Perspective on Proton's Product Development
I observe that a predominant number of individuals are expressing similar desires, primarily focused on new additions to the Proton product line. These range from requests for a Proton-managed and optimized SearXNG instance, functioning as a search engine, to surprising appeals for a new operating system.
While some of these ideas possess merit, they seem somewhat disconnected from the actual needs of both individuals and businesses. As a Visionary account holder, I utilize Proton to address the requirements of both my family and my company. In both contexts, there are more critical features missing in Proton's offerings than the introduction of an entirely new operating system. Our objective shouldn't be to reinvent the wheel. However, most individuals, despite having the necessary skills, lack the time to manage:
Their own mail server (e.g., Roundcube);
A combined contact, cloud drive, and co-editing platform (such as NextCloud);
An e-meeting platform (like Jitsi);
A personal password manager (KeePass);
A private messaging protocol (Matrix).
Users like us prefer to focus our energies on our areas of expertise without compromising privacy.
Proton is the company closest to realizing this vision, yet there remains a significant gap. This proximity is not necessarily due to being the best in its field (which might be the case, but that is not my primary concern) but because the team has earned our trust.
I am generally reluctant to write or request features, as there are professionals employed by our contributions who are tasked with exactly this. Moreover, as this forum indicates, customers often do not precisely know what they need.
From my dual perspective as a family man and a business owner, I have recently transitioned our company's suite from Google to NextCloud, while managing family email and calendars with Proton. However, these systems do not integrate seamlessly. I would prefer to consolidate everything under Proton, but this is currently infeasible due to the absence of:
Integrated meeting and calendar solutions (akin to Jitsi and NextCloud Calendar);
Contact backup capabilities;
Co-editing features (attempts to collaborate on files saved in Proton Drive via LibreOffice have proven challenging).
These are my primary requirements.
Given that my company fully embraces and supports Open Source software, I would also appreciate greater attention to Linux distributions.
I recognize that Linux holds a minimal market share and do not expect Proton's developers to focus exclusively on porting applications to Debian, Android, or HarmonyNext (the latter of which my company is keenly exploring).
In conclusion, I encourage the Proton Team to continue their excellent work. There is always room for improvement, as is the case with any endeavor.
Davide
shared this idea
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AdminProton
(Admin, Proton)
commented
Thanks, we'll take it into consideration. Going forward, if you want a feature request, please raise a ticket for a specific and individual feature or product.
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Sivapriyan
commented
Hello everyone, I am starting to feel a bit worried about Proton's recent practices so I wrote an open letter to the company, please find it below:
Dear ProtonMail Employees and Management,
I hope this letter finds you well. As a loyal paying customer and a staunch advocate for privacy-focused products, I felt compelled to reach out to express my growing concerns regarding the direction ProtonMail seems to be taking.
When I made the switch from mainstream tech products to Proton services, it was driven by a strong belief in your mission to provide a secure and private alternative to the offerings of big tech companies. However, recent developments have left me feeling anxious and disheartened, as I fear that ProtonMail may be straying from its core identity in pursuit of broader market appeal.
One of my primary concerns stems from your recent social media posts promoting partnerships that seem at odds with the values ProtonMail stands for. For instance, the collaboration with Airalo eSIMs raises red flags for me, particularly given the company's ties to low-cost eSIM providers and its operations through partners in Israel—a nation known for its extensive surveillance practices. This association feels contradictory to the privacy-centric ethos that ProtonMail has championed.
Additionally, I was troubled by the post criticizing DeepSeek, especially when the same scrutiny could have been directed toward OpenAI. DeepSeek, with its open-source nature, aligns more closely with the principles of transparency and user control that are foundational to Proton's mission. Instead of dismissing it, I believe it deserves recognition for its commitment to privacy, particularly when run locally.
Moreover, the promotion of Zoom integration over Jitsi Meet is another point of concern. Jitsi Meet, being open-source and privacy-focused, would have been a more fitting choice for a company that prides itself on safeguarding user data. This decision seems to prioritize convenience over the core values that initially attracted many of us to ProtonMail.
These examples are just a few of the many concerns I have, and I could provide additional instances that further illustrate my worries. I urge you to refocus on the principles that have made ProtonMail a trusted name in privacy. Prioritizing development for Linux and Android platforms over iOS would also resonate more with the privacy-conscious community, as these platforms are often seen as more aligned with user privacy.
I appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into building and maintaining ProtonMail, and I sincerely hope that my concerns resonate with you. It is crucial that ProtonMail remains steadfast in its commitment to privacy and security, as this is what sets it apart in an increasingly crowded market.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my thoughts. I look forward to seeing ProtonMail continue to lead the way in privacy-focused solutions.
Sincerely,
Siva S.