Jacques AO · Paris

Exploring the Frontiers of Life
Technology & Business

Exploring the Frontiers of Life, Technology & Business

Latest Articles

Fifteen Years in France: How My View of "Multiculture" Kept Shifting

Fifteen Years in France: How My View of "Multiculture" Kept Shifting

Before coming to France I thought "multiculture" was a given. Toulouse showed me its two faces, Master 2 in Paris was a garden pushed into existence by design, and ten years of building businesses in France later — there's friction, but the direction is right.

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A Few Months with Claude — I've Put Codex and ChatGPT Aside

A Few Months with Claude — I've Put Codex and ChatGPT Aside

From tinkering with OpenClaw during Chinese New Year, to the Codex desktop app, to a Claude 200€ monthly plan running at full tilt. Codex is a developer, Claude is a boss; ChatGPT gives ideas, Claude delivers results. And Fable — released and pulled in two days — convinced me OpenAI is in a fragile spot.

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OpenAI, Elon Musk, and Social Value: Companies, NGOs, and Governments Answer the Same Question

OpenAI, Elon Musk, and Social Value: Companies, NGOs, and Governments Answer the Same Question

From NGOs and social enterprise to the Musk v. OpenAI lawsuit: OpenAI creates real social value, but a nonprofit-origin company becoming a commercial giant must remain accountable to charitable trust.

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The Social Value of Entrepreneurship: From Les Joyeux Recycleurs to Electronics Recycling

The Social Value of Entrepreneurship: From Les Joyeux Recycleurs to Electronics Recycling

Based on an internship report at Les Joyeux Recycleurs, this essay explores the social value of business and explains why electronics recycling can inherit the spirit of social enterprise.

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From Project Hope to Social Enterprise: The Transformation Logic of Chinese Nonprofit Organizations

From Project Hope to Social Enterprise: The Transformation Logic of Chinese Nonprofit Organizations

Based on a Master 1 thesis, this essay analyzes the transformation of Chinese foundations, Project Hope, CYDF, nonprofit marketization, information systems, and social enterprise.

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What Is the European Union? Origins, Governance, Concrete Results, and a Historical Judgment on Brexit

What Is the European Union? Origins, Governance, Concrete Results, and a Historical Judgment on Brexit

The European Union is not simply “Europe,” nor is it the same thing as the euro area or the Schengen area. It is a treaty-based political union built around shared sovereignty and common law. To understand it, we need to look at its origins, institutions, concrete results, internal tensions, and why Brexit was, in historical direction, mostly a step backward.

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Camera NAS Recorder: a Free Windows Camera Recorder with Local Cache and QNAP NAS Sync

Camera NAS Recorder: a Free Windows Camera Recorder with Local Cache and QNAP NAS Sync

A free Windows desktop recorder with live view, continuous or motion-only capture, local cache protection, and optional QNAP NAS sync.

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What Codex Is: How It Works, Where It Fits, and How to Use It Well

What Codex Is: How It Works, Where It Fits, and How to Use It Well

A practical guide for developers: what Codex actually is, what it is best at, how it differs from autocomplete, and how to turn it into a reliable engineering partner.

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How to Use Codex Well Without Knowing How to Code: a Complete Beginner’s Guide

How to Use Codex Well Without Knowing How to Code: a Complete Beginner’s Guide

A practical guide for non-programmers: what threads really mean, when to use skills and apps, how automation works, how to separate Playground from real projects, and what commits and worktrees are for.

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Why I Created This Blog

Why I Created This Blog

After reaching a certain stage in my career, I started asking a more fundamental question: what is a successful life?

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Reading and research

A public snapshot of the books, papers, and long-term resources I keep returning to in my work and learning.

Reading content is coming soon
A thought in transit

"I treat my life as a small asteroid
adjusting its orbit by 0.5° each year,
watching where it might land in 30 years."

This site is my decade-long observation log, gathered between Paris and my native Sichuan — not to publish, just to find my way home next time I leave.

About Jacques AO

I'm an entrepreneur, thinker, and explorer. Born in 1987 in Sichuan, China, I came to France in 2011 for studies and founded Smart Gadget Home in 2015, specializing in B2B high-tech product distribution.

I believe technology can change lives, continuous learning can expand life's boundaries, and systematic thinking can create long-term value.

This blog is where I share my thoughts, experiences, and explorations. I hope it brings you inspiration.

10+
years entrepreneurship
60+
team members
8000+
retail partners

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If you're interested in my content or have collaboration ideas, feel free to reach out.

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