My organization published its priorities for the next year, of which my team’s initiative sits at the top. I find it very exciting. To show impact, we not only need to do good work but also at the right spot. I happen to find myself in such a spot and want to prove to myself that I can deliver.
Software Engineering ⚙️
Reliability Tech Tree
This tech tree shows a journey from one-nine (90%) availability to five-nines (99.999%) with different techniques to move to the next level. I already found helpful concepts such as Eliminating Toil.
Use One Big Server
The author argues vertical scaling with larger machines often provides better cost and performance than horizontal scaling with more machines. I’ve never considered this tradeoff.
People ❤️
Comparison and Self Judgment
It’s so easy to compare myself to others. Sometimes, it hurts my ego because some seem to do better than I; they make more money, have more significant titles, or enjoy industry-wide fame. When that hurts my ego, I compared myself to those worse off to feel better. But I am learning to stop doing that as we are all on different journeys.
Coordination Headwind
This deck explores why complex work moves so slowly. Uncertain rewards and costs and competing priorities make coordination much more challenging. In addition, possible interpersonal conflicts add more risks to completing the work. To solve that, the author recommends more time; 1-1s, team events, strategy summits, etc.
Shopify Lets Staff Decide Cash-Stock Pay Mix as Shares Dive
I always thought the fixed ratio of salary and stock did not make much sense. People with different risk profiles were pushed out. I benefitted from a similar policy at Netflix and wish more companies get on board.
Business 💰
Bill Gurley on Surviving Downturns
Bill Gurley was an early investor in Uber who was also instrumental in ousting Uber founder Travis Kalanick from Uber. He talks about how the current tech downturn came about and how the venture capital landscape is changing.
Interesting Finds 💡
US government reveals big changes to open-access policy
Biden administration is pushing for all federally funded research to be made available to the public immediately after it is published. The publishers currently use their market power to get paid by both scholars and research institutions, which I find distasteful. I hope this policy brings an end to their monopoly.
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