Another key thing FDEs did was data integration, a term that puts most people to sleep. This was (and still is) the core of what the company does, and its importance was underrated by most observers for years. In fact, it’s only now with the advent of AI that people are starting to realize the importance of having clean, curated, easy-to-access... See more

It started with a piece I read by a former Palantir employee. And before we go any further, let me be clear: I am not a fan of Palantir. Not of their moral flexibility, their cosiness with authoritarian power, or the quiet devastation they enable across immigration enforcement, surveillance states, and whatever fresh hell they’re building for the... See more

The overall ‘vibe’ of the company was more of a messianic cult than a normal software company. But importantly, it seemed that criticism was highly tolerated and welcomed – one person showed me an email chain where an entry-level software engineer was having an open, contentious argument with a Director of the company with the entire company... See more