8 ms·

Show HN: I made a privacy-focused online journal

100 points by KevinNTH 7y ago

KevinNTH 7y ago
I build this app with privacy in mind. I ended by using Blockstack ecosystem to achieve user's data ownership, data encryption and data decentralization. Also, Blockstack allow you to create an identity using a Blockchain. I work full time on this product to make the one I always wished. I started to write every day for more than 1 year and I notice many benefits with this keystone habit. I really want to promote writing activity through Gekri. Beside, I am on my way to implement many features, starting of a mood tracker ;) Ask me anything.
- thex10 7y ago
  Thanks, this looks really cool! Would I be able to write in it offline too?
  - KevinNTH 7y ago
    I have to work on the offline mode, this is in the roadmap :)
Diaze 7y ago
A feature idea, I think it could be great to track the moods of a whole organization. HR could see the results and could see or not, each individual mood.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  I keep this feature idea for a second product (or maybe for Gekri, but later). There is something I wish to develop something since 2016 targeting people in an organization.
phantarch 7y ago
I like the presentation a lot, but after looking at the features tab I'm left wishing there were some sort of interactive demo. This looks like a really cool project! I like the idea of a journaling tool that also helps you reflect at a meta-level after you've entered in your momentary feelings.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thank you! I will take the time to implement a demo. It will help to visualize the actual product before hitting the sign in button I guess :)
geoffreyy 7y ago
Does the name come from the french "j'écris" (I write) phonetic ? That would be cool :D
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  You nailed it perfectly!!!! Jekri.com was taken, so Gekri.com was born xD But most of the time Gekri is pronounced "Guékri" ^^'
mettamage 7y ago
KevinNTH could you give us a showcase of how you use it? When I look at your demo GIFs I'm noticing that I'm journalling in a seemingly very different way. I journal once in the morning or twice (morning and evening). My journal is mostly a list of likert-scale type questions on which I want data. It also has a qualitative section on the lower end if I feel the need to be qualitative, but I don't feel the need to do that every day.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thanks for your feedback :) I have to say that my journaling is very basic as I am only a beginner (1 year). I just write down my thoughts, tell things about my day or comment about my mood of the moment. I read great content [1] about journaling so I will try to improve the way I write in my journal. I've never thought about implementing likert-scale type questions in the journal but it's a great idea. I put this in the roadmap [2] so I'm going to have some thinking about it. I have planed a feature to have gratitude journaling which can be similar to likert-scale type questions but without the likert-scale. So I definitely can implement this kind of feature too :) [1] http://benjaminhardy.com/journal/ http://benjaminhardy.com/journal/ [2] https://trello.com/b/sHBLZTeQ/gekri-product-roadmap https://trello.com/b/sHBLZTeQ/gekri-product-roadmap
dmichulke 7y ago
Is it just me or does everyone need to enable JS and allow cookies to see anything at all? Not very privacy-focused.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  I made a web app so I need Javascript to do so :) I want to share with you something I've used back in 2013-2014. [1] You won't need Javascript to use this ;) [1] https://jrnl.sh/ https://jrnl.sh/
vorpalhex 7y ago
I'm interested in the idea but can't say I'm very much into Blockstack after looking into it. The fact that they're tied heavily in the blockchain and pay large sums to apps in the name of "app mining" is.. concerning. Even after a fair bit of research, the origin of the money is extremely unclear.
- muneeb 7y ago
  Muneeb from Blockstack here. The Stacks blockchain is needed to anchor user identities in a system that is not controlled by any single company. The App Mining rewards are incentives for developers to improve their app quality. I'd recommend this research paper to dig deeper in to the game theory behind App Mining: https://blog.blockstack.org/app-mining-game-theory-algorithm-design/ https://blog.blockstack.org/app-mining-game-theory-algorithm... The source of money is newly minted tokens, just like in Bitcoin the miners operating the nodes and processing transactions get the newly minted tokens.
  - justusthane 7y ago
    On your website, it seems that the overview and documentation is targeted at developers. As a user, I would love an easy-to-understand overview of what Blockstack is, how it works, and why I should care. Edit: And here's a question maybe you can answer for me directly: If the user data is stored in a location of my choice, and the code runs on the client, what's the point of an app being powered by Blockstack rather than just being a local offline app that saves data to iCloud/Dropbox/whatever? Thanks!
    - KevinNTH 7y ago
      As I said [1] I wanted the journal to be online so I can use the app from the laptop and then from the mobile. I will implement offline sync soon. Beside, I may want to implement social features in the future. There is so many things that can be done and I'm exploring some possibilities :) [1] https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881 https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881
nixpulvis 7y ago
Very cool UI! As someone who runs something like a journal from time to time, I might use some of this for inspiration. One question though. If it's just a personal journal, and I don't care to share any of it, why do I need blockchain? I think I'd rather just generate a symmetric key and store this encrypted data on any storage I choose. Are you planning social features?
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thank you :) Please read my answer here [1] to avoid duplicate content ^^ Beside, I may add social features in the future indeed. There is so much that can be done (many ideas), but for now, I focus to build the journal with polished basic features. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20652803 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20652803
bananocurrency 7y ago
Private and distributed? .... Why?
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Because the journal is online. Data should be stored somewhere so I choose Gaia Storage. [1] I have explained more about this in this tweet: [2] [1] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia [2] https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881 https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881
karma20 7y ago
I like the concept but share some of the blockchain concerns here. In particular, I'm interested in how the Gaia "driver model" [1] is actually architected, and how this compares to local storage: > Gaia enables applications to access [it] via a uniform API. [1] https://gekri.com/privacy https://gekri.com/privacy
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  I have been told that the privacy page [1] is reads poorly. I will rewrite the copy ^^' You can learn more about Gaia storage here: [2] [1] https://gekri.com/privacy https://gekri.com/privacy [2] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia
ConfusedDog 7y ago
I really like UI/UX. It takes very little to get use to. The only thing is that I wish I know how blockchain technology is actually tied into this?
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thank you :D I use Blockstack to allow users to create an identity which is handled on the Bitcoin blockchain. Essentially when Blockstack IDs are created for users during registration, they are saved to the Bitcoin blockchain immutably so that the user him or herself is the only one who can control their ID using their private key. This is the way in which user independence is secured so that neither app developers or Blockstack controls their identities. Take a look to the whitepaper [1] to go deeply in the details. I use Gaia storage [2] to store data. [1] https://blockstack.org/papers https://blockstack.org/papers [2] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia
jamestomasino 7y ago
First of all, beautiful site. I'm happy to see nuxt projects in the wild, and especially happy when they're this beautiful. I really like the iconography and illustration styles and how nicely it blends with the content. Your UI is stellar. On the technology side, the page explaining what Blockstack is reads poorly. You use the same subheads a few times to ask that question, but don't really answer it. It feels like an afterthought, which is unfortunate as it was my first stop on the site. It seems like the "how" of this tool is a big deal to you. Why is the data being stored the way it is? How can you better tell that story? Can you use the same level of awesome you use on the features page? And finally, if you can't add a working demo to the site due to the blockstack platform, you can still record video demos that highlight different features. Keep that sweet animation style in your video work and you've got some really enjoyable content. I hope your project takes off. Cheers.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thank you so much for your awesome feedback! I am very proud to get spotted using nuxt. I am very grateful to the Chopin brothers (and the whole team of Vue) to make this possible. I can't wait to have Vue 3 on production! I made the logo using Figma [1] with my very beginner skill with this kind of software. The illustrations come from [2]. I am really sorry to made a poorly reading experience. I guess I am not that fluent with English nor with copywriting. Thank to your feedback, I will spend some time to rewrite the copy ;) I think I will spend some time to implement a demo to the site because I am not comfortable with video editing. [1] https://www.figma.com https://www.figma.com [2] https://undraw.co https://undraw.co
KaoruAoiShiho 7y ago
Great job man, everything about this page is super appealing to me.
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  Thank you :) I try my best to bring this appeal!
spazzy81 7y ago
I think there's been a few of these privacy-focused journals: https://penzu.com/ https://penzu.com/ https://280daily.com/ https://280daily.com/ https://standardnotes.org/ https://standardnotes.org/
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  I think these products are different from each other so Gekri is too :)

100 points by KevinNTH 7y ago

I build this app with privacy in mind. I ended by using Blockstack ecosystem to achieve user's data ownership, data encryption and data decentralization. Also, Blockstack allow you to create an identity using a Blockchain. I work full time on this product to make the one I always wished. I started to write every day for more than 1 year and I notice many benefits with this keystone habit. I really want to promote writing activity through Gekri. Beside, I am on my way to implement many features, starting of a mood tracker ;) Ask me anything.

thex10 7y ago
Thanks, this looks really cool! Would I be able to write in it offline too?
- KevinNTH 7y ago
  I have to work on the offline mode, this is in the roadmap :)

Diaze 7y ago

A feature idea, I think it could be great to track the moods of a whole organization. HR could see the results and could see or not, each individual mood.

KevinNTH 7y ago
I keep this feature idea for a second product (or maybe for Gekri, but later). There is something I wish to develop something since 2016 targeting people in an organization.

phantarch 7y ago

I like the presentation a lot, but after looking at the features tab I'm left wishing there were some sort of interactive demo. This looks like a really cool project! I like the idea of a journaling tool that also helps you reflect at a meta-level after you've entered in your momentary feelings.

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thank you! I will take the time to implement a demo. It will help to visualize the actual product before hitting the sign in button I guess :)

geoffreyy 7y ago

Does the name come from the french "j'écris" (I write) phonetic ? That would be cool :D

KevinNTH 7y ago
You nailed it perfectly!!!! Jekri.com was taken, so Gekri.com was born xD But most of the time Gekri is pronounced "Guékri" ^^'

mettamage 7y ago

KevinNTH could you give us a showcase of how you use it? When I look at your demo GIFs I'm noticing that I'm journalling in a seemingly very different way. I journal once in the morning or twice (morning and evening). My journal is mostly a list of likert-scale type questions on which I want data. It also has a qualitative section on the lower end if I feel the need to be qualitative, but I don't feel the need to do that every day.

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thanks for your feedback :) I have to say that my journaling is very basic as I am only a beginner (1 year). I just write down my thoughts, tell things about my day or comment about my mood of the moment. I read great content [1] about journaling so I will try to improve the way I write in my journal. I've never thought about implementing likert-scale type questions in the journal but it's a great idea. I put this in the roadmap [2] so I'm going to have some thinking about it. I have planed a feature to have gratitude journaling which can be similar to likert-scale type questions but without the likert-scale. So I definitely can implement this kind of feature too :) [1] http://benjaminhardy.com/journal/ http://benjaminhardy.com/journal/ [2] https://trello.com/b/sHBLZTeQ/gekri-product-roadmap https://trello.com/b/sHBLZTeQ/gekri-product-roadmap

dmichulke 7y ago

Is it just me or does everyone need to enable JS and allow cookies to see anything at all? Not very privacy-focused.

KevinNTH 7y ago
I made a web app so I need Javascript to do so :) I want to share with you something I've used back in 2013-2014. [1] You won't need Javascript to use this ;) [1] https://jrnl.sh/ https://jrnl.sh/

vorpalhex 7y ago

I'm interested in the idea but can't say I'm very much into Blockstack after looking into it. The fact that they're tied heavily in the blockchain and pay large sums to apps in the name of "app mining" is.. concerning. Even after a fair bit of research, the origin of the money is extremely unclear.

muneeb 7y ago
Muneeb from Blockstack here. The Stacks blockchain is needed to anchor user identities in a system that is not controlled by any single company. The App Mining rewards are incentives for developers to improve their app quality. I'd recommend this research paper to dig deeper in to the game theory behind App Mining: https://blog.blockstack.org/app-mining-game-theory-algorithm-design/ https://blog.blockstack.org/app-mining-game-theory-algorithm... The source of money is newly minted tokens, just like in Bitcoin the miners operating the nodes and processing transactions get the newly minted tokens.
- justusthane 7y ago
  On your website, it seems that the overview and documentation is targeted at developers. As a user, I would love an easy-to-understand overview of what Blockstack is, how it works, and why I should care. Edit: And here's a question maybe you can answer for me directly: If the user data is stored in a location of my choice, and the code runs on the client, what's the point of an app being powered by Blockstack rather than just being a local offline app that saves data to iCloud/Dropbox/whatever? Thanks!
  - KevinNTH 7y ago
    As I said [1] I wanted the journal to be online so I can use the app from the laptop and then from the mobile. I will implement offline sync soon. Beside, I may want to implement social features in the future. There is so many things that can be done and I'm exploring some possibilities :) [1] https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881 https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881

nixpulvis 7y ago

Very cool UI! As someone who runs something like a journal from time to time, I might use some of this for inspiration. One question though. If it's just a personal journal, and I don't care to share any of it, why do I need blockchain? I think I'd rather just generate a symmetric key and store this encrypted data on any storage I choose. Are you planning social features?

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thank you :) Please read my answer here [1] to avoid duplicate content ^^ Beside, I may add social features in the future indeed. There is so much that can be done (many ideas), but for now, I focus to build the journal with polished basic features. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20652803 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20652803

bananocurrency 7y ago

Private and distributed? .... Why?

KevinNTH 7y ago
Because the journal is online. Data should be stored somewhere so I choose Gaia Storage. [1] I have explained more about this in this tweet: [2] [1] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia [2] https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881 https://twitter.com/pixelwerk/status/1159532787843706881

karma20 7y ago

I like the concept but share some of the blockchain concerns here. In particular, I'm interested in how the Gaia "driver model" [1] is actually architected, and how this compares to local storage: > Gaia enables applications to access [it] via a uniform API. [1] https://gekri.com/privacy https://gekri.com/privacy

KevinNTH 7y ago
I have been told that the privacy page [1] is reads poorly. I will rewrite the copy ^^' You can learn more about Gaia storage here: [2] [1] https://gekri.com/privacy https://gekri.com/privacy [2] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia

ConfusedDog 7y ago

I really like UI/UX. It takes very little to get use to. The only thing is that I wish I know how blockchain technology is actually tied into this?

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thank you :D I use Blockstack to allow users to create an identity which is handled on the Bitcoin blockchain. Essentially when Blockstack IDs are created for users during registration, they are saved to the Bitcoin blockchain immutably so that the user him or herself is the only one who can control their ID using their private key. This is the way in which user independence is secured so that neither app developers or Blockstack controls their identities. Take a look to the whitepaper [1] to go deeply in the details. I use Gaia storage [2] to store data. [1] https://blockstack.org/papers https://blockstack.org/papers [2] https://github.com/blockstack/gaia https://github.com/blockstack/gaia

jamestomasino 7y ago

First of all, beautiful site. I'm happy to see nuxt projects in the wild, and especially happy when they're this beautiful. I really like the iconography and illustration styles and how nicely it blends with the content. Your UI is stellar. On the technology side, the page explaining what Blockstack is reads poorly. You use the same subheads a few times to ask that question, but don't really answer it. It feels like an afterthought, which is unfortunate as it was my first stop on the site. It seems like the "how" of this tool is a big deal to you. Why is the data being stored the way it is? How can you better tell that story? Can you use the same level of awesome you use on the features page? And finally, if you can't add a working demo to the site due to the blockstack platform, you can still record video demos that highlight different features. Keep that sweet animation style in your video work and you've got some really enjoyable content. I hope your project takes off. Cheers.

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thank you so much for your awesome feedback! I am very proud to get spotted using nuxt. I am very grateful to the Chopin brothers (and the whole team of Vue) to make this possible. I can't wait to have Vue 3 on production! I made the logo using Figma [1] with my very beginner skill with this kind of software. The illustrations come from [2]. I am really sorry to made a poorly reading experience. I guess I am not that fluent with English nor with copywriting. Thank to your feedback, I will spend some time to rewrite the copy ;) I think I will spend some time to implement a demo to the site because I am not comfortable with video editing. [1] https://www.figma.com https://www.figma.com [2] https://undraw.co https://undraw.co

KaoruAoiShiho 7y ago

Great job man, everything about this page is super appealing to me.

KevinNTH 7y ago
Thank you :) I try my best to bring this appeal!

spazzy81 7y ago

I think there's been a few of these privacy-focused journals: https://penzu.com/ https://penzu.com/ https://280daily.com/ https://280daily.com/ https://standardnotes.org/ https://standardnotes.org/

KevinNTH 7y ago
I think these products are different from each other so Gekri is too :)