Thread

1. FrankWilhoit · 1791117450 · focus · HN ↗

   De mortuis and all that, but someone has pointed out the poor track record of his later initiatives and I think the reasons for those failures are an important part of the picture. Look at his last few blog posts, outlining a radical alternative to LLMs. Read closely, and at the heart of that idea we find "assume enterprise search". But the willingness to consider radical alternatives is part of the right way to think.

   1. coldtea · 1791119040 · focus · HN ↗

      >But the willingness to consider radical alternatives is part of the right way to think.

      That sounds liked LinkedIn speak.

      1. schiffern · 1791120859 · focus · HN ↗

         While that's true, a stopped clock is right twice a day. It can simultaneously sound like LinkedIn speak and be correct.

         1. coldtea · 1791160495 · focus · HN ↗

            Don't know, sounds like a total plattitude.

            There's no singular "right way to think" that applies in all cases. In many cases thinking of "radical alternatives" can be a bad idea (think people falling for "alternative medicine" stuff). Or some idiot coming up with shitty "radical alternatives" because they can't accept some specific setup or status quo is better - also related to the N.I.H. mindset in software.

      2. FrankWilhoit · 1791128340 · focus · HN ↗

         The rest of the right way to think is the obligation to discard radical hypotheses that don't work out. Visionaries see things that other people don't. Mostly that is because they are not there. Every so seldom, they are.

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