I have continued to create products that I want using OSS (open source), such as KuroEditor, WorkerOps, and KuroCMS, but the basics were web applications. This time, I would like to make use of past development assets and develop a smartphone version of KuroNote and a web application version (mainly for PCs) of KuroNotes. With this, I'm planning to manage all the memos I've created in Dropbox and text files all at once, such as managing my own passwords, shopping notes, notes for creative novels, and many different passwords.
This time, we are offering ``KuroNote'' for smartphones and a PC + server storage service called ``KuroNotes.'' The smartphone part is free and can be stored in clouds such as Dropbox and Google Drive for interlocking devices. If you want to link it with your computer, use end-of-life functions or cloud storage, or want to take backups in unencrypted zip format, apply for this "KuroNotes" contract from the smartphone version. Please refer to the source link for a detailed overview. This article focuses on the history of how it started.
Development concept
- It works fast and makes writing and referencing stress-free.
- In any case, focus on memos and don't add unnecessary functions; on the contrary, add them if necessary.
- Data is encrypted and saved on your smartphone. The server side is also encrypted, so the server company cannot see the contents. *This is important
- The smartphone version of KuroNote is free and can only be saved to a cloud server such as Dropbox. If you subscribe to the KuroNotes cloud server, you can use it for a lifetime for 100 yen/month (less than 1GB), and it is designed with peace of mind that the price will not increase forever at the end of use.
- It comes with end-of-life functions such as automatic email sending after death and a recovery code + inheritance mark for the bereaved family.If the user dies and the contract is canceled, the data will be automatically deleted after a certain period of time, and the necessary information can be passed on to the person who wants to take over, such as the bereaved family, heir, lawyer, etc.
Explanation for each concept
Basically, I'm going to ask you to look at the product introduction page on the link page in the source, and here I'll mainly explain my feelings that I can't get into.
Needless to say, this is the most important point. Unless it's a lightweight and fast app for everyday smartphone use, such as storing shopping notes for dishes or storing small passwords, even the startup time should be reduced. First of all, in order to start up quickly on a single smartphone, the basic idea is to encrypt and save data on the device. Since it is encrypted and saved, the data will not be leaked even if your smartphone is attacked by a virus (*This would be impossible if not only the data but also the system that manages the encryption key was hacked). In addition, we use OS native libraries and optimize background processing to ensure that interlocking with the server, data compression, etc. do not affect operation speed. To be honest, it is not designed to be used as a memo app, but we are particular about high-speed operation.
For text conversion using voice input, the OS standard voice recognition can be used. I'm thinking of adding voice recognition using AI in the future, but if it takes too long to start up, it would be a waste of time, so I think I'll implement it according to the requests. Even in that case, I think the implementation would be to run the AI on the smartphone, without connecting to the outside world, and with absolutely no data leakage. (When using voice recognition using AI, smartphone specifications are required, so voice input cannot be used if the device has low performance.)
This is also required as it also affects startup. For some reason, apps in the world, such as Evernote, Notion, and Obsidian, are simple and easy to use at first, but as they gradually add more functionality, become more expensive, and become less user-friendly. It reminds me of a famous book I read a long time ago called ``The Innovator's Dilemma.'' Therefore, the free version of "KuroNote" for smartphones and the paid version of "KuroNotes" for PCs and servers do not have any additional functions other than notes! We are developing with the theme that the price will remain the same forever.
The price of "KuroNotes" for computers and servers is set at only 100 yen per month, so that it can be realistically continued as a final use. I think the value of it as a memo app varies from person to person, but to be honest, if the price is the lowest price that allows the server to continue to be provided, then it can be used as an end-of-life app in the true sense of the word. In fact, Apple and Google take 15-30% of every 100 yen as fees. Consumption tax (VAT) in each country ranges from 10 to 25%. Therefore, roughly 50% is taken away in fees and taxes, and when we pay Cloudflare for server usage, we can barely make a profit. However, I want my data to disappear completely when I die! I think there are many people who think so, so I started developing this app. Of course, if you only use your smartphonefreeis. In this case, I think that the smartphone will be physically disposed of with no one other than the person who has access to it, so I think it has a final death function.
No, I will do my best to manage it! But even large companies can suffer from data leaks. In that case, it doesn't matter if it's leaked or if it's run by a malicious employee, wouldn't it be a good idea to encrypt everything in a way that only you have the key? This idea is based on a concept known as zero trust and zero knowledge, and KuroNotes, which is a cloud on the computer and server sides, is all encrypted and cannot be viewed by anyone but the user. Conversely, if the user loses the key, everything disappears.No one can recover.However, if you use it on multiple terminals (devices and browsers), you can restore it if one of the passkeys remains. For example, if you search for tonight's menu on your computer, write it down in KuroNotes, and then view it at the supermarket (on your smartphone), you have two separate keys.Even if authentication is linked between devices, the key will not remain on the server. It's thorough.
It's not just text data that is encrypted. Images are also encrypted. Even if you are tired of taking notes and paste a photo of your passbook or a photo of an old lover, everything will be encrypted and saved. Not only when logging in to a device, but also when logging in to an app, there is an authentication step that requires you to pass biometric authentication using a passkey each time to view the app screen, further increasing security. However, since this app is a basic text file, it can only store up to 1GB. There are no plans to increase capacity by increasing the amount. If you want to use it purely for notes and end-of-life purposes, it won't last unless you have a sustainable amount of money. If you have a large number of secret images, we recommend a different service.
First, try using it as a free memo pad.
KuroNote itself is free to use. Device linkage can be used without any problems if you use cloud storage such as Dropbox. First of all, I would be happy if you could use it as an easy-to-use memo pad. Since it uses KuroEditor, convenient functions such as text decoration and heading settings can be used as is. If there are no accidents, the average life expectancy in modern society is increasing, and you may not be worried about the end of your life, but I would like people like me who suffer from ALS to take advantage of it. Since it is very difficult to discuss end-of-life matters with your family while you are still alive, I think it is a good idea to use it as a will.
【source】
- KuroNote and KuroNotes introduction page
