Source: Venture Predation
Summary
Venture-backed startups, or “venture predators,” are willing to engage in predatory pricing to drive competitors out of the market and grab market share. This practice can fuel rapid growth, and venture capitalists and founders are motivated to fund and execute it, even if recoupment is not guaranteed. The authors argue that this can harm consumers, distort market incentives, and misallocate capital.
Fact
Source: Siemens Synthesizer
Summary
The Siemens Synthesizer, also known as the Siemens Studio für Elektronische Musik, was a significant electronic music development between 1956-1967 in Germany. It was controlled by four paper rolls, had a tonal range of seven octaves and facilitated modification and modulation of sounds in real-time.
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Source: US Supreme Court leaves protections for internet companies unscathed
Summary
The US Supreme Court upheld legal protections for internet and social media companies by refusing to hear cases that could have had significant implications for them. One case involving Google’s YouTube focused on the Communications Decency Act that protects internet-related lawsuits due to content posted by users. In another case, Twitter was shielded from action allowed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which would have permitted victims of terrorist attacks by militant groups to sue those businesses.
Fact
Source: CodeWeavers Now Controlled By An Employee Ownership Trust
Summary
CodeWeavers, backer to the Wine project, has transitioned to an employee ownership trust after Jeremy White, the largest shareholder and CEO for 27 years, decided to retire and leave the company. The move is to ensure the company operates for the benefit of the community and staff.
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Source: LangChain AI Handbook
Summary
LangChain is introduced with core components, customizable tools, and techniques for building AI systems with long-term memory.
Fact
Source: Writing Is My Main Freedom. One Day My Work Disappeared.
Summary
JPay electronic tablets provided a way for inmates to write and connect with their loved ones, but recent changes reduced the tools available to prisoners in the “security threat group” and affected others as well. The changes caused prisoners to lose works-in-progress and made it impossible for them to create paragraphs or stanzas. Moreover, electronic stamps for communication remained expensive, and the power to accept or reject non-legal material lies with the prison officials, who often use their discretion in rejecting messages they consider non-compliant with “legitimate penological interests”.
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Source: Ask HN: Will AI result in mass silo-ing of new knowledge?
Summary
The availability of publicly available knowledge being utilized to train AI models is leading to the devaluation of the backbreaking work of building those models. This could lead to individuals and organizations avoiding sharing their knowledge and information in order to protect their expertise and avoid devaluation.
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Source: Jeff Bezos announces $3.5bn Blue Origin NASA contract to land astronauts on moon
Summary
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin wins a $3.4bn NASA lunar mission project as part of the Artemis program, following Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The mission implies the return of humans on the Moon, this time to stay.
Facts
Source: Did Scientists Accidentally Invent an Anti-addiction Drug?
Summary
Semaglutide, a drug marketed for its weight loss properties, is showing promise in treating addiction. Patients taking the drug have reported a decrease in their urge to indulge in addictive behaviours such as smoking, drinking, shopping, nail biting, and skin picking. Researchers believe that semaglutide could someday be more broadly useful by altering the brain’s reward circuitry.
Facts