Amazon Web Services

Colin Breyer

Colin goes on to do many things, including recently co-authoring the book Working Backwards, which is a great book we used for a source in both this…

David Kushner

Especially having, not knowing that that was coming, having just recently listened to the audiobook of Masters of Doom.

I remember reading the O'Reilly AJAX book of, wow, I can use, what is it? Asynchronous JavaScript and XML to make dynamic web pages without needing t…

Episode summary

So, how DID an online book retailer end up building the infrastructure layer that powers the entire internet ? (Or at least 39% of it, per latest market share data.) While many myths, legends, and some downright falsehoods exist, the real answer to that question deserves a full Acquired episode of its very own. So here it is: the story of Amazon Web Services. Who’s got the truth? Tune in and find out. :)

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Colin Breyer

The host mentions 'Working Backwards' to highlight the significant contributions of Colin Breyer in the development o…

David Kushner

The host mentioned 'Masters of Doom' as a precursor to their excitement about John Carmack's interview, highlighting…

The host mentions the O'Reilly AJAX book to highlight its significance in the evolution of web technologies, particul…

The Everything Store

Brad Stone

The host mentioned 'The Everything Store' to highlight the pivotal role of Jeff Bezos and Amazon's transformation int…

PHP book

The host mentions the PHP book as part of a broader discussion on the influence of O'Reilly Media in shaping Web 2.0…

Amazon Web Services origin(1)Amazon's technology evolution(1)John Carmack interview(1)O'Reilly programming books(1)Web 2.0 and AJAX(1)

Book mentions5

Media mentions4

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Quick FAQ

Answers to common summary, books, and takeaway questions for this episode.

What is Amazon Web Services about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for Amazon Web Services on Acquired.

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What are the main takeaways from Amazon Web Services?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for Amazon Web Services.

The conversation centers on Amazon Web Services origin.
A second recurring theme is Amazon's technology evolution.
Referenced books include Working Backwards by Colin Breyer and Masters of Doom by David Kushner.
The strongest audience signal points to Business professionals and entrepreneurs interested in tech innovation and Fans of video game history and technology enthusiasts..

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Which books are mentioned in Amazon Web Services?

Working Backwards by Colin Breyer, Masters of Doom by David Kushner, and O'Reilly AJAX book are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Why are listeners searching for Amazon Web Services?

Amazon Web Services keeps attracting summary-style searches because this page combines episode context, transcript quotes, book references, and direct jump links back into the audio.

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Topic and sentiment signals

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Mention sentiment

Highly Recommended(3)Deep Dive(1)Passing Reference(1)

Audience signals

Business professionals and entrepreneurs interested in tech innovationFans of video game history and technology enthusiasts.Web developers and technology enthusiastsListeners interested in Amazon's business strategy and technology development

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Colin Breyer

Best for Business professionals and entrepreneurs interested in tech innovationOften cited around Amazon Web Services origin

“Colin goes on to do many things, including recently co-authoring the book Working Backwards, which is a great book we used for a source in both this episode and the previous episode on Amazon.com.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Amazon Web Services origin

For: Business professionals and entrepreneurs interested in tech innovation

Key quote: “Colin goes on to do many things, including recently co-authoring the book Working Backwards, which is a great book we used for a source in both this episode and the previous episode on Amazon.com.”

The host mentions 'Working Backwards' to highlight the significant contributions of Colin Breyer in the development of Amazon Web Services. The book serves as a valuable resource for understanding the strategic decisions and innovations at Amazon during its early days.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

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David Kushner

Best for Fans of video game history and technology enthusiasts.Often cited around John Carmack interview

“The speaker mentions having recently listened to the audiobook of Masters of Doom, expressing enjoyment and a connection to an interview with John Carmack.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: John Carmack interview

For: Fans of video game history and technology enthusiasts.

Key quote: “Especially having, not knowing that that was coming, having just recently listened to the audiobook of Masters of Doom.”

The host mentioned 'Masters of Doom' as a precursor to their excitement about John Carmack's interview, highlighting the connection between the two. They found the audiobook particularly engaging and relevant to the insights shared in the interview.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Check price

Best for Web developers and technology enthusiastsOften cited around Web 2.0 and AJAX

“And I remember reading the O'Reilly AJAX book of, wow, I can use, what is it? Asynchronous JavaScript and XML to make dynamic web pages without needing to refresh.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Web 2.0 and AJAX

For: Web developers and technology enthusiasts

Key quote: “I remember reading the O'Reilly AJAX book of, wow, I can use, what is it? Asynchronous JavaScript and XML to make dynamic web pages without needing to refresh.”

The host mentions the O'Reilly AJAX book to highlight its significance in the evolution of web technologies, particularly in the context of Web 2.0. They emphasize how the book introduced the concept of dynamic web pages, which was revolutionary at the time and laid the groundwork for modern web applications.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

The Everything Store

Brad Stone

Best for Listeners interested in Amazon's business strategy and technology developmentOften cited around Amazon's technology evolution

“As we were doing the research, you know, of course, David and I read both of Brad Stone's excellent books.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: Amazon's technology evolution

For: Listeners interested in Amazon's business strategy and technology development

Key quote: “I believe the quote from Eric Schmidt, the everything store was, the book guys finally got technology.”

The host mentioned 'The Everything Store' to highlight the pivotal role of Jeff Bezos and Amazon's transformation into a technology company. This book provides insights into the company's history and its strategic decisions during critical periods, particularly around the launch of the Kindle and AWS.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

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PHP book

Best for Web developers and technology enthusiastsOften cited around O'Reilly programming books

“I remember first reading, I think the PHP book that they put out.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: O'Reilly programming books

For: Web developers and technology enthusiasts

Key quote: “I remember first reading, I think the PHP book that they put out.”

The host mentions the PHP book as part of a broader discussion on the influence of O'Reilly Media in shaping Web 2.0 concepts. This reference highlights the significance of O'Reilly's publications in the evolution of web technologies and participatory culture.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

Weekly source-backed picks

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Working Backwards

Acquired · 26:58

Colin goes on to do many things, including recently co-authoring the book Working Backwards, which is a great book we used for a source in both this…

Masters of Doom

Acquired · 2:42:41

Especially having, not knowing that that was coming, having just recently listened to the audiobook of Masters of Doom.

O'Reilly AJAX book

Acquired · 20:32

I remember reading the O'Reilly AJAX book of, wow, I can use, what is it? Asynchronous JavaScript and XML to make dynamic web pages without needing t…

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Pick up the books after you hear them in context.

Buy links stay tied to the same book cards and timestamps shown above.

Mentioned at 26:58

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Colin Breyer

The host mentions 'Working Backwards' to highlight the significant contributions of Colin Breyer in the development of Amazon Web Services. The boo…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 2:42:41

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David Kushner

The host mentioned 'Masters of Doom' as a precursor to their excitement about John Carmack's interview, highlighting the connection between the two…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 20:32

Find on Amazon Jump to mention

The host mentions the O'Reilly AJAX book to highlight its significance in the evolution of web technologies, particularly in the context of Web 2.0…

Amazon search results · affiliate link

Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

Movie

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Confidence: 85%

“A series that explores the character Obi-Wan between episodes three and four of Star Wars, discussed in terms of its impact on the character's gravitas.”

Movie

Moon Knight

Confidence: 90%

“A Marvel show on Disney Plus, noted for its exceptional acting, particularly by Oscar Isaac, though not the best overall show.”

Documentary

PBS Frontline

Confidence: 90%

“The hosts mention watching the PBS Frontline documentary, which takes a specific angle on the company.”

Movie

Ex Machina

Confidence: 80%

“Mentioned in relation to Oscar Isaac's diverse roles, highlighting his performance in this film.”