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Next-Gen Email Platform Nilas Grabs $8M, Preps Its Own Email Client

36 points by jlees 12y ago

unwind 12y ago
I wonder if the name is an anagram of "snail"? Quite funny, if a bit far-fetched. :) Edit: nope, they actually explained it themselves: The word ‘nilas’ actually means “young sea ice” that will grow into icebergs.
- jlees 12y ago
  Although, it is an anagram of snail, just not intentionally so... I can't believe I didn't notice that until you pointed it out.
  - e0m 12y ago
    That's somehow more fitting then the other anagrams of "Nails" and "Slain"
ape4 12y ago
Is there an RFC for their new mail API?
- spang 12y ago
  Hi there, Christine from Nilas here. No RFC, but we do have API docs[1] and source code[2]. :) 1. https://nilas.com/docs https://nilas.com/docs 2. https://github.com/inboxapp/inbox https://github.com/inboxapp/inbox
  - ape4 12y ago
    So it's RESTful. Kinda funny, how mail came before the web. But now this and the gmail API rely on http.
pikzen 12y ago
No mention of end to end encryption, or encrypted storage. I suppose the primary target is enterprise and people who like when it just works, because I can hardly see a product designed for my "personal data" not allow encryption (unless the business is based around using this data ;)) Also, insert rant about node.js on the desktop and atom-shell because it's a piece of shit here.
- spang 12y ago
  Hi @pikzen, thanks for the comment. One of the advantages of our platform is that you're actually paying for us to run it---so we don't have to sell user data to get by. We don't specifically support end-to-end encryption in the base email API because a centralized holder of keys is little better than no encryption at all. End-to-end encryption is something we'd love to see built on top of the platform though.
vruiz 12y ago
As a paying "Inbox developer program" user, I'm a bit shocked that I had to find about this through HN.
- jlees 12y ago
  We're prepping something special for existing members of the developer program, details will follow shortly :) Unfortunately the timing didn't align perfectly with the TC article, but we definitely haven't forgotten you.
hbbio 12y ago
Funny, we are releasing a closely related product in a few days. We also have RESTful APIs (doc: https://github.com/MLstate/PEPS/wiki/Developer-Manual https://github.com/MLstate/PEPS/wiki/Developer-Manual). The repo is available at https:/github.com/MLstate/PEPS
dang 12y ago
Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8954100 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8954100.
mikhailt 12y ago
How is using Javascript or forking Atom equals to building native email clients on desktops? I seriously don't get that part. There's also no clear picture as how Nilas any better than other services. What incentive is there to use Nilas over other products?

36 points by jlees 12y ago

I wonder if the name is an anagram of "snail"? Quite funny, if a bit far-fetched. :) Edit: nope, they actually explained it themselves: The word ‘nilas’ actually means “young sea ice” that will grow into icebergs.

jlees 12y ago
Although, it is an anagram of snail, just not intentionally so... I can't believe I didn't notice that until you pointed it out.
- e0m 12y ago
  That's somehow more fitting then the other anagrams of "Nails" and "Slain"

ape4 12y ago

Is there an RFC for their new mail API?

spang 12y ago
Hi there, Christine from Nilas here. No RFC, but we do have API docs[1] and source code[2]. :) 1. https://nilas.com/docs https://nilas.com/docs 2. https://github.com/inboxapp/inbox https://github.com/inboxapp/inbox
- ape4 12y ago
  So it's RESTful. Kinda funny, how mail came before the web. But now this and the gmail API rely on http.

pikzen 12y ago

No mention of end to end encryption, or encrypted storage. I suppose the primary target is enterprise and people who like when it just works, because I can hardly see a product designed for my "personal data" not allow encryption (unless the business is based around using this data ;)) Also, insert rant about node.js on the desktop and atom-shell because it's a piece of shit here.

spang 12y ago
Hi @pikzen, thanks for the comment. One of the advantages of our platform is that you're actually paying for us to run it---so we don't have to sell user data to get by. We don't specifically support end-to-end encryption in the base email API because a centralized holder of keys is little better than no encryption at all. End-to-end encryption is something we'd love to see built on top of the platform though.

vruiz 12y ago

As a paying "Inbox developer program" user, I'm a bit shocked that I had to find about this through HN.

jlees 12y ago
We're prepping something special for existing members of the developer program, details will follow shortly :) Unfortunately the timing didn't align perfectly with the TC article, but we definitely haven't forgotten you.

hbbio 12y ago

Funny, we are releasing a closely related product in a few days. We also have RESTful APIs (doc: https://github.com/MLstate/PEPS/wiki/Developer-Manual https://github.com/MLstate/PEPS/wiki/Developer-Manual). The repo is available at https:/github.com/MLstate/PEPS

dang 12y ago

Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8954100 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8954100.

mikhailt 12y ago

How is using Javascript or forking Atom equals to building native email clients on desktops? I seriously don't get that part. There's also no clear picture as how Nilas any better than other services. What incentive is there to use Nilas over other products?