The best tools for sending an email if you go silent(blog.alcazarsec.com)
22 pointsby alcazar7 hours ago5 comments
  • jubilanti6 hours ago
    Check the domain: this is corporate PR blogspam. Alcazar blog post recommending Alcazar to be the best.

    Find everyone who upvoted this early and you can probably identify an HN upvoting ring.

    • alcazar5 hours ago
      No upvoting ring here. In fact, I didn't realize this blew up until now.

      We routinely post blog articles explaining digital legacy to people. And oftentimes we recommend our own product, as we honestly believe it's one of the most simple and private ones out there.

  • albumen6 hours ago
    This feels like an AI-generated list of products with no actual hands-on time to let me get a feel if any of the services actually work vs their feature list. Revising the language/structure to not reek of AI would make me think more care had gone into it, and thus be more trustworthy.
    • hirako20006 hours ago
      It's also Alcatrazsec, a company we had never heard of, listing its own product as the best of the list, whilst naming it as if it wasn't their own product.
      • alcazar4 hours ago
        We're sorry if you had the impression it wasn't our own product. The second recommendation is "Alcazar Dead Man’s Switch," and the page is titled "Alcazar · Blog." We thought it was clear.

        We recommend our own product because we think it's one of the best options out there. We want people to hear about it, while we also share information about our competitors and when one would choose us versus them.

    • alcazar5 hours ago
      It's very hard to simplify a list of services to the point where it's useful for everyone. Some people have never heard of the topic and just want a quick skim. Others want the full feature list (which you can find in the linked websites). There's no perfect solution.
  • dizhn6 hours ago
    Telegram has a feature where it will delete your whole account after 3 or 6 months of inactivity. That's how my friends can now. :)
    • alcazar4 hours ago
      That's great if you just want them to know you are gone (although many friends would realize before that).

      It is not complete if you want to send them anything after you go—some goodbye letter, or something more practical like a password, or plans and info they should know.

      It is still a good idea to configure anyway. It's not one tool or another; they can complement each other.

      • dizhn4 hours ago
        For "bus factor of one" stuff I am thinking about making some preperations. I was considering using ssh key based sudo or something like that and something like vaultwarden.

        The people who i am thinking of can have access now. They just wouldn't know what to do with it.

        • alcazar4 hours ago
          I think Vaultwarden is the right place to store secrets and SSH keys. They can use the emergency recovery feature to request access after a certain period.

          You could then share the complete instructions via email using a dead man's switch, which would make it easier for them to navigate those difficult times.

          If you want to give that a try, I can answer any questions you have during setup and extend the free trial (the default is 14 days) until you are sure that this is the right solution.

          Send us a message if we can help!

  • CSP_LIBRARY7 hours ago
    Did not get you properly? If you mean automating or scheduling email for a future date/time and auto-responding incomming emails, Gmail already have these features
    • alpaca1287 hours ago
      This is for sending a message in case something happens to you and you're not able to send anything yourself anymore for whatever reason.

      Hence the term "dead man's switch"

  • julienreszka6 hours ago
    smart contract time capsule in the blockchain
    • alcazar4 hours ago
      How do you perform the check-ins? Can you send messages to "normal" people, such as your parents, or must they be running a script to check the blockchain periodically?

      Most people want an easy-to-use solution for sending messages to family and friends. However, technical people with technical friends can use the bleeding edge, and that is cool as well.