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Ways YC has changed in the last year

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Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#41

Post by ajkjk »

steveBK123 wrote: post #35
neilv wrote: post #30

> We've now tried every point on the spectrum: fully remote, hybrid and fully in-person. So now we don't have to worry if we're being luddites: in-person YC just really is the best. How was this determined to be best? (Obviously, they haven't controlled for variables like the switch to 4 smaller batches, and the high percentage of startups all doing one exciting thing (AI). And do they realize the costs. And is it be…

It was determined the same way FAANG, Banks, and others have determined in-person is best: "haha, the economy is slowing, get back to the office you F*(&# losers". Absolutely breathtaking level of cynicism from executive class that as soon as interest rates went up, hiring market cooled, and the power balance between workers & bosses swung back their way, suddenly in-office was "most productive". 100% vibes and "beca…

I imagine the actual reason is the complete opposite of everything you said except for 'vibes'.

Just cause you can't imagine why anyone would care about being in person doesn't mean the only remaining reason is a greedy powertrip. You're just not being sufficiently imaginative.

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#42

Post by __jonas »

seabass-labrax wrote: post #27
Izikiel43 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess what you are saying is buy calls for Nvidia

Quite possibly; I'm not sure why calls would be better than straight-up buying the stock, but I am certain that Nvidia is going to have a pretty good time of the LLM hype. Nvidia seem to me to have been consistently competent in improving their product lines. Perhaps my only criticism would be of their artificial hampering of some of their products, which they do in order to appease certain PC gamers by excluding the…

> Perhaps my only criticism would be of their artificial hampering of some of their products, which they do in order to appease certain PC gamers by excluding the gaming market from usual supply/demand effects

Can you elaborate what you mean by this? I thought Nvidia is outpricing their PC gamer customers because of their focus on AI? I’m curious how they have hampered their products in your opinion.

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#43

Post by armchairhacker »

neilv wrote: post #30

> We've now tried every point on the spectrum: fully remote, hybrid and fully in-person. So now we don't have to worry if we're being luddites: in-person YC just really is the best. How was this determined to be best? (Obviously, they haven't controlled for variables like the switch to 4 smaller batches, and the high percentage of startups all doing one exciting thing (AI). And do they realize the costs. And is it be…

I don’t know much about YC but I do know it isn’t a regular working environment. It’s a lot more intense and hands-on, qualities which indeed tend to be better in-person.

It’s also for only 11 weeks. Other companies probably want to be always be intense and hands-on and have the YC atmosphere, but that’s actually a terrible way to manage a company, a recipe for getting everyone to burnout and quit, and even if people stay after awhile the intensity will cool off.

I don’t doubt YC is better in-person, but also that your typical boring company is better remote.

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#44

Post by seabass-labrax »

version_five wrote: post #15
seabass-labrax wrote: post #10

It's a risky investment strategy to put so much emphasis on AI startups. Not only do you have the already volatile nature of early-stage software companies (which YC is of course used to), but this is a bet on whether machine learning, chiefly LLMs, are going to continue to outperform other technologies and become sustainable to run. There's no question in my mind that 'Open'AI is subsidizing the vast majority of LLM…

If this was NFTs, what would the winning strategy have been? Strike when the iron is hot and hype is at the maximum and hope to get some exits or subsequent rounds asap, or draw it out. From a portfolio perspective, it's just one batch, might as well go all in and maximally capitalize on hype, no?

These gigantic valuations for AI startups are only there because the startups aren't choosing to exit yet - big demand, low supply. Whilst acknowledging my lack of a crystal ball, I would imagine that once the few biggest companies have had their fill of acquiring AI startups for billions at a time, the remaining startups won't be so desirable any longer.

YC needs to make sure they actually have a market to sell these startups to before their valuation starts dropping again. Predicting that requires a certain kind of intuition, whereas 'traditional' software startups have a more predictable lifecycle. I'm not the 'hype type' myself - I don't really trust stocks without intrinsic value behind them :)

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#45

Post by steveBK123 »

ajkjk wrote: post #41
steveBK123 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was determined the same way FAANG, Banks, and others have determined in-person is best: "haha, the economy is slowing, get back to the office you F*(&# losers". Absolutely breathtaking level of cynicism from executive class that as soon as interest rates went up, hiring market cooled, and the power balance between workers & bosses swung back their way, suddenly in-office was "most productive". 100% vibes and "beca…

I imagine the actual reason is the complete opposite of everything you said except for 'vibes'. Just cause you can't imagine why anyone would care about being in person doesn't mean the only remaining reason is a greedy powertrip. You're just not being sufficiently imaginative.

Sure for a bootcamp or intensive project or whatever, in-person can have benefits. For juniors and mentorship and whatever, sure helps there too.

But the lingering question is... Why is it that everyone was super cool with hybrid & remote, even past COVID danger, but as soon as FAANG had massive layoffs we went from 2days to 3days to majority back in office at many tech companies?

And the east coast bank/fund/finance tech companies quickly dragged everyone else back to the office as soon as we all stopped quitting for FAANG jobs?

Hard to tell what the cause could possibly be.

Correlation, causation.. who knows!

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#46

Post by mentos »

steveBK123 wrote: post #39
mentos wrote: post #26

Would have liked to read why in person is better. I imagine the biggest reason is it raises the sense of commitment for everyone involved.

In person is better because the latent bid for tech workers has gone down, and now they feel comfortable demanding we all come back to the office. It's as simple as that.

When you get married are you going to do it over Zoom or have everyone show up in person?

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#47

Post by reducesuffering »

steveBK123 wrote: post #35
neilv wrote: post #30

> We've now tried every point on the spectrum: fully remote, hybrid and fully in-person. So now we don't have to worry if we're being luddites: in-person YC just really is the best. How was this determined to be best? (Obviously, they haven't controlled for variables like the switch to 4 smaller batches, and the high percentage of startups all doing one exciting thing (AI). And do they realize the costs. And is it be…

It was determined the same way FAANG, Banks, and others have determined in-person is best: "haha, the economy is slowing, get back to the office you F*(&# losers". Absolutely breathtaking level of cynicism from executive class that as soon as interest rates went up, hiring market cooled, and the power balance between workers & bosses swung back their way, suddenly in-office was "most productive". 100% vibes and "beca…

> Absolutely breathtaking level of cynicism

Umm? Pot meet kettle

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#48

Post by dehrmann »

steveBK123 wrote: post #35
neilv wrote: post #30

> We've now tried every point on the spectrum: fully remote, hybrid and fully in-person. So now we don't have to worry if we're being luddites: in-person YC just really is the best. How was this determined to be best? (Obviously, they haven't controlled for variables like the switch to 4 smaller batches, and the high percentage of startups all doing one exciting thing (AI). And do they realize the costs. And is it be…

It was determined the same way FAANG, Banks, and others have determined in-person is best: "haha, the economy is slowing, get back to the office you F*(&# losers". Absolutely breathtaking level of cynicism from executive class that as soon as interest rates went up, hiring market cooled, and the power balance between workers & bosses swung back their way, suddenly in-office was "most productive". 100% vibes and "beca…

You didn't actually give an alternative reason for why FAANGs and banks are doing this. Some also obviously don't hold for YC (real estate losses).

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#49

Post by dehrmann »

voytec wrote: post #16
debacle wrote: post #3

@dang, please change the root link to the nitter thread.

On one hand, this suggestion stands in opposition to HN rules (link to source) but on the other is more reasonable as linking nitter provides viewer with more information, as an addition to single post that non-registered Twitter users would be able to see.

Considering HN is a YC thing, the useful feedback at this point might be that X isn't the best outlet to reach audiences anymore, and maybe they should post it somewhere else.

Re: Ways YC has changed in the last year

#50

Post by steveBK123 »

mentos wrote: post #46
steveBK123 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In person is better because the latent bid for tech workers has gone down, and now they feel comfortable demanding we all come back to the office. It's as simple as that.

When you get married are you going to do it over Zoom or have everyone show up in person?

Wasn't aware I needed to marry my coworkers. Most companies I've worked at have strong HR policies around that.
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