Allen

@[email protected]
21 Followers
47 Following
319 Posts
VP of Eng at Kiddom, formerly Mystery Science, Affirm, Counsyl, Square, Google. Volunteers via Plato. Father of two, gamer, reader, blogs on tech.
Bloghttps://allenc.com
LocationSilicon Valley
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/allenmhc
Allen1d ago

This week, I nerd out a bit about Star Trek.

Star Trek's Future Now • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/04/star-treks-future-now/

Star Trek's Future Now • in|retrospect

The original Star Trek (TOS) TV series of the '60s was a bit before my time; I grew up with Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) reruns on Canadian broadcast

in|retrospect
AllenMar 30

I spent way too much time trying to recover Microsoft/Minecraft accounts last weekend—

Imparting Online Security onto the Next Generation • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/03/imparting-online-security-onto-the-next-generation/

Imparting Online Security onto the Next Generation • in|retrospect

We got here because we layered subaccounts on top of accounts, and new security best practices on top of old ones. Altogether, though, it's a mess of

in|retrospect
Show threadAllenMar 26
@kyleve Now vibe code a media player that deletes emails based on the mood of the currently playing song.
AllenMar 23

Sometimes what you're paying for really is just being different.

The Differentiation Premium • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/03/the-differentiation-premium/

The Differentiation Premium • in|retrospect

My takeaway is that premium products attract customers with differentiation, not perfection—and there's risk in being different.

in|retrospect
AllenMar 16

I have some thoughts about a video game about climbing.

Cairn: Flow Within Constraint • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/03/cairn-flow-within-constraint/

Cairn: Flow Within Constraint • in|retrospect

Cairn is a game about climbing. It was released merely days after Skyscraper Live, a Netflix special also about climbing. I'm not a climber; the closest I've

in|retrospect
AllenMar 9
The Vision Pro, an Unintentional Trojan Horse for AR • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/03/the-vision-pro-an-unintentional-trojan-horse-for-ar/
The Vision Pro, an Unintentional Trojan Horse for AR • in|retrospect

We just passed the second anniversary of the Apple Vision Pro. At launch, it was—and is—an amazing piece of technology. I initially reacted with excitement to

in|retrospect
AllenMar 3

It took me a couple of days to gather my thoughts, but my reflection on the layoffs at Square/Block last week:

Eccentric Founders • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/03/eccentric-founders/

AllenFeb 23

There's something fascinating about looking at AIs interact with each other, on the outside looking in.

https://allenc.com/2026/02/gawking-at-the-ai-zoo/

Gawking at the AI Zoo • in|retrospect

Recently, Moltbook made the rounds in tech circles for experimenting with agentic AI societies. It's a social network populated by AI agents, built as an

in|retrospect
AllenFeb 9

Everything to 5 decimal places…

Decision Precision • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/02/decision-precision/

Decision Precision • in|retrospect

Even my kids' grades arrive with precision. The letter grade may be a B+, but the numerical score boils down to an 88.93.

in|retrospect
AllenFeb 2

My thoughts on the end of Tesla's Model S & X:

The Demise of Tesla's Flagships • in|retrospect https://allenc.com/2026/02/the-demise-of-teslas-flagships/

The Demise of Tesla's Flagships • in|retrospect

Tesla announced they will end production of their Model S and Model X vehicles. The factory lines in Fremont specializing in these cars are to be repurposed

in|retrospect