4 ms·

> Is the VC backing for another product and the CLI tool is just a PR thing? Autocomplete is our first product. The bigger vision that Fig can enable an ecosys

> Is the VC backing for another product and the CLI tool is just a PR thing? Autocomplete is our first product. The bigger vision that Fig can enable an ecosystem of terminal extensions. Here are some early prototypes we built [0] and here is the discussion from when we were posted on HN last summer [1]. > Is the business model just selling our data? We will never sell data. That just isn't the business we want to build - Brendan and I like hacking on the terminal because it's interesting and we get to solve our own problems. We've been lucky enough to find investors, most of whom have an engineering background, who understand how important the terminal and believe there is a lot of room for improvement. Obviously, we would like Fig to become a sustainable business. We plan to monetize in the short term by offering autocomplete for internal CLI tools and scripts. Longer term, we think that there is a lot of stuff that developers do in the browser that make more sense in the terminal. Fig's autocomplete product is powered by an API that lets anyone build graphical extensions that are connected to the terminal. [0] https://fig.io/videos/old-sizzle-reel.mp4 https://fig.io/videos/old-sizzle-reel.mp4 [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23766980 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23766980

lasfter 5y ago
> We will never sell data. That just isn't the business we want to build These are just words from strangers on the internet. You're offering a free and auto-updating app. You don't give me a contract guaranteeing anything. Most terms of use/privacy policies have a clause stating it can be updated without notice and when you do have actual policies on your site I'm sure they will be similar. At any point you can decide that actually, you do want to share my data, or share access to it through one of your products. Maybe you won't call it "selling" (the same way Zuckerberg can tell Congress that Facebook doesn't sell anyone's data). Maybe you don't decide to share my data, but Fig gets acquired and the new management decides to. Maybe an attacker gains access to the data and shares it. Maybe an attacker compromises an update, turning all Fig instances into keyloggers, and paired with the required email addresses uses it to compromise other data.
- qzw 5y ago
  Good points. I'll add that the "disclosure by ransomware" risk is definitely not just theoretical anymore.
design-material 5y ago
Why the fuck do you need my WORK email address with 2FA verification?
- JediPig 5y ago
  My thoughts exactly, and it was removed instantly it asked for my work email. No, No, and no. matter fact, it earned itself a forever no. thx have a crap product launch.
qzw 5y ago
No offense, but the only way I'll believe a company will "never sell data" is if it never collects any in the first place. Even if I have ultimate trust in the current founders, what happens if/when you're acquired or the investors install different management?
saklani 5y ago
The product looks cool at least from the video.
hwn65 5y ago
Great. Looking forward to the Terminal App Store and learning why my company should pay you for the arcane knowledge of where bash_completion.d scripts go. Let me guess, a lot of emoji involved? You are aware any shop with a modicum of competence is already doing what Fig does, right? Usually on a central or bastion server? What kind of TAM did you put in the pitch deck? People who can’t read man pages or pull apart an RPM to see how, for example, git’s completions work? You’re probably going to price shell autocompletion per seat and you expect people to not think VC has jumped the shark? What’s your exit?
zumu 5y ago
> We will never sell data. That just isn't the business we want to build What about when that is no longer your call (e.g. the VC's want returns, you sell to Facebook, etc.)? Is there anything in place to protect us then? > We plan to monetize in the short term by offering autocomplete for internal CLI tools and scripts. I'd love to hear more about this. Sounds like the GHE model?
f6v 5y ago
> We will never sell data. You can start by allowing to download the app without asking for email.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

lasfter 5y ago

> We will never sell data. That just isn't the business we want to build These are just words from strangers on the internet. You're offering a free and auto-updating app. You don't give me a contract guaranteeing anything. Most terms of use/privacy policies have a clause stating it can be updated without notice and when you do have actual policies on your site I'm sure they will be similar. At any point you can decide that actually, you do want to share my data, or share access to it through one of your products. Maybe you won't call it "selling" (the same way Zuckerberg can tell Congress that Facebook doesn't sell anyone's data). Maybe you don't decide to share my data, but Fig gets acquired and the new management decides to. Maybe an attacker gains access to the data and shares it. Maybe an attacker compromises an update, turning all Fig instances into keyloggers, and paired with the required email addresses uses it to compromise other data.

qzw 5y ago
Good points. I'll add that the "disclosure by ransomware" risk is definitely not just theoretical anymore.

design-material 5y ago

Why the fuck do you need my WORK email address with 2FA verification?

JediPig 5y ago
My thoughts exactly, and it was removed instantly it asked for my work email. No, No, and no. matter fact, it earned itself a forever no. thx have a crap product launch.

qzw 5y ago

No offense, but the only way I'll believe a company will "never sell data" is if it never collects any in the first place. Even if I have ultimate trust in the current founders, what happens if/when you're acquired or the investors install different management?

saklani 5y ago

The product looks cool at least from the video.

hwn65 5y ago

Great. Looking forward to the Terminal App Store and learning why my company should pay you for the arcane knowledge of where bash_completion.d scripts go. Let me guess, a lot of emoji involved? You are aware any shop with a modicum of competence is already doing what Fig does, right? Usually on a central or bastion server? What kind of TAM did you put in the pitch deck? People who can’t read man pages or pull apart an RPM to see how, for example, git’s completions work? You’re probably going to price shell autocompletion per seat and you expect people to not think VC has jumped the shark? What’s your exit?

zumu 5y ago

> We will never sell data. That just isn't the business we want to build What about when that is no longer your call (e.g. the VC's want returns, you sell to Facebook, etc.)? Is there anything in place to protect us then? > We plan to monetize in the short term by offering autocomplete for internal CLI tools and scripts. I'd love to hear more about this. Sounds like the GHE model?

f6v 5y ago

> We will never sell data. You can start by allowing to download the app without asking for email.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]