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If there's an app-specific backend sync server it's not going to be "forever." Why can't syncing data be commodified via a dumb cloud that just syncs blobs? If

by api 2y ago

If there's an app-specific backend sync server it's not going to be "forever." Why can't syncing data be commodified via a dumb cloud that just syncs blobs? If you want privacy locally encrypt everything. We already have that in the form of S3 and friends, but they aren't consumer-accessible. We also have some platform-specific ones like Apple iCloud but those are platform-specific. In the end the problem is that there's no financial motive to do this.

LoganDark 2y ago
Sure it is. You don't see people complaining that a 20- or 25-year-old game no longer has its original servers running if you can easily host one at home or use a community-run one. Take Quake for example.
tracker1 2y ago
Considering people are still running BBS Doors and other software from very long ago, I'm not sure that I completely agree.
arnorhs 2y ago
It would be pretty slick if the export also included a versioned text spec defining the schema for the data.. So even if the software and all supporting software is no longer available you can still make something to read the data.. This is kind of getting into r/Preppers territory, but still... There's something nice about that.
jmull 2y ago
The previous post's point is that they make their app's sync service as available to users as the app itself. "Forever" is the wrong word for any of this, but the sync service will live as long as the app does. (BTW, your idea supposes the ongoing existence of storage services with a common, stable API an app can be written against. You can barely say that exists now, much less expect it to into the indefinite future. The previous poster only assumes general servers are available, including BYO if you want.)
vonnieda 2y ago
I am working on exactly this in a music player I am writing. Specifically, you can use any S3 compatible storage to sync your music and metadata between devices, and it's end-to-end encrypted. I plan to offer single click resale of storage directly in the app for users who don't want to deal with access keys, secret keys, ACLs, and the like.

by api 2y ago

LoganDark 2y ago

Sure it is. You don't see people complaining that a 20- or 25-year-old game no longer has its original servers running if you can easily host one at home or use a community-run one. Take Quake for example.

tracker1 2y ago

Considering people are still running BBS Doors and other software from very long ago, I'm not sure that I completely agree.

arnorhs 2y ago

It would be pretty slick if the export also included a versioned text spec defining the schema for the data.. So even if the software and all supporting software is no longer available you can still make something to read the data.. This is kind of getting into r/Preppers territory, but still... There's something nice about that.

jmull 2y ago

The previous post's point is that they make their app's sync service as available to users as the app itself. "Forever" is the wrong word for any of this, but the sync service will live as long as the app does. (BTW, your idea supposes the ongoing existence of storage services with a common, stable API an app can be written against. You can barely say that exists now, much less expect it to into the indefinite future. The previous poster only assumes general servers are available, including BYO if you want.)

vonnieda 2y ago

I am working on exactly this in a music player I am writing. Specifically, you can use any S3 compatible storage to sync your music and metadata between devices, and it's end-to-end encrypted. I plan to offer single click resale of storage directly in the app for users who don't want to deal with access keys, secret keys, ACLs, and the like.