Uber
I've been querying for HN/reddit submissions a lot. I'm fascinated by all its accomplishments and the issues it raises:
- Viability of work-as-you-want, surge-as-needed supply model
- Creating critical mass for carpooling and rides on demand to work (I don't think anyone believed it was possible to convince upper middle class people to carpool with strangers)
- Being one of the few major instances of coordinating a shift away from tipping
- The spotlight they've shone (yes that shine's past participle) on the taxi industry and the "unseen" improvements we were missing out on
- The issues related to the contractor/employee boundary
- The general logistics of on-demand infrastructure and things it enables at scale
Most of that applies to Lyft too of course, though they're in the news less.
(In case I sound like a propagandist, let me note that yes their ethical lapses do bother me and I know some people who would lose respect for me if I ever worked there, so yeah it's not all wine and roses.)