Palantir is going public. But is its crystal ball just smoke and mirrors

>> "The company has largely succeeded, they say, not because of its technological wizardry but because its interface is slicker and more user friendly than the alternatives created by defense contractors."

A lot of the most successful tech firms started post-dot-com are decent interfaces to not-particularly-revolutionary databases. In high-end consulting and investment banking, appearances are hugely important. You can't have trash decks.

It's unsurprising to me that the same is true in defense and intelligence. You can get a roof over your head and breakfast at a trashy motel or the Ritz. Everybody knows the Ritz can command a much higher price because "its interface is slicker and more user friendly than the alternatives."