Itay Dreyfus

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Looking for humanness in the world wide social — LessWrong

Jan 15, 2025 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus

Social networks have shaped me since a young age. Growing up at the beginning of the millennium, I used to spend my time in phpBB and vBulletin forums. There, I befriended internet strangers, started my way into graphic design, and learned about torrents. Forums were my favorite third places—little corners on the web where I felt a deep affinity. I can still vividly remember the joy and excitement while exploring those discussion boards.
The Dumbification of our smart screens — LessWrong

Jul 4, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus

Here we are at the peak of an eternal technology era. AI agents are on their way. Driverless taxis are making a debut. 4G is an old fashion. We’re heading to a seemingly great utopia. Perhaps the greatest invention of this era is the smartphone. The small pocket device has evolved into various shapes while computerizing many aspects of our lives. But once saviors, our smart screens have become a source of modern suffering. We have been hitting the wall too many times, and it seems we had enough.
What’s the future of AI hardware? — LessWrong

Jun 17, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus

Since the AI mania erupted, I haven’t made up my mind about the century's hottest topic. I’ve been experimenting with building “AI-inside” products for a year now, but I’ve cautiously tried not to form a strong opinion about it. As a software native, the recent AI hardware discourse oddly seemed like a good starting point to get my head out of it. I even went to watch MKBHD’s reviews for the first time fully. But just as I started to think I was getting somewhere, my mind flipped.
đ¨ A designer's 9 favorite tools

Jun 13, 2024 | wondertools.substack.com | Jeremy Caplan |Itay Dreyfus

Last week I wrote aboutWhy Gamma is great đ for presentations. Today, discover nine new and lesser-known tools in a guest post by indie designer and writer . He works on startups and publishes about design ideas. I discovered Itay whenI stumbled upon Schrodi, his colorful service for creating personalized childrenâs stories. Read on below for his toolkit for getting work done. Itay: I spend much of my time researching. I call myself a generalist with a rabbit hole disorder.
What comes after Roam's renaissance? — LessWrong

May 12, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus |Nat Eliason |Ali Abdaal |Shu Omi

A new year has come. It's 2024 and note-taking isn’t cool anymore. The once-blooming space has had its moment. Moreover, the almighty Roam Research isn’t the only king anymore. The hype is officially over. At this time of year, when many are busy reflecting on the past year while excitingly looking into the future, I realized it's a good opportunity to look back at Roam’s madness timeline. The company that took Twitterverse and Silicon Valley by storm is now long after its breakthrough.
Designing for a single purpose — LessWrong

May 7, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus

If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam, you’ve probably visited, or at least heard about the famous cookie store that sells only one cookie. I mean, not a piece, but a single flavor. I’m talking about Van Stapele Koekmakerijof course—where you can get one of the world's most delicious chocolate chip cookies. If not arriving at opening hour, it’s likely to find a long queue extending from the store’s doorstep through the street it resides.
The losing identity of Twitter — LessWrong

Apr 21, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus |Nabeel Qureshi |Venkatesh Rao |David Cole

What’s Twitter for you? That's a long-lasting trend I often see on my feed when people praise the blue bird for getting them a job, introducing them to new people, investors, and all this and that. What about me? I just wanted to get into dribbble — the then invite-only designer's social network which was at its peak at the time. When I realized invites were given away on Twitter, I set up an account and went on a hunt. Soon, the mission was accomplished.
Beautiful ugly websites — LessWrong

Mar 29, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Itay Dreyfus

Early in my career, I heard the famous saying: Craigslist proves that function beats form. The approach of focusing on a product's functions, rather than beautifying it has been *then* very pragmatic to me. I’ve always strived to make my work pretty. For years, function over form had seemed to me like a threat to my design philosophy. Have I trained myself, as they like to say—”to hone my craft” for nothing? Since I first heard that saying I’ve designed a product or two.
Narratives of business models — LessWrong

Mar 28, 2024 | lesswrong.com | Jason Fried |Sari Azout |Itay Dreyfus

There’s a common theme when discussing business models over the internet, which usually revolves around its optimal form. What’s the most effective model? Monthly vs. yearly subscriptions, the relevance of ads, and the appeal of lifetime plans are debates I often come across on my Twitter feed. Builders of all kinds shake their heads to crack the formula. Needless to say, a business model is at the core of any for-profit entity. It might make a business or break it.