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← When engineers say they like working on “hard problems”, they actually…
17 connected korrents · 17 moments from 5 Nov 2022 to 6 Oct 2026.
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physics
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mathematics
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design
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education
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motivation Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Read this korrent: When engineers say they like working on “hard problems”, they actually don't; they like puzzle solving and pattern matching. When engineers say they like working on “hard problems”, they actually don't; they like puzzle solving and pattern matching. Last stated today
6 Oct 2026
SP
Sunil Pai — holds since 2026-10-06 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The hardest problem a company full of brilliant engineers has is not how to build something — it is what to build. — tap to centre the map on it The hardest problem a company full of brilliant engineers has is not how to build something — it is what to build. Last stated 4 months ago
3 Jun 2026
KH
Kelsey Hightower — holds since 2026-06-03 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Problem discovery is not very hard, and product managers who spend a lot of time on it neglect solution discovery, the real work they are paid for. — tap to centre the map on it Problem discovery is not very hard, and product managers who spend a lot of time on it neglect solution discovery, the real work they are paid for. Last stated 4 weeks ago
10 Sept 2026
MC
Marty Cagan — holds since 2026-09-10 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The simple work gets automated away, but the hard sciences and the places where they intersect never will. — tap to centre the map on it The simple work gets automated away, but the hard sciences and the places where they intersect never will. Last stated 2 months ago
26 Jul 2026
JH
Jensen Huang — holds since 2026-07-26 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The hardest part of solving a mathematical problem is the part AI has not touched; he still does it with pen and paper. — tap to centre the map on it The hardest part of solving a mathematical problem is the part AI has not touched; he still does it with pen and paper. Last stated 7 months ago
20 Mar 2026
TT
Terence Tao — holds since 2026-03-20 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Pick something hard and boring: fun problems are the crowded ones now that anybody can prompt a thing into existence. — tap to centre the map on it Pick something hard and boring: fun problems are the crowded ones now that anybody can prompt a thing into existence. Last stated 2 months ago
10 Aug 2026
PS
Peter Steinberger — holds since 2026-08-10 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Engineers commonly confuse a solution with the problem it is meant to solve. — tap to centre the map on it Engineers commonly confuse a solution with the problem it is meant to solve. Last stated 3 years ago
4 Jan 2024
RP
Rob Pike — holds since 2024-01-04 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Struggling with a hard problem before being shown the answer is not always the best way to learn; a hint or a worked example can beat floundering. — tap to centre the map on it Struggling with a hard problem before being shown the answer is not always the best way to learn; a hint or a worked example can beat floundering. Last stated 2 months ago
22 Jul 2026
SY
Scott H. Young — no longer holds since 2026-07-22 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Nobody falls in love with solutions at the start of a career, and the people who stayed in love with problems are the ones this technology enables. — tap to centre the map on it Nobody falls in love with solutions at the start of a career, and the people who stayed in love with problems are the ones this technology enables. Last stated a year ago
18 Sept 2025
TL
Tobias Lütke — holds since 2025-09-18 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A company that is a genuine climate champion should not need to be forced into climate action. — tap to centre the map on it A company that is a genuine climate champion should not need to be forced into climate action. Last stated 2 months ago
19 Aug 2026
EA
Emily Atkin — holds since 2026-08-19 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A company's staff-engineer bar should be set against the best companies in the industry rather than against its own history, which is what makes title inflation a real cost. — tap to centre the map on it A company's staff-engineer bar should be set against the best companies in the industry rather than against its own history, which is what makes title inflation a real cost. Last stated 6 months ago
1 Apr 2026
TP
Thuan Pham — holds since 2026-04-01 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A crewed rocket cannot be made safe by making the booster reliable, so the only real way to improve safety is to carry an escape system. — tap to centre the map on it A crewed rocket cannot be made safe by making the booster reliable, so the only real way to improve safety is to carry an escape system. Last stated 3 years ago
14 Dec 2023
JB
Jeff Bezos — holds since 2023-12-14 — tap for who they are
Same subject: "Simplify onboarding" is an action, not a problem, and a roadmap line written that way will not work. — tap to centre the map on it "Simplify onboarding" is an action, not a problem, and a roadmap line written that way will not work. Last stated 2 years ago
19 Jan 2025
EV
Elena Verna — holds since 2025-01-19 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A company captured by ideology will produce useless products — tap to centre the map on it A company captured by ideology will produce useless products Last stated 3 years ago
8 Mar 2024
DH
David Heinemeier Hansson — holds since 2024-03-08 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A company needs someone with a product vision to recover — tap to centre the map on it A company needs someone with a product vision to recover Last stated 4 years ago
5 Nov 2022
DH
David Heinemeier Hansson — holds since 2022-11-05 — tap for who they are
Same subject: “Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now. — tap to centre the map on it “Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now. Last stated 2 months ago
28 Jul 2026
BS
Blake Scholl — holds since 2026-07-28 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero. — tap to centre the map on it A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero. Last stated 2 months ago
28 Jul 2026
SA
Sam Altman — holds since 2026-07-28 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use. — tap to centre the map on it A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use. Last stated 4 months ago
2 Jun 2026
JJ
Justin Jackson — holds since 2026-06-02 — tap for who they are
At the centre
When engineers say they like working on “hard problems”, they actually don't; they like puzzle solving and pattern matching.
Holds Read this korrent →
The hardest problem a company full of brilliant engineers has is not how to build something — it is what to build.
Holds
Problem discovery is not very hard, and product managers who spend a lot of time on it neglect solution discovery, the real work they are paid for.
Holds
The simple work gets automated away, but the hard sciences and the places where they intersect never will.
Holds
The hardest part of solving a mathematical problem is the part AI has not touched; he still does it with pen and paper.
Holds
Pick something hard and boring: fun problems are the crowded ones now that anybody can prompt a thing into existence.
Holds
Engineers commonly confuse a solution with the problem it is meant to solve.
Holds
Struggling with a hard problem before being shown the answer is not always the best way to learn; a hint or a worked example can beat floundering.
No longer holds
Nobody falls in love with solutions at the start of a career, and the people who stayed in love with problems are the ones this technology enables.
Holds
A company that is a genuine climate champion should not need to be forced into climate action.
Holds
A company's staff-engineer bar should be set against the best companies in the industry rather than against its own history, which is what makes title inflation a real cost.
Holds
A crewed rocket cannot be made safe by making the booster reliable, so the only real way to improve safety is to carry an escape system.
Holds
"Simplify onboarding" is an action, not a problem, and a roadmap line written that way will not work.
Holds
A company captured by ideology will produce useless products
Holds
A company needs someone with a product vision to recover
Holds
“Why now?” is the wrong question to make a founder answer — the honest answer can simply be that you started now.
Holds
A belief nobody else shares is a warning, and a belief everybody shares is also a warning; the right number of people who agree with you is small but not zero.
Holds
A business can have market fit, real advantages, and sustained effort behind a hard product and still fail if it doesn't give customers a strong enough reason to switch from what they already use.
Holds