custodying your own crypto is like running your own mail server

where things start, but not where they end (for better or worse)

i am optimistic the end-state of crypto custody will be superior to the current state of mail clients, though (where you can arguably no longer run your own server bc of spam issues..)

Moxie Marlinspike famously said that people don’t want to run their own servers.

I also think most people don’t want to secure their own seed phrases.

Startup artist seeking inspiration.  Champion of /bcard

People want only throw, no take.

If we ignore competing in a race to the bottom for a moment then it's less important what people want and more important what they're capable of doing vs what they're motivated to do.

A doodler and computerer. I like permissive/permissionless open source, smart contracts, p2p systems, room-scale VR, and NixOS.

shazow.net

Currently: WhatsABI

I haven’t set up a dichotomy so I’m unsure what’s false.  Also it would appear that it’s you who is setting up a strawman as no one said users need to set up their own server for Ethereum to have the properties we want.  😘 

Setting aside the pedantry, the core idea I was trying to articulate is that the technical hurdles one encounters to enter the blockchain space is unacceptable to most humans (given the value that is currently available to them).  Just because you can accomplish something technically doesn’t mean people will use it, even if it’s “good for them”.  It takes a combination of strong value and ease-of-use.

Signal made it easy to have e2e encrypted chats.  I got my parents on it by only sharing baby pics via Signal.  Value and ease-of-use.

Yup, but that's a false dichotomy. Seeds are 2015 era thinking, we're moving beyond seeds.

Moxie's "no one wants to run their own server" was also setting up a strawman. We don't need every user to run their own server for Ethereum to have the properties we want.

I think people would secure their own seed phrases if they saw the benefit, but what is the benefit to someone outside of crypto right now?  Not much.

If you want to attract non-crypto users, a sane default (for your valuable product) is to not have to worry about seed phrases.