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YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

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Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#211

Forking is not the issue. The real issue is the (mis-)presentation of the additional work and value they bring to the fork. Based on the code commits in the two repos it is minimal if anything at all, while they clearly claimed they have 100 contributors which is totally false.

> while they clearly claimed they have 100 contributors which is totally false.

Here's the post from the founder:

https://x.com/CodeFryingPan/status/1840248626284789956

You're absolutely right. This isn't a whoops, or nuance, or config/syntax/grammar error. It is a bold-face lie.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#212
post #77

I've been in the VC-backed startup space as a lead/principal engineer or technical advisor for the last 4 years. In that time, I've worked at 1 startup that closed a $100m C, one that closed a multi-million B, one that recently closed a $30m C, and one that started with a $8m seed. I've started my own startup and worked with founders of other startups on the side advising on the technical side (and once in a while bu…

The problem here is not that they stole the idea, it's that they literally just took an open-source codebase and filed off the serial numbers to claim it as their own proprietary work, and they did so in the most comically inept way possible. From the OP: PearAI offers an AI coding editor. The startup’s founder Duke Pan has openly said that it’s a cloned copy of another AI editor called Continue, which was covered un…

I bet they ate their own dogfood by having ChatGPT file the serial numbers off for them.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s game theory. AWS would do the same thing by pitting teams against each other internally. Often times, we would have multiple products doing the same exact thing but slightly differentiated. Of course AWS claims to not deprecate services but they would resource the successful service team and PIP everyone out of the unsuccessful team and bring it back to a skeleton crew. If you wonder why the AWS Product offering…

With how terrible AWS is to use this makes complete sense. I will stick with Azure when I can, which is usually.

I’ve never been able to stomach Azure (as much as I like Microsoft’s tools) because it lacks anything like AWS IAM. Without it having actual, pragmatic security let alone simple, cost effective audit documentation seems like so much more of a headache.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#214
post #150
post #22

Wow, this clone and fork is pretty bad. This is the type of company that is accepted into YC batches now? Not good for the rep of YC.

I can tell just from looking at most recent YC founders that they're not hackers. I could be wrong of course. I'm probably wrong. Maybe these people who are attractive, care about popular fashion and becoming popular on tweeter are actually just as capable hackers as all the hackers I actually know (none of whom care about those things). I admit YC probably knows better than me. But if I'm not wrong, and these people…

I mean, obviously it's a numbers game. There are only so many hackers, but there are a lot of Ivy League people and FANG people. So YC chose to open their gates. Whether this will be a profitable decision is an open question.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't matter so long as they didn't violate any licenses. Where the product starts and where it ends will be two totally different endpoints that are sure to diverge once they find their domain and business model.

If you are so inept that copying someone else's codebase wholesale is what makes you a viable company, then perhaps you aren't worthy of investing in. Unless, the investor is just trying to fund the most ruthless, least ethical, win-at-all-costs type of people, which as I type this seems like a sad but unsurprising move.

Copying everything EXCEPT the license - they knew THAT needed to change at least.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are so inept that copying someone else's codebase wholesale is what makes you a viable company, then perhaps you aren't worthy of investing in. Unless, the investor is just trying to fund the most ruthless, least ethical, win-at-all-costs type of people, which as I type this seems like a sad but unsurprising move.

Copying everything EXCEPT the license - they knew THAT needed to change at least.

Good point.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#217
post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With how terrible AWS is to use this makes complete sense. I will stick with Azure when I can, which is usually.

I’ve never been able to stomach Azure (as much as I like Microsoft’s tools) because it lacks anything like AWS IAM. Without it having actual, pragmatic security let alone simple, cost effective audit documentation seems like so much more of a headache.

By this point and by that I've read, cloud computing preferences are as subjective as liking any other thing.

I've read here and in a lot of other places that AWS IAM is the worst part of AWS. But I don't know what to believe anymore.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. That's exactly what capitalism is.

Poe's Law: can't tell if serious or sarcastic. At any rate, emergent behaviors can arise from complex systems, and thats exactly what I am alleging of (venture) capitalism at this stage of its evolution. If you have differences of opinion, by all means share them.

The American economic system is and always has been designed explicitly to extract the maximum profit from any venture at any cost.

See: children mangled in factories, minimum wage laws, the oil industry, pretty much every OSHA regulation.

If capitalism were at all capable of recognizing any externalities at all, we wouldn't have to create a vast legal system to protect workers, they would be treated safely and fairly because that is an ethically valuable thing to do.

If capitalism were capable of considering morals, ethics, or even the law in general, we would live in a much better world. However, capitalists regularly dodge taxes while extracring wealth from any natural or human resources that exist. They then simply hoard that wealth. Remember we're living in the worst wealth inequality in this country's history. Global warming caused by the oil industry is wrecking the planet. Amazon warehouse workers get docked pay for using the bathroom and AI companies are pointing cameras at drivers to measure how often they blink.

I have no clue how you can look at the world around you and not see the rampant exploitation and value extraction. The US is in a very bad way because of it. Increased poverty, homelessness, starvation.

Hell, just look at our for-profit medical industry. People regularly go bankrupt due to ludicrous and exploitative price gouging. Tell me how ethical capitalism creates a system where hospitals are owned by private investment firms who squeeze the sick and dying for every cent they have and more.

Capitalism does not, and fundamentally cannot consider ethics. Only profit.

Re: YC criticized for backing AI startup that simply cloned another AI startup

#219

I've been in the VC-backed startup space as a lead/principal engineer or technical advisor for the last 4 years. In that time, I've worked at 1 startup that closed a $100m C, one that closed a multi-million B, one that recently closed a $30m C, and one that started with a $8m seed. I've started my own startup and worked with founders of other startups on the side advising on the technical side (and once in a while bu…

All good points. Problem is, they didn’t attribute after the copy. And that’s literally all they had to do. Now they stand in violation of that license which I admit I don’t know what that means, but it probably isn’t good. I mean, how do you fuck up piggy-backing off open source? I’ve had many companies piggy back off my own project and it’s whatever, because they attribute to the original codebase. But it’s all whatever. Most these discussions are gonna end up in the trash over the next 5 years anyway as rationalistic machines spread more and more.
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