Dear Proton Community and Development Team,

We, the undersigned, propose the introduction of a "Screwdriver Tier" that allows users to leverage Proton's world-class encryption and UI while hosting the physical data on their own hardware. This "Bring Your Own Storage" (BYOS) model would transform Proton into a secure bridge for private infrastructure.

1) The "Screwdriver" (Self-Hosted) Tier:

Private Storage Nodes: Allow users to connect local NAS (Network Attached Storage), home servers, or massive external drives to the Proton Drive ecosystem via an encrypted tunnel.

Proton as the Interface: Use the official Proton Drive web and mobile apps to browse, share, and manage files that are physically stored in the user's living room rather than the Swiss bunker.

Zero-Knowledge Tunneling: Proton manages the "handshake" and the encryption keys, ensuring the data is never unencrypted on the public web, but the "bucket" remains the user's property.

2) The Hybrid Business Model:

Software Subscription Fee: Users pay a flat monthly fee for access to the Proton "Guard" (the encryption software, the secure tunnel, and the UI) without needing to rent massive amounts of server space.

Infinite Scalability: The storage limit is defined by the user's hardware. If I plug in a 20TB drive, my Proton Drive reflects 20TB of space.

Justification & Benefits:

Market Pioneer: Proton would be the first major privacy company to offer a seamless bridge between "Self-Hosting" (which is currently too complex for most) and "Cloud Privacy" (which is currently too expensive for mass storage).

Reduced Overhead: Proton significantly lowers its electricity and server maintenance costs in the K7 bunker while maintaining a steady, high-margin revenue stream from software subscriptions.

True Sovereignty: This perfectly aligns with Proton’s mission of digital freedom, allowing users to own their keys AND their "granite."

Let us provide the hardware; you provide the Swiss Guard!