Re: Azure, I worked on GCP at Google, and the first couple years I was "stuck" in Developer Relations. I was supposed to mostly work on client libraries, but I was encouraged and rewarded for doing developer content , something I was reluctant to do since I wanted to do "real" engineering on a core team and constantly looking for the path to transfer to do that. Ironically the opportunity to really hone content skills, while getting paid to do so, was a huge missed opportunity. Now that I'm out of Google years later, now I'm tempted to try to make/monetize GCP content, but I just have no motivation to do so. Turns out no amount of market opportunity or credibility can overcome, "I don't want to do the thing." Maybe eventually I'll do an info product but with a heavy focus on Firebase and SaaS angle, despite the heavy competition in that space, because I'm still passionate about the stuff, to the extent it serves building products I that I am excited to work on.
Re: starting a religion, one belief that I have that I rarely see discussed is the religious nature of crypto. I say its not programmable money, its programmable religion. Sure, there's some financial applications lurking, but a lot of crypto looks a like religion when you squint - the different "sects" around the chains like Bitcoin / Ethereum, the forks/schisms. The "cults" that form around NFTs like Bored Apes. That's not a bear case , since world religions are some of the wealthiest, most powerful organizations in the world. And I think a lot of engineers look purely at the utility aspect of crypto, and miss the religious aspects, and then are bewildered when prices go up despite failure to deliver on the utility. Besides religion, if we think about nationalism, being upset when "your" sports team loses, thinking an old jacket is worth $100k because George Washington wore it - the most irrational thing you can think is that humans are rational creatures.
Re: "Now that I'm out of Google years later, now I'm tempted to try to make/monetize GCP content, but I just have no motivation to do so. . Turns out no amount of market opportunity or credibility can overcome, "I don't want to do the thing.""
Man I think you hit the nail right in the head with that. This is exactly right. We change. I am still using Azure too all of SB is hosted on Azure but I try to use the simplest services possible (and am simplifying even more) so that we can simply move off when we want to.
Re: The crypto stuff & religion is very interesting. I never thought about it that way but now that you mention it I do see it. I've thought about it from the "country aspect", Balaji talks about this a lot too, and it reminds me of some of the stuff people would say about America when I was a kid, or some of the stuff they say about its founding, (freedom, liberty, etc) it just seems to create this energy that does not dissipate easily. But religion is even stronger.
Great article, Louie! I feel to this so much and have alot of regrets in this vein. I think it relates to creative efforts and expressions as well, they assume the role of a journal and reflection on a moment in time in your life's journey, but if never completed, or worked on over years, they don't have the same impact. A good lesson and goal to finish and look forward to new endeavors and creations for your future self.
That last step of finishing a small bet is always the hardest one, you are aware that more time will increase your project quality. But if the project had a minimal quality and had surpassed your deadline, you need to be blind in some way and publish it. At that point your expectations will meet reality, but that will never happen if perfectionism beat you
> I no longer believed many of the things I was recommending in that book. It was way too flowery about Azure.
> My opinion changed. I simply don't think most people even need the complexity of Azure and many of its services anymore
This is the thing that stopped me from even attempting to write a book on multi-cloud, as a small bet 😔 Once passion is over, it really does feel like it's over for good, and that opportunity is lost.. We have to capture it while it's still in the cage
Thanks for sharing your experience with writing books. I think I read/heard your story about your Azure book on Small Bets, and I remember it well. I'm looking to publish my book tomorrow. The book is helpful because it teaches you something. It's probably not the best book I can write, but I want to get into KDP publishing, and this is something I'll happily put my name on.
If I change my mind about something in the book, I can always update it or release a second edition.
Re: Azure, I worked on GCP at Google, and the first couple years I was "stuck" in Developer Relations. I was supposed to mostly work on client libraries, but I was encouraged and rewarded for doing developer content , something I was reluctant to do since I wanted to do "real" engineering on a core team and constantly looking for the path to transfer to do that. Ironically the opportunity to really hone content skills, while getting paid to do so, was a huge missed opportunity. Now that I'm out of Google years later, now I'm tempted to try to make/monetize GCP content, but I just have no motivation to do so. Turns out no amount of market opportunity or credibility can overcome, "I don't want to do the thing." Maybe eventually I'll do an info product but with a heavy focus on Firebase and SaaS angle, despite the heavy competition in that space, because I'm still passionate about the stuff, to the extent it serves building products I that I am excited to work on.
Re: starting a religion, one belief that I have that I rarely see discussed is the religious nature of crypto. I say its not programmable money, its programmable religion. Sure, there's some financial applications lurking, but a lot of crypto looks a like religion when you squint - the different "sects" around the chains like Bitcoin / Ethereum, the forks/schisms. The "cults" that form around NFTs like Bored Apes. That's not a bear case , since world religions are some of the wealthiest, most powerful organizations in the world. And I think a lot of engineers look purely at the utility aspect of crypto, and miss the religious aspects, and then are bewildered when prices go up despite failure to deliver on the utility. Besides religion, if we think about nationalism, being upset when "your" sports team loses, thinking an old jacket is worth $100k because George Washington wore it - the most irrational thing you can think is that humans are rational creatures.
Re: "Now that I'm out of Google years later, now I'm tempted to try to make/monetize GCP content, but I just have no motivation to do so. . Turns out no amount of market opportunity or credibility can overcome, "I don't want to do the thing.""
Man I think you hit the nail right in the head with that. This is exactly right. We change. I am still using Azure too all of SB is hosted on Azure but I try to use the simplest services possible (and am simplifying even more) so that we can simply move off when we want to.
Re: The crypto stuff & religion is very interesting. I never thought about it that way but now that you mention it I do see it. I've thought about it from the "country aspect", Balaji talks about this a lot too, and it reminds me of some of the stuff people would say about America when I was a kid, or some of the stuff they say about its founding, (freedom, liberty, etc) it just seems to create this energy that does not dissipate easily. But religion is even stronger.
Such a good read, Louie! The sadness feeling of something that you wish you showed to the world but didn't or couldn't really hits home.
Love the many nuances in this piece - I can feel you pondering the many shades of gray.
Great article, Louie! I feel to this so much and have alot of regrets in this vein. I think it relates to creative efforts and expressions as well, they assume the role of a journal and reflection on a moment in time in your life's journey, but if never completed, or worked on over years, they don't have the same impact. A good lesson and goal to finish and look forward to new endeavors and creations for your future self.
That last step of finishing a small bet is always the hardest one, you are aware that more time will increase your project quality. But if the project had a minimal quality and had surpassed your deadline, you need to be blind in some way and publish it. At that point your expectations will meet reality, but that will never happen if perfectionism beat you
> I no longer believed many of the things I was recommending in that book. It was way too flowery about Azure.
> My opinion changed. I simply don't think most people even need the complexity of Azure and many of its services anymore
This is the thing that stopped me from even attempting to write a book on multi-cloud, as a small bet 😔 Once passion is over, it really does feel like it's over for good, and that opportunity is lost.. We have to capture it while it's still in the cage
Thanks for sharing your experience with writing books. I think I read/heard your story about your Azure book on Small Bets, and I remember it well. I'm looking to publish my book tomorrow. The book is helpful because it teaches you something. It's probably not the best book I can write, but I want to get into KDP publishing, and this is something I'll happily put my name on.
If I change my mind about something in the book, I can always update it or release a second edition.
Thanks Louie!