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Comment by teamspirit | Hacker News Reader

Serious question, what is keybase? It started as a identity key verification service (which I use), then went on to be an encrypted file store (which I use), then went to be a chat service (again I still use it though it has its issues), then they added some weird crypto currency thing (feels scammy), and now they're adding another file serving option (which looks really cool). So, what do I call keybase when I'm trying to get people to use it?

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Stellar (https://www.stellar.org/overview) isn't part of Keybase per se, they've just developed an integration - or better said, a wallet - for that system. To me Stellar's mission doesn't seem too far apart from Keybase's, I can understand why they see value in it for their users.

The Stellar airdrop to every Keybase user seemed to be tightly integrated with Keybase, more than you'd get with just a wallet integration.

AFAIK every user with a supported wallet received it, the airdrops started way before Keybase supported XLM. See earlier blog articles: https://www.stellar.org/blog/bitcoin-claim-lumens-2/ and https://www.stellar.org/blog/bringing-lumens-to-millions/

I am sure that's true, but as a Keybase user there was a lot of communication surrounding the drop directly from Keybase.

A study case in feature (and scope) creep. I really wish they had just stuck to being an identity verification service as that's the main use case I've given them, but I feel they're stretching themselves too thin (and just being that would be probably difficult to monetize)

This is my worry for them, quantity over quality. Though I have to say their quality is pretty good. It just feels like too much and really confuses people when I start to tell them. My issue is still, how can I describe keybase without people saying to me it looks bloated. Maybe it is and that's the problem.

> now they're adding another file serving option

Note that keybase.pub was part of the Keybase filesystem since almost the very beginning. I'm not sure why OP posted it now.

Keybase.pub has existed since they launced the file system. This is nothing new, its just the /keybase/public folder.

What they did add was SSH server, banning, git hosting, and now bots to the chat.

As for what it is, their primary claim to fame is to solve the identity problem in the internet and secondary they solve the private key on multiple devices problem by having a smart way to have private key per device.

Once you have those 2 things you can build all kinds of stuff around that, and that's what they do. A well encrypted Slack is basically what they are.

I use it mostly to move files between machines or to host files I want to send to others. I also use the private git for backups for important folders.

The main thing that they are really missing in my opinion is being a IdP for OpenID connect.

Seems like they nailed identity verification, then started tackling the things people tend to use trusted identities for: messaging, sharing files, transferring money — probably more to come.

Not saying it’s good or bad, but if you look at why people need trusted ID it might make more sense.

Whoa - you really hit upon a question that I've also had. Keybase does seem to be suffering from feature creep that is actually making it harder to 'sell' to a non-super-tech person. They really ought to rethink their UX/UI, so the call to action via their software is more easily understood.

It's an app that makes it easy for people to communicate and collaborate securely.

Indeed, I feel like keybase is on the right path to solve provable identity on the internet, and they should focus on that by giving third-party an easy way to integrate it, give application or service makers a way to delegate authentication, and it would be a damn success.

Honestly, I'm not a user of Crypto but they are sending free money.

I transfer them into Bitcoin and sell them on Coinbase and receive the money through Paypal. I've received over 80$ for basically nothing as far as I'm aware. I'm happy with it.

What’s the scam when somebody is gifting you 20-40$ every month? The spammers / bots made it seem scammy.

You forgot remote git repository

Like signal with more features?

Don’t confuse the security levels here. Keybase for the most part is not forward secure which has significantly different properties.

It’s GPG for people who only know how to use iPhone apps.

Or it’s GPG for modern use cases.

Just to be precise, Keybase doesn't use GPG crypto for anything, except validating that you own one. All the crypto is home-made (although as somewhat interested in the field I would say is better than using stock GPG)

That’s not entirely true as one can invoke GPG encryption from the `keybase` command.

Keybase crypto is not home-made.

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