# Taxonomy of Hype

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2022-01-25
- Length: 1h 22m
- Episode: 3
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a6e5cb57

## Summary

Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal of Oxide Computer Company, joined by MattSci, Todd Gamblin, Aaron Goldman, and Tom Lyon, categorize various technologies using Johannes Klingebiel’s five-level hype taxonomy. They analyze historical and current examples, placing cloud computing, mobile, and Wi-Fi as underhyped or adequately hyped, while critiquing technologies like 3D XPoint (Intel Optane), the Segway, and cold fusion as suffering from magical thinking or exaggerated returns. The discussion also covers the hype surrounding Rust, DTrace, and Docker, distinguishing between technical merit and the business models built around them, such as monetizing open source.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=0) Introduction: Twitter Spaces and Crypto Hype
- [7:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=466) Johannes Klingebiel’s Hype Taxonomy and Roko’s Basilisk
- [10:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=644) Underhyped Technologies: Cloud, Mobile, and Wi-Fi
- [17:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=1064) Storage and Networking: Dedup, InfiniBand, and 3D XPoint
- [28:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=1716) Magical Thinking: HP The Machine, Memristors, and the Segway
- [35:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=2100) Energy and Science: Cold Fusion, Fusion, and the Human Genome Project
- [45:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=2720) Programming Languages: Rust and DTrace Hype
- [52:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=3157) Failed Promises: Nanotechnology, Expert Systems, and Chatbots
- [1:00:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=3645) Infrastructure Hype: Serverless, Itanium, and SmartNICs
- [1:06:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=4018) Legacy Systems: Taligent, Pink, and Bee Computer
- [1:13:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=4436) Open Source and Business Models: Docker and Red Hat
- [1:20:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype#t=4833) Conclusion: 5G and Final Thoughts

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Johannes Klingebiel (other)
- Roko's Basilisk (other)
- Intel Optane (chip)
- 3D XPoint (chip)
- HP The Machine (product)
- Memristor (chip)
- Segway (product)
- Dean Kamen (other)
- Diane Sawyer (other)
- Cold Fusion (other)
- Human Genome Project (other)
- Rust (other)
- DTrace (tool)
- Nanotechnology (other)
- K. Eric Drexler (other)
- Chatbots (other)
- Serverless (other)
- Itanium (chip)
- FCoE (other)
- Taligent (company)
- Pink (product)
- Bee Computer (company)
- Docker (product)
- Red Hat (company)
- 5G (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Which tech is overhyped, underhyped and just right?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-23-which-tech-is-overhyped-underhyped-and-just-right) (Catalyst)
- [Calibrating hype with Akshat Rathi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-10-16-calibrating-hype-with-akshat-rathi) (Catalyst)
- [Episode 65: Capex to the Moon!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-04-29-episode-65-capex-to-the-moon) (The Circuit)
- [Alexa joins the fray](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-06-24-alexa-joins-the-fray) (The Amp Hour)
- [Catalyst Live at SF Climate Week](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-01-catalyst-live-at-sf-climate-week) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-01-25-taxonomy-of-hype. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.