The blog post discusses the implications of the merger between dbt and Fivetran, arguing that it signifies the end of the modern data stack as it has been known. It outlines how these companies thrived by leveraging Snowflake's sa...
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Ethan Ding is the founder of TextQL, interested in AI and culture, known for making unqualified observations.
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The article discusses the competitive landscape of AI startups, particularly in the AI SDR (Sales Development Representative) category, highlighting the concept of 'levered beta'—the idea that being early to market can outweigh pr...
6.4openai burns the boats
2025-08-12 • openai anthropic market analysis ai
The blog post discusses the competitive landscape between OpenAI and Anthropic in the enterprise LLM API market, highlighting Anthropic's significant market share growth and profitability. It explains OpenAI's strategic decision t...
The post discusses the challenges faced by AI companies in maintaining profitability amidst rapidly decreasing costs of language model (LLM) inference. It critiques the common strategy of charging low subscription fees while expec...
The blog post discusses the recent acquisition of the SaaS company Windsurf by Cognition for $250 million, despite Windsurf achieving rapid growth to $82 million ARR in just eight months. The author questions why such a successful...
The post discusses the evolving landscape of tech companies and the need for new operational models that provide engineers with founder-level exposure to leverage and financial upside. It argues that traditional tech firms are los...
The post explores the concept of delusion in society, using the metaphor of 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and a playground analogy. It discusses the implications of calling out delusions when the deluded individual is aware of their...
5.9agents vs clouds
2025-09-25 • cloud services technological change ai
The blog post discusses the decline in interest in AI coding tools after their peak in the summer of 2023, suggesting that the market is now differentiating between users who actively utilize these tools and those who do not. It h...
The article discusses the concept of adversarial conversations, which are characterized by a lack of trust and mutual deception between parties. The author argues that such conversations are detrimental, leading to suboptimal deci...
The article distills hiring advice into three core pillars: agency, competence, and character. The author critiques the overwhelming amount of hiring advice available and proposes a simplified framework based on insights from indu...
The author expresses discomfort with hierarchical language in the workplace, preferring collaborative terms like 'working with me' over 'working for me.' They emphasize the importance of agency and responsibility among team member...
The text discusses the metaphor of project management as a journey from point A to point B, emphasizing the importance of understanding origin, destination, direction, speed, and acceleration. It presents various scenarios illustr...
The post compares the rigorous training and dedication required to win an Olympic gold medal with the challenges of building a successful startup. It highlights the misconception that entrepreneurship is less demanding than sports...
The article critiques the concept of 'moats' in business strategy, arguing that they are often misleading and do not guarantee success. Instead, success comes from hard work, superior products, and a commitment to customer satisfa...
The author reflects on their communication style and the challenge of discerning genuine individuals from those who merely mimic original thoughts. They discuss the importance of critical thinking and personal agency, presenting a...
5.3on integrity & omission
2024-06-18 • philosophy honesty trust integrity relationships
The author, Ethan Ding, discusses the concept of integrity, emphasizing that true integrity involves honesty even at a personal cost. He critiques the common acceptance of 'white lies' and omissions, arguing that they undermine tr...
5.3people i admire
2024-03-14 • business leadership identity wisdom admiration
The post explores the duality of wisdom, emphasizing that many age-old truths have opposing perspectives. It discusses the importance of personal identity in shaping admiration for others, highlighting traits and stories of indivi...
The post reflects on the importance of seeking out a life partner and the regrets one might have about not pursuing love sooner. It uses a narrative inspired by a scene from 'How I Met Your Mother' where the character Ted Mosby ex...
Ethan Ding reflects on his past year, highlighting significant personal and professional milestones, including receiving seed funding, hiring a team, and navigating challenges in his personal life. He discusses the influence of ke...
4.7meritocracy is important
2024-03-29 • philosophy history socialism responsibility merit
The author reflects on the concept of meritocracy, contrasting their earlier belief in merit as the primary driver of success with a more nuanced understanding that includes systemic factors and luck. They discuss historical figur...
0Reflections of a nerd
2021-05-24 •
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