The Nonintuitive Bits

We discuss:
- How long should you stick with a project?
- How did Gumroad's CEO handle Gumroad teethering on the brink of collapse?
- Why didn't Gumroad get taken over by a large enterprise?
- Creating feedback loops to be a better engineering leader

Links:
https://marker.medium.com/reflecting-on-my-failure-to-build-a-billion-dollar-company-b0c31d7db0e7

In this episode we have discussed:

• Spotify’s Failed #SquadGoals
• The Decline of Usability
• git-bug

In this episode, we cover 3 major announcements in the world of open-source:
1. Github makes it all free and lives to its mission - "Every developer on Earth should have access to Github. Price shouldn't be a barrier". 
2. Exciting PyTorch 1.5 release including PyTorch Serve, PyTorch Elastic, Full parity C++ APIs and more. A treat for all deep learning users.
3. Confluent, a company founded by Apache Kafka developers, raises 250$ MM funding and kicks of project Metamorphosis to take the streaming platform to the next level.

References:

1. https://github.blog/2020-04-14-github-is-now-free-for-teams/
2. https://www.confluent.io/press-release/confluent-series-e-round-project-metamorphosis/
3. https://pytorch.org/blog/pytorch-1-dot-5-released-with-new-and-updated-apis/

What's the right way to build a community? How can we track the spread of Covid 19? New applications of deep learning and conference building? All that and more in episode 19 of The Nonintuitive Bits

Guest of the week: Chai Bapat (@chaibapat)

Thoughts on this episode? Reach out to us!

Twitter:
Zain Rizvi: @zainrzv
Viacheslav Kovalevskyi (Slava): @b0noi
Sandeep Krishnamurthy: @skm4ml

Slack: https://thenonintuitivebits.slack.com/

Show links:
- https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/10/apple-and-google-are-launching-a-joint-covid-19-tracing-tool/
- Rise (book): https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Practical-Advancing-Career-Standing-ebook/dp/B005NKH84S

Main topics:

• new iPad Pro
• The Configuration Complexity Clock
• The Apache® Software Foundation Celebrates 21 Years of Open Source Leadership

Facial recognition technology has enabled solving many critical problems of our society - solving child trafficking to security cameras securing our house. However, due to the lack of complete understanding of the technology and lack of governing laws controlling the usage has made facial recognition technology one of the most contested and controversial topics.

In this episode, we talk about Microsoft deciding not to invest in any 3rd party facial recognition based startups to our views on facial recognition technology. Finally, we end the episode with a fun but interesting rapid-fire round of 10 ideas we think facial recognition-based technology should solve.

References:
1. https://time.com/5578064/esther-wojcicki-raise-successful-kids/
2. https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2020/03/16/gtc-update/
3. https://www.cnet.com/news/april-fools-day-jokes-risk-becoming-tone-deaf-amidst-coronavirus/
4. https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/controversial-biometric-facial-recognition/#gref
5. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21197577/microsoft-facial-recognition-investing-divest-anyvision-controversy
6. https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/25/18106327/illinois-biometric-privacy-fingerprints-six-flags 
7. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/27/21156678/clearview-ai-client-macy-fbi-doj-twitter-facebook-youtube
8. https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/24/21079354/clearview-ai-nypd-terrorism-suspect-false-claims-facial-recognition
9. https://www.wgu.edu/blog/facial-recognition-why-controversial1909.html
10. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/technology/facial-recognition-police.html
11. https://aws.amazon.com/rekognition/the-facts-on-facial-recognition-with-artificial-intelligence/

In this episode we talk about:

• Amazon's automatic checkout system being offered to stores and their User Oriented Development Practice
• 3D Printing in the Coronavirus Era
• How to Survive Working From Home

Links and References: 

• (Book) The Incerto Series by Nasim Taleb 
• https://blog.prusaprinters.org/designer-contest-everyday-necessities-for-life-during-a-pandemic-with-three-3d-printers-to-be-won/
• https://justwalkout.com/

In this episode we have covered:

• Coronavirus 
• Please Stop Recommending git flow 
• DigitalOcean Container Registry
• “Let’s use Kubernetes!” Now you have 8 problems 

More than 500 million first time internet users are being added across India, Africa, and many developing worlds, democratizing the economy and access to knowledge. However, the new-age digital world is all ripe with fraudsters waiting for these innocent first-time internet users.

In this episode, we talk about Microsoft entering into the world of anti-virus, bigger companies, banks, digital payment companies, Facebook all getting ready with product design to help people fight these fraudsters!

Funny but on a serious note, we also discuss some of the interesting frauds we came across!

References
1. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/20/21145388/microsoft-antivirus-ios-android-apps-software-defender-security-malware
2. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/2020-fraud-predictions-for-the-indian-digital-payment-ecosystem-4717641.html
3. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/save/8-digital-payment-related-scams-and-how-you-can-avoid-them/articleshow/71863864.cms
4. https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/opinion-cybersecurity-a-critical-challenge-for-india-s-digital-payments-ecosys-11580402045918.html 

A lot of things have happened for the last week, we have covered just a few topics:

• new Java each 6 months (JDK 14)
• Windows 10x
• Samsung Z Flip
• Essential Phone is dead