Self-Guaranteeing Promises
13 days ago
- #open-source
- #privacy
- #self-guaranteeing-promises
- Companies often break promises, but self-guaranteeing promises don't require trust—they can be verified independently.
- File over app is a self-guaranteeing promise; files in open formats under your control can be used in any app without export.
- Stainless steel is a self-guaranteeing promise because its properties can be tested and verified by the user.
- Terms and policies are not self-guaranteeing; companies can change them retroactively, affecting user data (e.g., Google, Zoom).
- Self-guaranteeing privacy promises provide proof that the tool cannot access your data in the first place.
- Governance structures are not self-guaranteeing; corporate structures can be reversed (e.g., OpenAI).
- Open source alone is not self-guaranteeing; data may still be locked in proprietary formats or databases (e.g., Omnivore, Skiff).
- The future of tools is ambiguous, but self-guaranteeing promises help mitigate risks from changes in needs, technology, or ownership.