Joel Spolsky

6 notes in the collection. Writes at joelonsoftware.com (opens in a new tab)

First saved Finding Great Developers on August 3, 2026.

Things You Should Never Do, Part I Aug 22 6 min
Netscape's rewrite from scratch shows why throwing away working code is the worst strategic mistake a software company can make.
Related
- The Iceberg Secret, RevealedJoel Spolsky
- Strategy Letter I: Ben and Jerry’s vs. AmazonJoel Spolsky
- A QuestionSam Altman
- Before GrowthSam Altman
Read the original of Things You Should Never Do, Part I (opens in a new tab)
Finding Great Developers Aug 3 18 min
Great developers rarely hit the job market, so Spolsky explains how to reach them early through internships, community, and building a place they want to work.
Related
- The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing (version 3.0)Joel Spolsky
- Leader v Follower ModeSlava Akhmechet
- Employee RetentionSam Altman
- Greg BrockmanSam Altman
Read the original of Finding Great Developers (opens in a new tab)
Strategy Letter I: Ben and Jerry’s vs. Amazon Aug 3 13 min
Every company has to choose between slow organic growth like Ben and Jerry's and fast land-grab growth like Amazon, then build everything around that choice.
Related
- Things You Should Never Do, Part IJoel Spolsky
- The Iceberg Secret, RevealedJoel Spolsky
- A QuestionSam Altman
- Electrons and AtomsSam Altman
Read the original of Strategy Letter I: Ben and Jerry’s vs. Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing (version 3.0) Aug 3 24 min
Joel Spolsky's guide to technical interviews: hire people who are smart and get things done, and how to structure an interview that reliably finds them.
Related
- Finding Great DevelopersJoel Spolsky
- Leader v Follower ModeSlava Akhmechet
- Employee RetentionSam Altman
- Greg BrockmanSam Altman
Read the original of The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing (version 3.0) (opens in a new tab)
The Iceberg Secret, Revealed Aug 3 9 min
Non-programmers judge software by its visible interface, a small fraction of the real work, so make unfinished features look unfinished to keep expectations honest.
Related
- Things You Should Never Do, Part IJoel Spolsky
- Strategy Letter I: Ben and Jerry’s vs. AmazonJoel Spolsky
- A QuestionSam Altman
- Before GrowthSam Altman
Read the original of The Iceberg Secret, Revealed (opens in a new tab)
Wall Street Survival 101 Aug 3 8 min
Joel Spolsky works through a simple bond puzzle to show how interest rates move bond and stock prices, a basic piece of finance most programmers never learn.
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- Salary Negotiation: Make More Money, Be More ValuedPatrick McKenzie
- Equity is Worth More Than Cash Because of OptionalityPeter Schmidt-Nielsen
- The value of employee equity depends a lot on volatilityDevansh Pandey
- Keep Your Personal Burn Rate Low To Maximize Your OptionsHunter Walk
Read the original of Wall Street Survival 101 (opens in a new tab)

If you like Joel Spolsky, try

Chris Dixon10 notes · also on tech and startups
Sam Altman26 notes · also on startups and tech
Sebastian Bensusan7 notes · also on startups and hiring

Joel Spolsky

If you like Joel Spolsky, try

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