4 ms·
While I get this as a risk, I'm not convinced it's any more risky than a larger corporate entity. This is Colin's job. Colin has his name attached to it. It's
by deltarholamda 3y ago
While I get this as a risk, I'm not convinced it's any more risky than a larger corporate entity.
This is Colin's job. Colin has his name attached to it. It's really important to Colin.
You're not going to get the same kind of service from BigBackupCorp. Their employees are replaceable, their management is replaceable, and to be honest, you as a customer are replaceable, if they decide to move in a different direction and become BigFlowerArrangementShippingCorp.
The neat thing about a small business is that it runs entirely on its own profits. There are no stock price games or VC jiggery-pokery or anything like that. If it's a profitable business, there will be somebody to come along and take it over and make it their job with their name attached to it. I think the open Internet benefits a lot from this sort of thing.
- cowsandmilk 3y agoIt isn’t necessarily about Colin quitting. Key person gets hit by bus is also always a concern. You can say someone will pick it up, but I know nothing of whether such plans are in place. Does the person who would inherit the business have the know how to sell it? Is there enough documentation in place for a transfer of assets to be successful?
- XCSme 3y agoCompanies and corporations get "killed" often too, even if the people in them are alive.
- idlewords 3y agoThis is how that scenario shakes out: 1. Key person gets hit by bus 2. You see the black bar on Hacker News and learn the sad news 3. You go download all your data from the service, which is still up because there is no bus access to data centers. 4. You feel like a jerk for all your creepy "hit by bus" talk. 5. A few weeks later, some VC-funded operation with multiple employees you depended on disappears overnight without a trace.
- marcosdumay 3y ago> You go download all your data from the service Just about this step... you are supposed to have it already. You just have to find another service and start using it.
- saagarjha 3y agoI wonder if Tarsnap could stand up to everyone downloading their data from it at once, especially without anyone to help keep it alive.