Designing for the Future: A Hyperstition Approach

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The speaker, with access to cutting-edge technology due to federal research funding, decided to design software for the future without compromise on old hardware, envisioning a future where everyone would have access to high-performance workstations on broadband networks. They believed that creating a compelling user interface could drive the widespread adoption of broadband by showcasing the possibilities of modern technology, thereby influencing the market to make it more accessible to the general public.

Welcome back to "The Ben & Marc Show," featuring a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.

In this special episode, Marc and Ben dive deep into the REAL story behind the creation of Netscape—a web browser co-created by Marc that revolutionized the internet and changed the world. As Ben notes at the top, until today, this story has never been fully told either in its entirety or accurately.

In this one-on-one conversation, Marc and Ben discuss Marc's early life and how it shaped his journey into technology, the pivotal moments at the University of Illinois that led to the development of Mosaic (a renegade browser that Marc developed as an undergrad), and the fierce competition and legal battles that ensued as Netscape rose to prominence.

Ben and Marc also reflect on the broader implications of Netscape's success, the importance of an open internet, and the lessons learned that still resonate in today's tech landscape (especially with AI). That and much more. Enjoy!

Book mentioned on this episode:

- “Expert Political Judgment” by Philip E. Tetlock https://bit.ly/45KzP6M

TV Series mentioned on this episode:

- “The Mandalorian” (Disney+) https://bit.ly/3W0Zyoq

Watch the FULL Episode on YouTune: https://youtu.be/8aTjA_bGZO4

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

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The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/