Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

KomoD

> Why are users, especially technically-inclined ones, hellbent on using these proprietary services?

Because that's where people are.

View on HN

> Why do you rob banks?

> Because that’s where the money is

— Willie Sutton, career bank robber, caught 11 times

Perhaps there’s a better solution out there

Analogous to the metaphor you just made, the "better solution" is not talking to people. I'm all-for open and secure communication protocols, but the layman isn't going to agree if you cast it as an all-or-nothing mentality.

You can a) set up a gateway/bridge or b) contribute to those platforms to make them better so users like them more as the open+secure options are more worth the long-term investment into instead of making users choose between privacy/security or having the ability to communicate.

For 99% of normal people, neither A nor B is something they are capable of. If the success of free alternatives is contingent on this behavior, we might as well throw in the towel now.

If the average Discord user read your comment, I think it would reaffirm their assumption that free Discord alternatives aren't for them.

Versus myself that would see that there is a security/privacy concern & would immediately see if I can use an alternative.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com