3 ms·

I've been all in on secure email, and friends the last week or so since buying yet another domain. It's really a painful world. The tradeoff continues to be th

by cik 7y ago

I've been all in on secure email, and friends the last week or so since buying yet another domain. It's really a painful world. The tradeoff continues to be that Google and Microsoft both provide a tonne of value (and security) for $5/month/user. At the same time the obvious tradeoff on privacy and anonymity is made :(. The secure email services provide far less product-based value, though clearly the security and lack of ad tracking is there. Ultimately the market will declare - but currently people overwhelmingly choose brand (Google) and feature-based value, whilst giving up their privacy. It's quite frustrating.

cartoonworld 7y ago
>The secure email services provide far less product-based value, though clearly the security and lack of ad tracking is there. I have thought about this as well. What do you think could be added to secure email services to make the value more appealing? In the dark distant past, ISPs of old would include email as a side effect of their data services including shell accounts, user file hosting, and maybe even CGI-BIN, if you paid. The only thoughts I have had were to bundle some kind of VOIP/SMS package along with the secure email offer. Perhaps some startup MVNO could also include secure email and other advanced features along with their mobile data services. All of this seems pretty far fetched, as email looks to be as niche of a product category as Premium IRC.
- tracker1 7y ago
  > as email looks to be as niche of a product category as Premium IRC It's another feature checkbox among other features... and few even really consider it a high priority feature. For Google/MS commercial options include an office suite, even if the cheaper options are web only, which is still a pretty good value add. Not to mention network effect on "free" versions. It's very hard to compete with a perception of free is what it comes down to. In the end, most people aren't afraid of their government spying on them with an "I've got nothing to hide" attitude about it. Prior to Snowden's leaks, my own thoughts were there was too much data to do anything with, I was deeply wrong. In the end, if you wanted to compete, you'd have to get a web office suite at least better than Google Docs and undercut both Google and MS on price. Or maybe go the Apple route and provide best of breed integration and apps... unfortunately there's money to be made and competing with MS and Google would be very difficult. I'm not sure there's enough support for open-source to aid a startup to have a self and commercially hosted option... of course then there's the AWS path where they're suddenly offering your software and undercutting you.
- cik 7y ago
  I think you're bang on, except that VOIP is even more niche than secure email. Ultimately I think the problem is that email is effectively a commodity - domain providers, hosting providers... well they pretty much give it to you for free. Google and MSFT seem to be competing on a value proposition like the full suite of office needs, even if it's for your person. I may be wrong, but I don't think that the average facebook using, instagram reading person even cares about email.
johnchristopher 7y ago
I don't think people choose brand and feature-based value ; they choose reliable mail provider. See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21577413 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21577413

by cik 7y ago

cartoonworld 7y ago

>The secure email services provide far less product-based value, though clearly the security and lack of ad tracking is there. I have thought about this as well. What do you think could be added to secure email services to make the value more appealing? In the dark distant past, ISPs of old would include email as a side effect of their data services including shell accounts, user file hosting, and maybe even CGI-BIN, if you paid. The only thoughts I have had were to bundle some kind of VOIP/SMS package along with the secure email offer. Perhaps some startup MVNO could also include secure email and other advanced features along with their mobile data services. All of this seems pretty far fetched, as email looks to be as niche of a product category as Premium IRC.

tracker1 7y ago
> as email looks to be as niche of a product category as Premium IRC It's another feature checkbox among other features... and few even really consider it a high priority feature. For Google/MS commercial options include an office suite, even if the cheaper options are web only, which is still a pretty good value add. Not to mention network effect on "free" versions. It's very hard to compete with a perception of free is what it comes down to. In the end, most people aren't afraid of their government spying on them with an "I've got nothing to hide" attitude about it. Prior to Snowden's leaks, my own thoughts were there was too much data to do anything with, I was deeply wrong. In the end, if you wanted to compete, you'd have to get a web office suite at least better than Google Docs and undercut both Google and MS on price. Or maybe go the Apple route and provide best of breed integration and apps... unfortunately there's money to be made and competing with MS and Google would be very difficult. I'm not sure there's enough support for open-source to aid a startup to have a self and commercially hosted option... of course then there's the AWS path where they're suddenly offering your software and undercutting you.
cik 7y ago
I think you're bang on, except that VOIP is even more niche than secure email. Ultimately I think the problem is that email is effectively a commodity - domain providers, hosting providers... well they pretty much give it to you for free. Google and MSFT seem to be competing on a value proposition like the full suite of office needs, even if it's for your person. I may be wrong, but I don't think that the average facebook using, instagram reading person even cares about email.

johnchristopher 7y ago

I don't think people choose brand and feature-based value ; they choose reliable mail provider. See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21577413 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21577413