i am very skeptical of most vpn companies, and while i haven't looked too hard at obscura, it is worth noting the official partnership with mullvad (<a href="https://mullvad.net/en/blog/mullvad-partnered-with-obscura-vpn" rel="nofollow">https://mullvad.net/en/blog/mullvad-partnered-with-obscura-v...) which is certainly a positive signal
side note: i really wish more companies did the no email + randomized account number flow. there is a certain popular "pro-privacy" product beloved by many here that requires an email address and refuses to offer a similar account number method, which has turned me off the product.
for what purpose? there is nothing to be gained from pointing fingers, and takes the discussion in an even more unrelated direction.
although i guess people's curiosity is also dragging my comment in an unrelated direction anyways. lose-lose situation.
my main point is that the account number method is really nice, and a great selling point for such privacy-conscious products. not offering it in a privacy-conscious product is enough signal that it has made me choose not to purchase the product. that's the important bit, and where i was hoping to drive the conversation.
If you made that comment face to face I would assume you want me to ask what the company is. You could just not do that and talk about the signup flow instead. If you don’t want to talk about something don’t bring it up.
this isn't some hidden feature you get caught with your pants down over. if you try to sign up to something and it doesn't offer an account number, you know that it doesn't offer an account number instantly.
no time wasted for you. it's not some nefarious plot by the company.
it's just a business decision. i was hoping to talk about the business decision of that particular sign up flow.
> ... a certain popular "pro-privacy" product beloved by many here ...
If you're talking about Proton VPN, they do support "credential-less accounts" through their official apps, I believe? At least, on Android since 2024: <a href="https://www.androidpolice.com/proton-vpn-works-without-account-android/" rel="nofollow">https://www.androidpolice.com/proton-vpn-works-without-accou...
I am a little surprised people jump to Proton as beloved by HN. Proton has a lot of detractors and tends to be a target of some conspiracy/controversy. HN darling definitely suggests Kagi, who are not significantly impressive in terms of privacy-tech which I assumed was why pro-privacy was in air quotes.
Yeah we thought the randomized account number flow was an ingenious idea, so we did that and made the last digit a Verhoeff checksum to check for mistypes!
Though sometimes people forget to write the number down and... There's not much we can do.
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
side note: i really wish more companies did the no email + randomized account number flow. there is a certain popular "pro-privacy" product beloved by many here that requires an email address and refuses to offer a similar account number method, which has turned me off the product.
mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
Please don’t speak in riddles. Just say what you mean.
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
although i guess people's curiosity is also dragging my comment in an unrelated direction anyways. lose-lose situation.
my main point is that the account number method is really nice, and a great selling point for such privacy-conscious products. not offering it in a privacy-conscious product is enough signal that it has made me choose not to purchase the product. that's the important bit, and where i was hoping to drive the conversation.
mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
next time i will just keep my thoughts to myself and we'll all be happy.
_bernd · · focus · HN ↗
mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
> side note: i really wish more companies did the no email + randomized account number flow.
Everything you said after that added confusion and this tangent instead of the conversation you wanted to have.
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mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
_bernd · · focus · HN ↗
mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
No, it is the children^W commenters who are wrong.
PunchyHamster · · focus · HN ↗
I also have no idea what company/service you're talking about
bityard · · focus · HN ↗
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
this isn't some hidden feature you get caught with your pants down over. if you try to sign up to something and it doesn't offer an account number, you know that it doesn't offer an account number instantly.
no time wasted for you. it's not some nefarious plot by the company.
it's just a business decision. i was hoping to talk about the business decision of that particular sign up flow.
t-writescode · · focus · HN ↗
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[deleted] · · focus · HN ↗
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duskdozer · · focus · HN ↗
t-writescode · · focus · HN ↗
ignoramous · · focus · HN ↗
If you're talking about Proton VPN, they do support "credential-less accounts" through their official apps, I believe? At least, on Android since 2024: <a href="https://www.androidpolice.com/proton-vpn-works-without-account-android/" rel="nofollow">https://www.androidpolice.com/proton-vpn-works-without-accou...
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
mulmen · · focus · HN ↗
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ysnp · · focus · HN ↗
baal80spam · · focus · HN ↗
Proton VPN ensures privacy.
john_strinlai · · focus · HN ↗
water-drummer · · focus · HN ↗
dongcarl · · focus · HN ↗
Yeah we thought the randomized account number flow was an ingenious idea, so we did that and made the last digit a Verhoeff checksum to check for mistypes!
Though sometimes people forget to write the number down and... There's not much we can do.
dustyharddrive · · focus · HN ↗