Alan Williamson

The Operator’s View on AI and Engineering

Straight talk on scaling teams, shipping AI, and running technology
like a business, not a science project

  • Uber Works – car no longer required

    Sure there are services that offer this already, but if Uber can make this truly accessible, for people to earn an extra dollars in their free time, this could be a major game changer. Uber explained that it has partnered with local businesses in Chicago to offer would-be workers roles in six job categories: back-of-house, front-of-house, warehouse, cleaning, customer service and general labor. Jobs taken might include bartending, assembly-line work, or prep cooking Source: Uber Is Launching a New App That Matches Freelance Workers With Businesses | Inc.com

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  • FedEx CEO finally admits Amazon is a real competitor

    “We basically compete in an ecosphere that’s got five entities in it,” Smith said, adding: “There is UPS. There is DHL. There is a US Postal Service. And now increasingly there is Amazon. That’s who we wake up every day trying to think about how we compete against and give the best services to our sales force.” I am getting a Blockbuster feeling about FedEx – though this time, after years of denying Amazon’s logistics growth, they can do something about it. Source: FedEx CEO finally admits Amazon is a real competitor – Business Insider

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  • Netflix Loses No. 1 Spot as Bandwidth User for 2019

      Interesting to see who is consuming the global bandwidth with this study.  Buried deep in this report is how Google represents 17%. Worldwide, these are the top 10 applications by downstream bandwidth consumption: HTTP media stream (12.8%); Netflix (12.6%); YouTube (8.7%); operator IPTV (7.2%); HTTP download (4.5%); HTTP TLS (4.4%); HTTP (3.0%); Facebook (3.0%); PlayStation download (2.8%); BitTorrent (2.4%). Source: Netflix Loses No. 1 Spot as Bandwidth-Eating Application for 2019 – Variety

    Read more: Netflix Loses No. 1 Spot as Bandwidth User for 2019
    Netflix Loses No. 1 Spot as Bandwidth User for 2019

the legend that is, Alan Williamson

For over 24 years, I’ve shared my thoughts here on this blog whenever the muse strikes.

It’s unpredictable, honest, unedited, and occasionally witty. I’m living the best years of my life, working harder than ever, learning each day and enjoying every second.