered dungeon. you don't have the same social rewards or incentive structures as traditional colleges--no ego boosts, just grit.

2. real-world ready: exposure to "real world" work environments doesn't just fortify one's ability to code or navigate professional interpersonal dynamics, but it builds self-awareness about interests/disinterests, what motivates you, what kinds of environments you thrive in, ultimately accelerating your ability to learn how to learn in unstructured environments that are not beholden to the rigidity of an academic syllabus. this type of metacognition is typically delayed to a post-grad experience for graduates of other institutions.

3. tailored education: exposure to real work lets students customize their academic path based on practical experience. for example, after my stint at Microsoft 14 years ago, I started taking AI courses long before graduation, something I wouldn't have considered doing had I not been exposed to MSR. contextualizing academics in terms of real-world outcomes gave me more motivation to build a theoretical foundation than I would have had otherwise.

4. also, a touch of aspbergers. 🙃

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@christinacaci oh that looks fantastic

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@indygreg I wonder, could the PSF help support `python-build-standalone`? It's a very popular distribution mechanism *for CPython* after all ...

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@zeeg @ChilliDoor https://t.co/eXpC0YQKGK

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@colin_dunn me me me

[Drew Houston @drewhouston]

@Werner @Dropbox @EU_EDPS Third-party AI services are only used when customers actively engage with Dropbox AI features which themselves are clearly labeled (see example screenshot), which is explained in the "Learn more" link in your screenshot: https://t.co/JvOZcBL6FT

[Marcus Perryman @marcpe]

ok its official!
Dropbox now has Arm64 native support for Windows! (v185.4.6054)
Install it from https://t.co/wRq7CeG42a - the installer will pick the right version for your device.
Exciting to see this work complete, and great job team!

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@zooba Python/WinRT?

[Max Bélanger @maxbelanger]

@AntoineGrondin i heard we actually have poutine, is that true

[Simon Willison @simonw]

@David_Leavitt Plenty of average Americans might work for companies that now won't be able to make payroll though https://t.co/Zl4ZeGBFdM