Because this isn't just a private matter. Peter is very vocal about his vision of society - in which tech plays a big place - and this donation definitely gives some interesting color to that vision.
I would say so if he's a YC advisor. He doesn't have to justify his actions but it would be interesting to understand or at least try to understand his point of view. My guess is it has to do with taxes.
From the article: "If the pandemic does come, Altman’s backup plan is to fly with his friend Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist, to Thiel’s house in New Zealand."
Do you really think that Thiel's advice has no effect on Mr. Altman's decisions?
That's why it's surprising.
They're "I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you if a world catastrophe happens" kind of buddies, according to this NewYorker Profile:
Smartphone microphones are much better than laptop microphones and pretty much on par with using headsets on a laptop - they represent our primary use case.
Well, I don't think the technology is that bad :-). But I agree with you. We have to solve the problem of poorer quality audio input, and the sooner the better! But there are also many scenarios where good audio input is feasible and would like feedback on those sorts of application ideas too.
My grand parents lived through the second world war and food shortage was a big issue during and after the war. That's why my parents and grand parents always taught my siblings and I to respect food and avoid any waste.
I believe that's very common among people my age (40) in Europe. I wonder if that's just less true of Americans and younger Europeans because hard times are further away from them.
The Great Depression left a lot of Americans with a similar attitude (my grandparents saved everything), but as you say, we are ~1 generation further removed from that event.
