Automation enables founders to grow companies with fewer and fewer employees • Hacker News Board

Re: Automation enables founders to grow companies with fewer and fewer employees

#391

Post by oblio » Thu, Dec 08, 2022, 7:50 AM UTC

stemlord wrote: post #293

PinguTS wrote: post #80

This is this thinking of "Automation reduces workforce". The next argument then is always "We need Basic Income" because of this. But this is ignoring the fact that automation never replaced workforce as such. It moved the focus of the workforce. At the end more automation even required more workforce. The thing is, you cannot engineer the process to be automated. You need to keep maintaining the automation. This inc…

>automation never replaced workforce as such. It moved the focus of the workforce Seems true but also doesn't automation diminish the diversity of work available?

It does, primarily by raising the floor.

Re: Automation enables founders to grow companies with fewer and fewer employees

#392

Post by oblio » Thu, Dec 08, 2022, 7:53 AM UTC

testmasterflex wrote: post #315

highfrequency wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Love the idea. Ballpark revenue/profit?

Thank you! Just launched last week so no numbers yet. :)

Let's circle back in 1 year :)

Re: Automation enables founders to grow companies with fewer and fewer employees

#393

Post by oblio » Fri, Dec 09, 2022, 9:58 AM UTC

memish wrote: post #100

Paul Graham founded this site. How did it end up being so hostile to founders?

As p0pcult said, people realized that VC is about concentrating wealth.

As a counter example, Microsoft's IPO made a few billionaires and tens of thousands (!) of millionaires, and that was in 1986 (so take inflation into account, it's been 36 years).

How many of these modern exits have made the lives of so many so good, with all the dilutions?

Re: Automation enables founders to grow companies with fewer and fewer employees

#394

Post by choeger » Sat, Dec 10, 2022, 1:57 PM UTC

type-r wrote: post #343

choeger wrote: post #328

Instagram the software has no intrinsic value. The whole thing could be reproduced in no time. It's the network effect that matters and getting that effect is essentially a hack. Yes, the author's prime example is a hack of society. That's not automation, it's an example for the fact that software can be copied for zero cost. Compare that to a company with an intrinsic value, like Tesla. How far could Elon (I know he…

so if something can be reproduced in no time it has no intrinsic value?

In principle, and if "no time" also implies "no rare resources/tools", then how much would you pay for it?

If someone tried to sell you breathable air on the street, how much would you pay for it?