Oxide Computer Company raises $100M Series B for on-prem cloud innovation
Raised $100M led by USIT, more than doubling previous funding to scale growth
Built a fully integrated cloud stack: custom hardware with root-of-trust, proprietary microcontroller OS, bypassing UEFI BIOS, homegrown hypervisor, switches, storage, and distributed control plane
Thesis: on-premises cloud remains strategically critical, necessitating a ground-up rethink of hardware + software together
Commercial deployment underway with multi-rack customers, bolstered by openness—publishing RFDs, source code, documentation, and extensive community engagement
New capital to expand manufacturing, support, and roadmap while maintaining mission-driven culture focused on innovation and customer love
Australia expands social media ban for under-16s to include YouTube
Government extends restrictions to cover YouTube, eliminating prior exemptions to protect teens from harmful content, especially algorithm-driven shorts
Debate over enforcement viability given flawed age verification and potential privacy risks, including invasive ID checks
Community criticism of YouTube’s emphasis on addictive low-quality content undermining attention spans and educational value
Ongoing tension between protecting youth mental health and preserving digital freedoms highlighted by public discourse
Reflects global trends in youth digital regulation amid concerns over algorithmic manipulation
"Fast": The overlooked superpower reshaping software experience and productivity
Speed in software, though seldom requested explicitly, profoundly influences behavior and workflow efficiency
Fast reduces cognitive friction, making software feel like an extension of the mind (e.g., Raycast, Superhuman’s sub-100ms UI)
Speed correlates with simplicity and focus, often requiring removal of unnecessary features for optimized performance (contrast Linear vs. Workday)
Fast software is enjoyable, driving user satisfaction and competition akin to typing speed or hotkey customizations
Current AI coding tools, while faster, still lag optimal developer experience; future focus will shift toward latency, UI, connectivity, enabling new possibilities
Speed is positioned as a core design value and a subtle but powerful form of respect to users
"Vibe code is legacy code": Risks of AI-assisted rapid coding without deep understanding
Vibe coding: rapid AI-driven code generation where developers “forget the code exists,” leading to significant technical debt
Such code qualifies as legacy code—hard to maintain, debug, or extend—posing risks especially in production systems
Appropriate for prototypes or throwaway projects but dangerous when used by non-technical founders for large, maintainable codebases
Emphasizes programming as "theory building," requiring human oversight, careful review, and defensive practices despite AI assistance
Val Town’s approach integrates AI tools for quick features paired with disciplined code management
Warning that unsupervised vibe coding by non-programmers can lead to costly, compounding technical failures
Calls for cautious optimism and heavy human involvement in AI-driven software development to avoid scalability pitfalls
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